* * *

Venice, Italy

December

Elliana Moretti pulled her too-thin coat around her as she hurried over the bridges and through the small streets of Venice to work. An ice storm had blown through the city, and as usual, Elli had been completely unprepared for it.

At twenty-eight, Elli had made a name for herself as a tenacious investigative journalist, focused entirely on her career. Her beauty was useful, getting her through the door of places she might otherwise have been refused from, but once she had her prey on her hook, her intelligence and talent were what most people admired about her. Vivienne Marche, publishing maven, had seen those qualities when Elli had applied for an internship with her. Elli had worked for Vivienne for five years at their San Francisco office before they both relocated back to Elli’s hometown to start the new magazine.

Today, the magazine, a women-led political and social monthly, was hosting a lunch for Aldo Costanza, an American-Italian philanthropist billionaire who had recently relocated to Venice from Rome. Vivienne had told Elli that the man was thinking of investing heavily in the magazine.

“It would mean the magazine could go international.” Vivienne was excited. Elli could see that. “It would mean I could send my top journalist abroad to dig out the stories she really wants to write,” Vivienne added, with a meaningful look at a grinning Elli.

“Well, in that case …” Elli chuckled, enthused by her boss’s excitement.

Now, as Elli walked briskly through the frozen Venice streets, she was trying to compile in her head a list of stories she had wanted to go deep into and the possibilities that lay ahead. She was so lost in thought that she didn’t see the car as she walked across the road. Someone shouted a warning, and she looked up to see the car bearing down on her. She jumped back and slipped, crashing to the cold, hard ground and slamming her head against the stone. The car skimmed past her without stopping.

For a second, dazed, she lay there, head whirling, until she felt someone crouch down beside her. “Are you all right?”

Elli pushed herself into a sitting position, still stunned. A man peered down at her. “You’re bleeding, Bella.”

He pulled a clean, white handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it to her temple. “Should I call an ambulance?”

Elli was horrified and tried to get up. “No, I’m fine. Thank you for stopping to help me. It was just a fall …” She swallowed hard when she saw the amount of blood on the man’s handkerchief and her head whirled.

“Sweet one, I think we should go get you checked out anyway …you might need stitches.”

In one swift movement, he swept her up into his arms and was carrying her toward his huge, black Mercedes. Elli wanted to protest, but she couldn’t form the words. God, her head was killing her …damn, what if she’d cracked her skull? Today, of all days? Of anyone, Elli would hate to let Vivienne down; her boss was like her big sister as well as her mentor and her heroine.

The man put her in the back of his car and got in beside her, calling an order to his driver. He cradled her in his arms. Elli felt her body get cold—was she in shock? It was just a fall, goddamn it …but her head whirled and she felt faint and nauseous. Her companion stroked her hair back from the wound.

“Sweetheart, you must stay awake for me. What’s your name?”

“Elliana.”

“A name as beautiful as its owner.”

He had a nice voice, she thought fuzzily. But now there were black spots in her vision and her chest felt tight.

“Elliana, don’t faint on me now …”

His voice faded into the recesses of her memory as she slipped away into darkness.

Elli woke on a gurney in a hospital room. She blinked a couple of times and felt pain sear through her skull. She moaned quietly, then heard a scrape of a chair on linoleum.

“Elli? Welcome back.”

Turning her head caused a jolt of pain that nearly drew the curtains back over her eyes once more.

“Stay still,” the voice warned, coming closer until the face attached to it swam into view.

Elli squinted, making out dark hazel eyes, stubble, and light brown hair cropped close to his head. He looked vaguely familiar. Somewhere at the back of her battered brain, she also registered that he was seriously good looking, but it hurt too much to put that into any kind of context.

The man leaned down, bringing those warm eyes that much closer, and gently brushed her cheek with his knuckle. Heat flared through her for a moment, bright enough to dislodge the dizziness. “Stay still, Bella,” he repeated softly. “You have a bad concussion.”

“What happened?” she asked in confusion.

“You were very nearly hit by a car. It could have been far worse, but you have a severe concussion, Bella,” he repeated. “They’ve stitched your head wound. You’ll be okay, but you’ll have to stay here for a day or two.”

Elli sat up in horror, ignoring the pull of the I.V. tube in her arm. “No …no, I can’t. I have to work. I have to be there today.” She could feel herself starting to panic, and he sat on the side of her bed and took her cold hand in his large, warm one. Again, there was a pulse of heat that moved through her body like a slow-burning flame.

“Sweet one, let me call your workplace—where do you work?”

. “Il Mondo Italia,” she rasped. “We’re a ...”

“Magazine, yes I know,” he said, grinning. “I’m a subscriber.”

“You are?”

He laughed. “Of course. And as you are Elliana, you must be Elliana Moretti. Your work is the reason I subscribe.”

She gaped at him. “That’s not true.”

“Hand on my heart. Hi, Elliana Moretti …I’m Aldo Constanza.”

Vivienne Marche’s eyes grew huge as she saw her best friend and top journalist, Elli, complete with a bandage wrapped around her head and a bruised, pale face, being escorted into the magazine’s offices by Aldo Constanza. Ordinarily, any unexpected appearance by Aldo would have been cause for scrambling in the office, but Vivienne presently had no interest in anything but her friend.

“Elli!” She jumped out of her seat and rushed around to carefully embrace the woman who she called sister. “What happened?”

Aldo greeted her warmly before Elli could say anything. “Vivienne, how wonderful to see you again. This little one insisted on bringing me today, despite her accident. Elli, please sit down before you fall down.”

“Accident? What accident?” Vivienne demanded, easing Elli into a seat and hovering beside her.

“She only just missed being struck by a car,” Aldo explained. “Her head took the brunt of her narrow escape.”

“Why didn’t you call me?” exclaimed Vivienne in horror, very nearly pulling Elli into a bearhug before realizing she might have other, unseen injuries. She contented herself instead with taking Elli’s hand and holding onto it tightly.

Aldo nodded at the head bandage. “She was indisposed.”

“The pavement has a dent in it,” Elli joked wearily. “No major damage done to this hard head.”

In spite of her attempt at lightheartedness, Vivienne could see the embarrassment in Elli’s eyes. She pressed Elli’s fingers as Aldo continued. “She has a severe concussion, and I think she should have gone straight home from the hospital, but she insisted on bringing me here.”

Vivienne’s heart warmed. That was just like Elli. She pressed her lips to Elli’s temple. “You are a peach,” she said. “But I’m sending you home right now, El. I’ll arrange a cab.”

“No, please. I insist my driver take her home.” Aldo was firm, and so in a few minutes, Vivienne was tucking Elli into the warm backseat of Aldo Constanza’s limousine, lingering worriedly in the door to admonish,

“You take as long as you need, El. I don’t want you back until you’re well.”

Elli smiled gratefully at her. “I’m so sorry about this, Viv.”

“Don’t be silly.” Vivienne leaned in closer, “If anything, you’ve broken the ice with Constanza …it’s just a shame you had to do it with your head.”

Elli chuckled at her boss’s grin. “Anything to help, boss.”

It turned out billionaires were fussbudgets. Or, at least, this one was. Aldo Costanza insisted on carrying Elli upstairs. She barely had time to deal with the flare of heat, this time all through her body, before he was unlocking her door and asking where her bedroom was. It was too surreal, being tucked into her bed by a handsome billionaire, all the while her head spinning.

She half expected him to take a seat beside her bed and sit some kind of guard as she slept, but instead, he apologized profusely, saying he had a meeting he couldn’t rearrange, but that he would check up on her soon. After more passionate apologies, he finally left, but not before making sure she had water, aspirin, and a phone within arm’s reach.

Once he was gone, Elli lay in bed for a long while, but couldn’t sleep. The exhaustion was there, but it warred with her ever-active mind. Even a concussion couldn’t stop Elli from overthinking things. She crawled out from under the covers that Aldo had fastidiously tucked around her, cranked up the heat, and made herself some tea—some kind of blend Vivienne said was good for relaxing. By the time the water boiled, her legs were wobbly and she was glad to curl up on the couch with her favorite blanket, listening to the wind outside her windows.

Her apartment was tiny, but she didn’t care about that—the view from the windows over Venice’s Lagoon made it worth the squeeze. Resting her aching head against a pillow, she saw the ice and fog covering the gondoliers, jostling together at their moorings, the usually crowded streets almost empty. It would be Christmas soon, but if this weather held up, it would be a subdued event. Elli liked to walk the streets at night during the festive period—being alone in the world had never bothered her much. She would eat food from street vendors and soak in the atmosphere, thinking about her mother who had died when Elli was only eighteen. Her father had been long gone; Elli didn’t even know who or where he was. And her older brother, Enzo, had died the year previously from the same cancer that took their mother.

Sadness touched Elli as Enzo filled her mind. Nearly a decade older, he had been her hero—companion, teacher, protector—or at least, he had taught her how to protect herself. He had been an architect, designing some of the most beautiful hotels in Italy with his best friend, Indio. The sadness that Enzo’s memory always brought Elli was gently sidelined by a warm rush through her veins when she thought suddenly of Indio.

Indio Navaro had been her first crush—her first love. She closed her eyes now and thought of his dark curls, his swarthy caramel skin, and his bright green eyes. She remembered the first time she had seen him when she was just nine and he was eighteen. God, he had looked like an Adonis, so beautiful, with huge eyes, a perfectly symmetrical face, and a hard, toned body. No teenage acne or awkwardness for Indio, and even at her young age, Elli had known she would never again see such a beautiful man in her life. And he was beautiful—handsome wasn’t strong enough word for Indio Navaro—not just physically perfect, but the kindest, sweetest, strongest man she had ever known. For his part, Indio had stayed true to the code—never fool around with your best friend’s sister—but he had adored Elli too and would spend hours with her, even when Enzo wasn’t there. They were the moon and the sun to each other.

But then, when Elli was twenty, a couple of years after her mother had died, something had happened between Enzo and Indio—something neither of them would ever talk about—and when Indio had come to say goodbye to Elli, her heart had been broken.

“Please don’t go,” she had begged him. “I love you so much, Indio. I always have.”

Indio had looked shattered, and for a moment, she had thought he might kiss her. Instead, he had leaned his forehead against hers, and to her astonishment, she had felt tears on his cheeks. “Elli Bella, I …” He had choked on the words and, not caring anymore about what was right, she had pressed her lips to his.

“Tell me you love me …please, Indio, say it just once. I know you do. I know it in my soul …”

Indio had grabbed her head and kissed her roughly, then pulled away, his hands dropping from her, his eyes closed. “I can’t. I’m sorry, cara mia, I can’t.”

And then he was gone, and Elli had curled up into a little ball, her heart destroyed. When Enzo, pale and hollow-eyed came to find her, she hadn’t attacked him or blamed him. He was her brother after all.

Indio didn’t love me enough, Elli told herself for years, trying to mend her heart, but something had always told her that wasn’t the truth. But when Enzo had died, her chance of finding out what had really happened between him and Indio was gone. Indio had left Venice and gone to Rome. Elli made herself stay away from searching for him on the internet or reading about him in magazines. She knew he was a big deal in Rome and abroad, his property nous and artistic aesthetic making him a billionaire. He had dated a string of beautiful women and married and divorced a former Miss World within a year, but lately, had disappeared—gone to ground.

Elli sighed and pushed the thoughts of Indio away. She was a master of that; it was just in quiet moments like this one that she wished he was here with her, watching old movies and cuddling under a blanket like back in the old days. In bed alone, sometimes Elli would think about what it might have been like to have sex with him, his big body covering her tiny one, his mouth on hers.

You are twenty-eight and still behaving like a lovesick teenager. Maybe it was the concussion that made her feel so melancholy. She dragged her thoughts back to Aldo Constanza and smiled. What a sweetheart of a man. His gaze had been intense on hers a couple of times, and her stomach had curled, warming at being so obviously admired.

Her phone beeped from the bedroom. Grumbling, Elli emerged from her cozy nook in the corner of the couch, carrying her blanket with her. She made her way the short distance to the bedroom and read the text message.

You may be hurting, girl, but you are also a magician. Aldo Constanza is investing—and he’s investing BIG. I love you! Call me if you need anything! Viv xxx

Elli smiled and returned to the couch. Putting the phone on speaker so she could keep her hands curled around the mug before all the warmth of the tea dissipated, she dialed the office.

“Hey, bruiser!” Vivienne’s voice was typically cheerful, but with an edge of worry. “I didn’t wake you up, did I? How’s the head?”

Elli grinned, although her head ached badly now. “Better hearing that news. No, I wasn’t asleep.”

“You should’ve been,” lectured Vivienne. “You’re supposed to be resting.”

“You texted me,” Elli reminded her. She took a sip of the tea and grimaced, wishing she could magically transport honey from the kitchen to the couch. “But trust me, Aldo tried to make sure I did.”

“Aldo?” Vivienne repeated.

“He carried me in.” Elli tried to gloss past that detail. “Oh, god, Viv, I’m so happy for y you—for the magazine. Thank god I didn’t jinx it.”

“Far from it, El … don’t think you’re getting away without giving me all the dirt! But

Constanza had one little request. That you do an interview with him for the magazine—an in depth, not a puff piece, don’t worry—when you’re better. I think you have an admirer, Elli. A rich, handsome sweetheart of an admirer.”

Elli flushed with pleasure. “He wants me to interview him?”

Vivienne sighed and laughed. “Trust you to focus on the work part—I’m telling you, that man wants to fu ...”

“Vivienne Marche, you are over-excited,” Elli interrupted her, laughing and wincing at the corresponding twinge in her head. “Less than an hour ago, the guy was all but singing me a lullaby. Not exactly a precursor to a horizontal tango. Calm down.”

“I’m just saying …you need to get laid and there’s nothing like a sex-god billionaire to get your rocks off.”

Elli shook her head, grinning, although the thought wasn’t exactly repulsive to her. Aching head or not, the shock of the accident had receded more than enough for her to fully realize that Aldo was gorgeous. “Viv, I’ll talk to him to arrange the interview when I get back.”

“Um …” Vivienne suddenly sounded sheepish.

“What? What did you do?” Elli knew Vivienne’s machinations of old, especially when it came to Elli’s love life.

“Well, he kind of asked for your number, and I kind of gave it to him. I figured he rescued you, so …was I wrong?”

Elli sighed. “No, it’s fine. He probably won’t call anyway.”

Aldo Constanza did call that night, about eight p.m., while Elli was stubbornly trying to read in defiance of a headache that just wouldn’t completely go away and contemplating what to eat for her supper, seeing as her fridge was empty.

“How are you feeling, Elliana?”

His voice was deep, sexy, and weirdly already familiar. She settled herself back against the pillows, smiling. Just because she hadn’t thought he’d call didn’t mean she hadn’t hoped. “I’m okay. Just a little tired now. Thank you for today, Mr. Constanza. I mean it.”

“Please call me Aldo. Despite the circumstances and you being hurt, it was entirely my pleasure. Have you talked to Vivienne at all?”

“I have, and she told me about your request. It would be my honor.”

“Then it’s settled. Perhaps we can talk about it when you’ve recovered, but I also wanted to ask if I may take you to dinner tonight?”

Elli blinked, glancing down at her ratty old pajamas, then catching a glimpse of her disastrous hair, which she’d only just revealed from beneath the bandage. “Tonight?”

Aldo gave a soft laugh. “Blame Vivienne—she was fretting about you not having any food in your home. I take it that’s not unusual?”

Elli didn’t know how to react to that. “Um, well, yes, that is true. Unless you consider breakfast cereal a meal.”

“I do not,” he chuckled. God, he had a sexy laugh. “But what am I thinking? You probably don’t feel like going out in your condition and this weather. May I be so bold as to suggest I bring dinner to you?”

And for the life of her, Elli had no good reason to say no.

An hour later, after she had panicked after hanging up the phone, dashing around the place, tidying it and herself, and she didn’t know why she had worried. He’d seen virtually everything already. Well … not everything. A loud knock on the door interrupted that particular train of thought. She hurried over and opened the door, taking in the vision of the crazy hot billionaire standing behind a stack of two large, steaming-hot pizzas. “One vegetarian and one pepperoni,” he greeted her. “I didn’t know if you eat meat.”

“Oh, so Viv didn’t tell you everything?” Elli grinned at him, and he smiled somewhat sheepishly.

“Sorry.” He eased the pizza boxes onto her little dinner table. “Have I railroaded you?”

She put her hand on his arm—hey, any excuse to touch the —guy. “Not at all. I’m just kidding. Can I take your coat?”

Already, she thought of him as a tailored suit guy, so when he slipped out of his long coat to reveal a dark navy sweater and jeans, the navy bringing out the hazel in his eyes, she was taken aback—and impressed. He caught her expression and smiled.

“You like my sweater?”

No, actually, it’s you I like, she wanted to say. She breathed in his clean, woody scent and felt a pulse begin to beat between her legs. Aldo held her gaze, then smiled, stroking his hand on her cheek. God, his hands …

“Whatever you are thinking, cara mia, I am thinking too. But I am aware you have a pretty severe concussion, so maybe, tonight, we should just eat.”

Elli flushed, then giggled, shaking her head. On some men, it might have been presumption. With Aldo, it came across as devastating candor. No games, apparently. She liked that. “I’m sorry, I’m all over the place. Please, have a seat.”

They ate most of the two pizzas as they chatted, and Elli began to feel much more relaxed. Aldo was fun, intelligent, and god, he was sexy, his big frame dominating her small couch. His arm lay across the back of it, and she could feel the heat of his skin as his fingers lay inches from the back of her neck. He was easy to talk to as they discussed his business and his investment in the magazine. Elli was starting to feel excited about the forthcoming interview and told him so.

He smiled. “I’m glad …but only when you are fully recovered, little one. Then, I hope, you will come to my home and we will do the interview there. Afterward, perhaps you would dine with me?”

Elli blushed with pleasure. “I would like that very much.”

Just before ten p.m., he announced it was time he left so she could get some rest. He kissed her hand, his warm lips seeming to linger over her skin, while Elli stood in the doorway, heartrate surging. “I don’t recall when I have spent such a pleasurable evening,” he said.

She looked up at him, mesmerized by his eyes. “Me too. Thank you, Aldo. This day has been so much better than it deserved to be.”

He touched a finger to her cheek and was gone.

That night, for the first time in eight years, it wasn’t Indio who Elli dreamed of. And in the morning, a huge hamper of luxury food was waiting for her outside her door, with the note:

Just so you don’t starve while you recover, cara mia. I look forward to our next meeting. Aldo.

In amongst the expensive gourmet food was a box of her favorite breakfast cereal.

A week later, she was deemed by Vivienne to be fit enough to return to work, and two days later, she was being driven out to Aldo’s villa in Mira. As she approached, she gave a small gasp. The villa was huge and utterly Italian, but Elli had learned enough from her brother and Indio to know what was old and what was new. This villa was a recent build, which didn’t detract from its beauty one bit. Its features were simpatico with the Italian countryside around it, and although opulent, it shone with good taste.

Elli’s heart was pounding even harder now. The design of it, the feel …it reminded her of the houses Indio and her brother had designed and built at the beginning of their partnership, albeit, on a much, much larger scale. This has to be one of Indio’s, she thought, and she felt tears welling to the surface.

No. No, I will not ruin this by thinking about him, she thought to herself fiercely, and when the car pulled up and Aldo came out to meet her with a smile on his face, she pushed all thoughts of Indio to the back of her mind.

“Bella Elli, it has been too long,” he said, kissing her cheek and lingering just a little too long. Elli felt her body respond, but she reminded herself to act professionally and smiled back at him.

“This is a stunning villa, Aldo.”

Aldo beamed at her. “Thank you. I could give you the tour if you’d like.”

“Shall we do the interview first? Get the work part out of the way?” Too late, she realized what that sounded like and blushed furiously. Aldo laughed.

“That sounds …promising.”

Later, Elli would be able to narrow it down to three particular moments when she knew she would be sleeping with Aldo Constanza that night. The first was when they were talking about his work with starving children in Uganda, and he was talking with such passion and commitment that it touched Elli’s heart. Here was a man unafraid to wear his heart on his sleeve.

The second was when, after a delicious and luxurious dinner, they took a walk around his grounds, and he took her hand, bringing the inside of her wrist to his lips and kissing it softly.

The third was when, a moment after that, he’d turned to her and taken her in his arms, smoothing the hair away from her face.

“Bella Elliana …I’m going to kiss you now, then I’m going to take you to my bed, undress you, and kiss every part of your delicious body.”

Elli gasped a little, feeling her sex dampen and quiver at his coarse but sexy-as-all-hell words. His lips met hers, and they kissed, all passion and no hesitation.

In a flash, they were in his bedroom and he was stripping her slowly, lingering over each piece of exposed skin until she was trembling with desire. He swept her onto the bed and knelt over her as he freed his cock from his jeans, stroking the length of it and enjoying her lust and admiration.

“All this is for you, Elli Bella.”

Elli didn’t have time to register what he’d called her before he thrust his cock deep inside her, hitching her legs around his waist and ramming his hips hard against hers. Elli’s body acted as if she had no control over it, her back arching as he fucked her, her belly pressing against his, and her nipples so reacting so sensitively that when they brushed against his pecs, she screamed with pleasure.

Aldo was a masterful, dominant lover who enjoyed pinning her to his bed, not letting her recover between orgasms, his face hard and focused as his cock thrust deeper and deeper inside of her.

“Mio Dio, you are a beautiful woman. Mio Dio …”

They came together, Elli gasping and moaning as Aldo groaned, pumping thick, creamy come deep inside her belly. He kissed her tenderly as they panted for breath.

“Sweet Elli, you have made me so happy, so happy …”

She smiled at him. “That was incredible, Aldo …just as I dreamed it would be.”

Aldo looked boyish as he grinned in delight. “You dreamed of me?”

“I did.” Elli kissed his lips, his neck, then made her way down his body and took his cock in her mouth, teasing the long shaft with her tongue, feeling it quiver and harden under her touch. Aldo, on his back now, was stroking her hair.

“God, yes, Elli, that’s so good, so good …”

She brought him to near orgasm, then straddled him, impaling herself onto him with a soft moan. God, she wanted this man, his machismo, and his strength. She rode him hard, his hands squeezing and caressing her breasts, then stroking her belly, his thumb pressing deeply into the hollow of her navel.

As the intensity built, Aldo flipped her onto her back and began to thrust harder and harder, almost violent in his need for her. Elli clung to him, her fingernails digging into his shoulders. Aldo gripped her wrists and forced her hands onto the bed. This man likes being in control, Elli thought as another shattering orgasm ripped through her body. Aldo, almost frenzied now, bit down hard on her shoulder, and she yelped in surprise and pain as he came, shuddering and groaning, his seed shooting deep inside of her.

“Are you mine, Elli?”

She nodded, breathless, and Aldo took her clit into his mouth and made her come over and over until she begged him to stop, exhausted and sated.

Aldo wasn’t nearly done yet. He covered her body with his, kissing her mouth and smoothing the damp hair away from her face. “If you only knew how much I wanted you the moment I saw you on that street.” He grinned and chuckled softly. “Even covered in blood, you were beautiful.”

Elli frowned a little. Was she too sensitive? Because that sounded a little weird. Aldo saw her expression. “I just mean, you could be covered in dirt or blood or anything, and I would still think you were the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Forgive me. I realize now what I said might have sounded strange.”

Elli relaxed, her arms around his neck. Aldo Constanza had just fucked her into next week and her body felt strangely soft, as if all her limbs and bones had been liquified. “You’re forgiven. Aldo …it’s been the most incredible night.”

He stroked a hand down the length of her. “You’ll stay the night?”

She half-smiled. “I’m torn. Professionally speaking, I haven’t been at all professional.” They both laughed. “But the thought of leaving you naked in this bed to go home to my cold one …”

He kissed her again, pushing her legs apart, his cock already hard again. “Then stay,” he said, thrusting into her. “Stay and let’s do this all night long …”

Elli woke a little before dawn, her throat dry. Aldo lay on his stomach next to her, his big arm thrown across her. She studied him for a long moment, her new lover. His features were made to look tense, she decided, and smoothed the crease between his eyes that made him look angry. She smiled as it immediately settled back into a line, then gently removed Aldo’s arm from around her waist. She slid from the bed, snagging his shirt and wrapping it around her body. She padded through the quiet villa, down to the large kitchen, and helped herself to a bottle of water from the vast, well-stocked refrigerator, grinning to herself at the difference between this one and her own. She even recognized some of the same foods Aldo had sent to her in the hamper. A man of good taste—of particular tastes. She went to the hallway and tried the doorway to one of the balconies. It opened, and she stepped out into the freezing cold night. The cold took her breath away, but it cooled her too-hot body. It had been a long time since she’d shared a bed with someone else, and it felt strange and a little claustrophobic.

She started slightly as Aldo slid his arms around her waist. “You’ll catch your death out here,” he murmured into her ear, and she grinned, moving to turn in his arms.

“No, stay like that,” he said, and slipped his hand between her legs, parting them. Elli gasped as he thrust his cock into her from behind, his hand on her belly to keep her close as he fucked her. She rested her head back on his shoulder, panting for air. Her bare feet were freezing against the ice-cold stone of the balcony.

“Bend over the balcony for me, Principessa. Put your feet on mine if they are cold.”

She did both, loving the adventure of it and feeling him grip her hips tightly as he thrust his cock deeper and deeper into her. The cold stone bit into her breasts as she gripped the balcony, but she didn’t care. The sensations he sent through her body were exquisite. She heard him groan and felt him come, reveling in the feeling of his huge cock filling her. Aldo panted for air, then swept her up in his arms, carrying her inside. Just before they got to the bedroom, Elli saw a painting she hadn’t noticed earlier. “Wait.” She gazed up at it. The woman in the picture had an ethereal beauty—her dark brown hair was piled up on top of her head and her large brown eyes were soulful—but it was the sadness in them that took Elli’s breath away. She had known this sadness, felt this utter desolation and heartbreak …three times. “Who is she?”

Aldo’s eyes were suddenly wary. “Her name was Yvetta. She was my lover a few years ago.”

“What happened to her?”

Aldo looked away from her gaze. Elli touched his cheek lightly. “Aldo, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry—”

“It’s all right.” He coughed, clearing emotion from his throat and looking back at her with obvious grief on his face. “She died. No, that doesn’t even cover it …she was murdered. By an enemy of mine.”

“Oh my god, Aldo!” Elli said in shock.

He nodded, putting her down and running a hand through his short hair. “He was obsessed with her and kept trying to steal her from me. When she wouldn’t go to him, he killed her on what would have been our wedding day.”

Elli gave a horrified gasp. She touched Aldo’s face again, framing it with her hands. “God, Aldo …I’m so sorry. I can’t begin to imagine.”

“I found her,” he said bleakly, looking up at the painting, his voice breaking. “I found her dead, in her wedding dress, covered in blood. My beautiful Yvetta …”

Elli wrapped her arms around him and comforted him as Aldo tried to regain his composure. They stood for a while, just embracing, before Elli led him back to bed. They made love slowly this time, tenderly, and when they were finally sated, Aldo laid his head on her chest and they slept.

The next day was a Saturday, thankfully, and when Elli opened her eyes it was already mid-morning. The bed beside her was empty, and at the end of the bed, a fresh robe was placed, a note attached.

Help yourself to anything you need, my sweet girl. I’ll be down in my study when you are ready. A.

Elli smiled and went into the en-suite bathroom, which was as palatial as the rest of the rooms in this villa. Elli smiled to herself—Aldo Constanza did not do anything small …his business, his house, his lovemaking …

Stepping into the shower, Elli felt relief as the warm water cascaded over her body. Soaping herself, she saw souvenirs of the night before written on her body; the imprint of Aldo’s teeth on her shoulder and bruises on her wrists and arms. There were bruises the shape of his fingertips on her hips. It didn’t bother her; they were marks of passion and desire, not cruelty or violence.

She dressed quickly, stuffing her underwear into her purse, then went down to find Aldo.

He looked up as she came in and smiled. “Good morning, beautiful.” He stood to greet her, brushing his lips tenderly against hers. “How did you sleep?”

“Wonderfully, thank you.” She looked at his open lap-top. “I don’t want to disturb you, though.”

Aldo smiled. “It is unfortunate that I do have to work today. May I ask Umberto to drive you home?”

Elli smiled. “Of course. Thank you. And thank you for last night.”

He kissed her again. “May I see you again, Elli?”

She smiled and nodded. “I would like that. But, Aldo, I do have to say …I don’t want this to interfere with my work. It is very important to me.”

“I understand. I would never place any expectations on you, my sweet girl. Please, won’t you stay and have brunch with me before you leave? I’ll ask Umberto to bring the car around in an hour.”

“If it won’t keep you from your work,” she said, but his hands were already snaking under her skirt and encountering bare skin. She grinned, looking up at him from beneath her lashes.

“I don’t put yesterday’s underwear on.”

With a feral growl, Aldo pulled her into his arms and kissed her, his lips rough against hers. He fucked her against the wall of his study, and it was almost animalistic the way he took her, pinning her hands above her head and thrusting deep and long into her cunt.

***

An hour later, she was being driven through the snow back to her apartment. Before she got there, feeling energized and joyful, she decided she would go grocery shopping and asked the car to change directions.

Wandering around the Christmas markets, she spent a leisurely afternoon shopping and didn’t notice how late it had gotten until the streets were emptying. Elli hauled her full bags back toward her apartment, contemplating what she might make with the fresh ingredients.

It began with a prickle up her spine as she walked down a dark alleyway. Elli stopped and turned. Though an alleyway could suggest danger to some, this one was as familiar to Elli as any main road. She’d never felt any kind of fear while walking through it, regardless of the time of day. But now, she felt as if someone were watching her. She sucked in a breath and checked every dark corner she could see. Nothing. Not even a breeze. Picking up her pace, she walked quickly back to her apartment., Relocking the door behind her, she put her grocery bags down. Walking into her own home, she should’ve immediately felt secure, but the feeling persisted. Hesitating just a second, she grabbed a knife from the kitchen drawer.

Her apartment was only three rooms, but she checked everywhere she could think of. Nothing and no one. Elli shook her head. She had never been one to be paranoid, so why now? Was it just the seismic shift in her life from a week ago? A night ago?

“It must be that,” she said aloud to herself, feeling her body finally relax, and went to unpack her groceries.

She had just finished cleaning up the kitchen and was getting into bed as her cell phone rang. “Hello, sweet girl. I just wanted to make sure that you’re okay?”

Elli smiled. “I’m good, Aldo, thank you. I’ve had a very decadent afternoon and stocked my refrigerator.”

Aldo laughed. “I’m glad to hear it, although I do wish I was with you. I realized tonight what a big, empty house this is.”

Elli felt a little uncomfortable. “There’ll be other nights, Aldo.”

“Oh, I know, sweet girl. What are you doing now?”

“Just about to go to bed.”

“Naked?” He sounded like a hopeful little boy, and she laughed.

“Of course.”

“Hmm, now I’m beginning to visualize that, and it’s very, very nice …” His voice dropped low. “If I were with you, I’d be running my hands down your soft skin, cupping your beautiful breasts …will you do that for me, cara mia, and pretend it’s me touching you?”

Elli closed her eyes and did as he asked, enjoying the sensuality of his voice purring down the phone. She stroked her hand down her body, over her breasts. “What else would do you do to me?”

“I would circle your bellybutton with my thumb, gently, over and over until I could feel your belly quiver under my touch.”

Elli moaned softly, turned on by his words and the feel of her hand on her belly. “Then lower, my love, down into your sex, your delicious tight little cunt. I would caress your clit until it was hard and so sensitive that you wanted to scream. Spread your legs wide, my baby, and stroke yourself for me.”

Elli gasped as she obeyed him. “Aldo …Aldo …are you touching yourself?”

He gave a low, amused chuckle. “You better believe it, sweetheart. Now, I want you to imagine my cock is sliding into you, so slowly that you get annoyed with me and scream at me to fuck you …”

“Wait,” Elli gasped, panting. She reached over to her nightstand and grabbed her vibrator. She pushed it inside of herself, moaning as she imagined it was his cock.

“Good. That’s good, sweet girl. My cock is inside you now, filling you, plowing deep inside you again and again until you see stars in your eyes …Elli?”

Almost delirious, Elli gasped her “Yes?”

“Are you free tomorrow? Can I come see you?”

Elli came as she sighed, “Yes, yes, yes …”

Aldo gave a satisfied laugh. “Good …tomorrow, then?”

Elli chuckled, still catching her breath. “Tomorrow, Aldo.”

All traces of her earlier fear had long fled as she said goodnight and fell straight asleep, thoroughly sated.

Two weeks later—two long weeks full of every manner of fucking, whether or not Elli and Aldo were in the same —room—Vivienne met with Elli for lunch. After an enjoyable thirty minutes spent discussing everything under the sun, Vivienne finally got around to work talk. Only, because Vivienne was Vivienne and her radar missed nothing, work had a double meaning. “Girl, this article is one of your best. Hands down. How’d you get him to open up so much?”

Elli could feel her face burn a little, thinking of all the different kinds of opening up she and Aldo had been doing. “He’s very … loquacious when you get him on the right topic. His work in Uganda, his love of art. He even told me some stuff about his personal life, but I felt it didn’t add anything to the article and it would be taking advantage of a personal tragedy.”

. “You’re sleeping with him,” Vivienne said bluntly, not asking.

Hiding things from her best friend was an impossibility. “Maybe …”

Vivienne grinned from ear to ear. “Well, hallelujah. So, are you two an ‘item?’”

Elli laughed then, taking a sip of wine. “Yeah, Grandma, we’re a-courtin’. No, I think, for me, it’s just a pleasant fling.”

“And what about for him?” Vivienne pressed, pushing her plate back and waving a waiter over to remove it before refilling her glass. “Aldo Constanza doesn’t strike me as a man to do things by half. You sure he doesn’t think you two are serious?”

Elli shrugged. “We haven’t talked about it, but, Viv, I won’t let it affect my work here, I swear. I’m scared that if I get too involved and it ends badly, it could mean Aldo withdrawing his investment.”

Vivienne looked vaguely horrified. “Elli, your sex life is your business. Don’t let Aldo dictate things like that.”

“Oh, he’s not, Viv. I’m sorry if it came out that way. I mean, my work is my passion. That’s the most important thing to me.”

Studying her intently, Vivienne covered Elli’s hand with her own. “Would you say that if we were talking about Indio Navaro?”

A bolt of pain shot through Elli, leaving her feeling like she’d been ambushed. “But we’re not.”

Immediately remorseful, Vivienne rounded the table and sat down beside Ellie, hugging her close. “Oh, sweetheart. I say this is as your friend and because I love you. It’s been eight years, Elli. You have to start looking to the future. Indio’s not coming back, however much you keep your heart hidden from everyone else. Aldo Constanza is gorgeous, delicious, and he believes in your work.”

Elli sat back, looking away for a second to regain her composure. “I know, and you’re right about …Indio.” Why did it still hurt so much to say his name? It was like a thousand swords being plunged into her heart. Elli rubbed her eyes and Vivienne smiled.

“If I did that, I’d look like a panda,” she said. “I will never stop being jealous of the fact you don’t have to wear makeup, girl. Just don’t throw this thing with Aldo away because of an old attachment, no matter how much Indio once meant to you. That’s all I’m saying.”

“He didn’t once mean something to me,” Elli muttered, reaching for her empty wine glass just to do something with her hands. “He still does, Viv.”

“And he always will, I know. But you can temper that meaning so that you still have a chance at a meaningful relationship, Elliana. A real relationship.”

“As opposed to a ghost one.” Elli nodded, stifling a sigh. “Yes. Yes. I know.”

Aldo came to meet her as Elli was leaving the office. He kissed her passionately, not caring who saw them on the crowded street.

“Mm, I’ve missed you today, Elli Bella.”

Elli hated that he called her that—it had been Indio’s nickname for her. Then she pulled herself up—so what? It was as sweet a name for her and Indio didn’t own it. He would never say those words again, so what did it matter? She smiled up at Aldo, stroking the short hair over his ear.

“Shall we spend tonight at my place? We always seem to be going to your home.”

Aldo tightened his arms around her. “Ah, but there’s more space at mine. Come back with me, Elli. I have a surprise for you.”

Elli pushed away from the annoyance she felt. Every time she had seen Aldo since that first time when they had eaten pizza together, it had been assumed that they would spend the night at his villa. Did he think her place wasn’t suitable for a man such as himself? She didn’t want to argue, though, not out in public like this, so she agreed, giving him a half-smile as he took her hand and led her to his car.

At his villa, he placed his hands over her eyes and then steered her into his vast living room. “Open.”

Elli opened her eyes and gave a delighted laugh. A huge Christmas tree stood, its lights twinkling in the dim light of the living room. “Oh, Aldo, it’s so beautiful.”

He kissed the soft skin on the inside of her wrist. “I remember you telling me that you missed having Christmas with your family and that your apartment was too small for you to have a tree. So I thought of this.”

Elli felt tears in her eyes and felt badly for her earlier irritation. She touched Aldo’s face, then went to examine the tree. She breathed in the fresh scent of pine and admired the glitter and sparkle of the gold decorations. It was opulent, extravagant, and exquisitely decorated—a far cry from when Enzo and Indio used to haul in a bedraggled tree from the garden and make paper decorations for it. Elli knew that it was improbable that Aldo had decorated this tree himself, but it was still a thoughtful gesture.

She felt his hand on her back. “You like it?”

She nodded, turning to kiss him. “It’s beautiful.”

He took her face in his hands, studying her eyes. “It pales in comparison to you, beautiful girl.” His lips touched hers and Elli sank into the kiss, Aldo’s hands roaming over her body leisurely before his fingers pulled at the zipper of her dress. She grinned at him as the dress fell to the floor, and Aldo smiled back, pulling her to him roughly, so her belly curved against his shirt. “There is no comparison when I see your body like this, except for when …” And he unclasped her bra and drew her panties down. “You should always be naked, Elliana Moretti. The world would thank you. I have a gift for you.”

He bent down and picked up a box, giftwrapped in silver and gold with an off-white bow. Carefully, Elli peeled the paper away, wanting to save it for no reason other than the memory. The box beneath matched the wrapping paper, metallic colors gleaming in the low light as Elli slid her thumbs into an indentation on each end and popped the lid off. She drew in her breath at the incredible necklace embedded in soft velvet, white gold and diamonds glistening at her like the gleam in Aldo’s eyes when she looked up to thank him

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured, lifting it out and starting to put it to her neck, then stopping in confusion as she realized that there was a lot more to the opulent strand than she had initially thought.

Smiling, Aldo reached for the piece of jewelry. “It’s a body chain. Here let me put it on for you.”

He put the delicate chain over her head, the light metal feeling cool across her bare skin, and crisscrossed it between her breasts, over her belly, and between her legs. Elli looked down at herself in amazement; she had to admit it looked good against her caramel skin, the diamonds twinkling in the light of the Christmas tree’s own illuminations.

Aldo stepped back and admired her body. “Wow. Just wow …Elli, you have the body of a goddess …”

Elli smiled, feeling very sensual now and completely sexy in this man’s presence. Aldo quietly swept her off of her feet and lay her on the thick carpet before stripping off his tie. “I’m going to touch you now, Elli, and caress you until you beg for my cock …but I want to make you shiver in anticipation and the best way to do that is …” He wound his tie around her eyes, blindfolding her. Elli shivered straight away, feeling vulnerable, and she heard Aldo give a low chuckle. “That’s right, Elliana …you’re at my mercy.”

Her breath hitching and trembling, she waited for his touch.

Aldo gazed down at the beautiful woman on his carpet and smiled. This is what he had wanted--having her helpless, desperate for his touch. He began by kissing her lips and throat, then trailing his lips across her collar bones, taking each nipple into his mouth and teasing the small bud of each, stroking his hand down her soft belly and between her legs, then stopping just before he reached her clit, teasing and tormenting her. He stripped off his clothes, hefting the weight of his cock in his hand as it hardened at the sight of her. He lay down, taking her hands and pinning them above her head, his body covering hers, his weight on her tiny frame.

“You are mine tonight, Elliana.”

Elli gasped as he began to push his cock into her, then withdrew, doing it again and again until she nearly screamed with frustration, then thrust it in deep, pushing her legs apart until he knew her hips were objecting, sore and burning. Good. In the morning, he wanted her to ache and to feel the aftermath of the way he was going to fuck her tonight. Feel it in every part of her delicious body. As his thrusts began to get hard and deeper, he gathered her to him, his mouth on her lips, her throat, his teeth biting her shoulders, her breasts. Elli clung to him as his lovemaking became almost frenzied and he heard her give a small cry of pain as he rammed his cock deeper inside her, but he ignored it. She was his and his alone.

He came, shuddering and groaning her name as she panted beneath him. He kissed her tenderly, stroking her clit until she too came. He rolled off her and propped himself up on his elbow to watch her as she caught her breath. He pushed the blindfold from her eyes and studied them. “Principessa, was that not good for you?”

Elli nodded, but he could see wariness and hesitation in her eyes. “It was, Aldo …thank you.”

He laughed. “You’re thanking me for sex?”

Elli chuckled too, running her hand over her face. “Sorry, I’m just a little dazed.”

“Do you feel well?”

“Oh, yes, fine. Just a little …I’ve never had sex like that before and it …scared me a little. The intensity. Being blindfolded.” She chewed her bottom lip nervously as she looked up at him.

Aldo frowned. “You’re not scared of me, surely?” He leaned in and kissed her lips softly. “You need never be afraid of me, sweet one.”

But Elli didn’t look convinced, and Aldo decided that he needed to be tender from now on. “I’m sorry if I frightened you, Elli. I had not thought that it might be too much, but now I can see it was. Please don’t be scared.”

She relaxed a little, half-smiling at him. “I’m just not as experienced as some women you might have dated. I’m a solitary creature by nature, Aldo. I have never felt the need to be coupled-up, or to always be in a relationship. The men I have slept with have always been good friends first. With you, it’s different.”

“We’re not friends?” He felt a little stung and Elli touched his face.

“Of course we are, Aldo. I meant those other men were friends of long-standing, who just happened, at different moments, to be the right guy at the right time. You and I, we had an unusual start.”

Aldo smiled at her, brushing his lips against hers. “Ours was romantic.”

“Yeah,” Elli looked at him askance, then laughed, “Concussions are so sexy.”

He grinned. “You know what I mean.”

She relented. “I do.”

Reaching for another box, this one not wrapped, Aldo pressed it into Elli’s hands. “This gift is more practical,” he whispered in her ear, nibbling at it as she mildly protested what she deemed his ‘extravagance,’ then laughing when the box was open, revealing a simple white satin robe.

“I thought you liked me to wander around naked,” she teased, kissing him in thanks.

“I do,” he assured her, running his hands over her bare body once more. “But occasionally you might get chilly. I wouldn’t want that …”

He made sure, for the next hour or so, that she was anything but.

Later, after they had dinner, they sat together, drinking scotch and watching the tree lights twinkle. Aldo stroked Elli’s face and was quiet for a while. “Elli, spend Christmas with me. I hate to think of you alone in that tiny apartment. Spend it with me here, and we will eat too much food, drink too much champagne, and watch cheesy movies.”

Elli half-smiled at him. “Are you sure? What about your family?”

Aldo sighed. “My father will be skiing with his wife in Austria; my younger brother, Antonio, is at college in the United States and does not intend to beg around his boring older brother. So, you see, I’m as alone as you.”

He looked playfully mournful, but Elli felt stung by his words. Was she really that pathetic? She rubbed her forehead, trying to stave off a headache. She occasionally still got one in the aftermath of the concussion, but this one felt different.

“Are you all right?”

Always watching. The thought hit Elli, but she brushed it away. Don’t be unfair, girl. He’s just concerned. “A headache. Maybe I should go home.”

He kissed her cheek and looked at her in concern. “Nonsense. Look, I’ll get some aspirin for you, and some water, and you can go lie down.”

When she was alone, Elli stared at the fire that Aldo had lit earlier, her emotions in turmoil. Was she just freaking out because it looked like she was about to embark on a relationship, whether she liked it or not—and she’d always studious avoided any type of commitment?

Vivienne’s words came back to her. Indio is gone, has been gone, for eight years. He’s not coming back.

“I know, I know,” Elli murmured to herself and scrubbed at her face with her hands. She wasn’t being fair to the lovely man in whose house she sat and in whose bed she experienced great sex and tenderness. Earlier, she had wanted to run when he got too intense, but she had talked herself down from it. It hadn’t been violent or degrading, just more forceful than she was comfortable with. Maybe that’s what it feels like when it’s not a fuck of convenience, she told herself. Because how would you know otherwise, Moretti?

She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the headache to go away. A moment later, she felt a cold, damp towel being pressed against her forehead. It felt so good, she had to smile. “You are the sweetest man,” she said softly, and Aldo responded by kissing her softly on her lips.

“Here, sweet girl, take these.” He dropped a couple of aspirin in her hand and gave her the glass of water. “You should go lie down.”

Elli opened her eyes and smiled at him. “If you come with me.”

Aldo smoothed her hair. “Always.”

They lay in bed, talking quietly, Aldo’s hand stroking her face until she felt herself drifting off to sleep, her head still pounding.

The nightmare began as sweet memories of her and Indio and Enzo, down at Indio’s mother’s farmhouse in Tuscany, the summer heat, and picking olives in the grove. Indio teasing her, chasing her with a spider in his hand down the hill until they were both breathless, laughing and collapsing together. Indio plucking a bloom from the field of wild flowers and winding it around her finger. His lips were soft against hers. “Sposami?” Marry me?

Elli found herself in a white dress before she could even say yes, drifting down the hallway of Aldo Constanza’s home. She was confused now …why was she here, of all places? Was it still Indio she was marrying?

She pushed open the two huge, white doors in front of her to see an altar and Indio waiting for her at the end of the aisle. As she moved toward him, she saw her brother, her Enzo, step in front of her. “Don’t do this, Elli, please. He’s not who you think he is …he’s dangerous.”

“I love him, Enzo. I’ve always loved him.”

Her brother’s image faded away, and she turned, smiling at her groom.

“Listen to your brother.” Another voice behind her. She turned. Yvetta, herself in a wedding dress, but with the hilt of a knife protruding from a huge blood stain on the bodice. Yvetta smiled, as beautiful as in Aldo’s painting.

“He did this to me, Elli. He will do it to you too.”

Elli shook her head. “You don’t know him like I do …he isn’t capable.”

Yvetta disappeared, and she was left alone with Indio. He took her hands and led her up the stairs toward a faceless priest who began to read the marriage ceremony.

“If any person should have an objection …”

“Yes.” A man’s voice, broken and full of grief. Elli turned to see Aldo staggering up to the altar, heartbroken, his face streaming with tears.

“Please, Elli …don’t marry him …he’ll destroy you like you’ve destroyed me. Please …”

Elli closed her eyes. “I’m sorry. I did love you for a time. I did.”

When she opened, Aldo was gone and she was married. Her new husband looked down at her. “Come with me, my beautiful Elli.”

Elli followed Indio into the hallway. In a flash, Indio cuffed her around the head, hard. Elli went down, confused and shocked. She looked around and the blood froze in her veins.

The knife Indio was holding was huge, lethal.

Oh, god, no …

“I’m sorry, Elli, my beautiful Elli, but you know it has to end this way, don’t you?” He walked slowly toward her, and she started to crawl backward.

He smiled down at her, his eyes soft. “I asked Aldo to come here, to see if you would be tempted, to see if you were true to me,” he said. “I had to get him here, so that you could be tested, my darling. And you failed. You fell in love with Aldo Constanza and let him put his hands on you.” He crouched next to her and grabbed her wrists, winding a rope around them. “He will find you here, stabbed to death. It will destroy him, and that’s all I want. Well, apart from seeing you die and your beautiful skin split under my knife. I’m going to butcher you, my darling, put my knife into your belly over and over until you are dead. Right now, Elli …”

Elli kicked out and caught him hard on the knee. Indio went down, howling, and Elli flipped over and started to pull herself away from him. She couldn’t believe this. Indio, her beloved Indio, a killer.

It wasn’t enough. Indio recovered and plunged the knife into the small of Elli’s back. Elli cried out in agony, and laughing, Indio stabbed her again, an inch away from the first wound. Elli gasped for air as Indio flipped her onto her back and ripped open her dress. Elli’s back arched as he drove the knife into her, pain ripping through her as he stabbed her again and again. Elli was losing consciousness from the pain.

“Stop,” she whispered, weakening. “Stop. I’m dead …”

But Indio’s bloodlust wasn’t sated. He stabbed her again, smiling as she moaned in agony.

Hot, sticky blood pumped out of her belly. Indio leaned over and kissed her mouth. “This is even better than marrying you might have been. Enzo knew the truth. Why do you think he warned me away from you all those years ago? Yvetta—poor, sweet Yvetta, loving me while knowing I could never love anyone but my Elli—still believing it when I put this very knife into her. You might call poor Yvetta a practice run.”

No. No, she couldn’t believe this. She wouldn’t believe her Indio was a killer—and yet …it had always lingered in his beautiful eyes. The violence. Had she mistaken it for passion?

“Why?” she whispered with the last of her strength as the last of her blood left her body. “I love you, only you, Indio.”

Indio smiled. “And you always will, for eternity, my love …” And he slid the blade between her ribs, into her heart …

“No!” Elli screamed, bolting up in bed, then scrambling across the dark room. She tripped on something or other and went sprawling, nearly striking her head against a wall before she caught herself. Drenched in cold sweat, she trembled as she watched a figure rise in the bed a few feet away, broad shoulders turning toward her.

“Elliana?”

She relaxed slightly at Aldo’s familiar voice, but not completely. Tension still sang through her, making every muscle ache.

“Elli?” he said again, getting out of bed and approaching her. Immediately, she stiffened against the wall, feeling the knife in her body and smelling her own blood.

“Elli,” he murmured, stopping a few feet away and crouching. “Cara mia, what is it?”

The tenderness in his voice drained some of the terror from her veins. She moved hesitantly toward Aldo and he closed the narrow gap between them, his face wracked with shock and concern as he put his big, strong arms around her, not to hurt her, but to comfort and love.

“Sweet girl, what is it? You’re safe here, you’re safe …please, calm down, Elli.”

She rode out the panic attack, breathing deeply and resting against his solid body. His lips were on her forehead as he stroked her back, whispering soft reassurances. “I’m sorry,” she managed eventually. “It was a nightmare. God. Horrible, and stupid, and not real.” Thankfully, he didn’t press her for details.

She was sweating, but shivering violently. Aldo swept his hand onto her forehead. “Jesus, you’re burning up.”

He lifted Elli back into bed, and she was glad of it because she really was starting to feel sick, the nightmare receding in the face of real pain.

Aldo leaned down to kiss her gently and drew back at the expression of agony on her face. “I’m calling a doctor,” he said firmly, and Elli didn’t have the strength to protest.

Aldo’s billions commanded the highest level of service. The doctor arrived within the hour and wasted no time examining Elli and prescribing much-needed pain relief. While she rested, waiting for the pills to take effect, he spoke to Aldo just outside the room. Shortly, Aldo returned, sat on the edge of the bed, and held her hand. “Better, darling?”

“Much.” Her eyes followed his lips as he pressed them to the inside of her wrist. “The doctor gave me the good stuff. What did he say?”

“Post-concussion syndrome,” Aldo told her. “It should resolve itself in a few months, but he wants to do a CT, just to make sure nothing more insidious is going on.”

“Can this really happen from a fall?” she asked. “I didn’t think it was that bad …”

He laughed humorlessly. “Elli, I’m the one who picked you up after that fall. You bled all over me on the way to the hospital. It was bad, sweet girl. Trust me. I’ll set up an appointment for the scan in the next couple of days. And don’t give me that look. I’m not dictating, love. I’m taking care of you.”

Elli wrapped her fingers around his big hand. “I know. I know. But I’ve already missed enough work—”

“I called Vivienne—” he held up a hand, forestalling her immediate protest. “I knew she’d want to know, even if you might not have told her. She said to tell you that there are only a few days before you’re off for the Christmas break anyway. You should take the time off and call her to let her know you’re improving.”

“Post-concussion syndrome,” Elli muttered, shaking her head and immediately regretting it. He was just trying to help. She knew that. Why was she reacting so moodily? She reached for her iPad and batted Aldo’s hands away as she started to do some fast research. After a few minutes of scanning different pages, she sighed and put the iPad aside. “This explains a lot.”

“What does?”

“The symptoms list anxiety and irritability. If you knew me better, Aldo, you’d know that I’m pretty easy-going, but lately, I’ve felt on edge.”

He smiled gently. “I know you better than you think, Elliana. And I had noticed, sweet girl.”

She squeezed his hand guiltily. “I’m sorry, Aldo. I never meant to make you feel badly.”

“Not at all …it’s just, Elli, I’m in very great danger of falling in love with you,” he confessed. “And somehow, it has seemed that you hold part of yourself back from me. I never want to make you feel obligated—so all I ask is that you’re honest with me about how you feel.”

Elli nodded, and for a few moments, she was silent. Finally, she decided it was time to confess. He’d been nothing but good to her and holding secrets back from him felt increasingly wrong. “Aldo, for a long time now, I’ve been stuck in a rut. I loved someone deeply. Entirely. It’s been eight years, and he still haunts my dreams—and now my nightmares. He broke my heart, Aldo. Shattered it.”

If she’d been afraid Aldo might react jealously—and she realized belatedly that she’d been somewhat worried about that, though he’d never shown a single jealous tendency yet—he calmed those fears immediately by sitting quietly and calmly, letting her speak, his expression betraying nothing but compassion.

“He was the moon and the sun to me,” Elli went on, choking up a little. She was grateful for the reassuring pressure from Aldo’s fingers on her hand, guiding her through the memories. “It’s been eight years and I don’t want to feel that way anymore.” She reached up and touched his cheek. “That’s as honest as I can be at this moment, Aldo. I love being with you, as a friend and as a lover. You are the first person since him who has broken down even some of my defenses. I can’t promise I’ll get there quickly, but I can promise to try. I do have feelings for you. I really do.”

“As I do for you. Thank you for being so honest, Elli.” Aldo bent his head and kissed her. Then he pulled off his clothes and slid into bed with her.

“Just to cuddle, don’t worry,” he said, as she settled comfortably into his arms. “I’ll buy that you do actually have a headache.”

Elli chuckled. “Which is getting better, by the way.”

“Oh, really?”

“Really.” She tilted her head back so he could kiss her. Aldo smoothed her hair back from her face, studying her.

“Still, I think you better get some sleep, baby. We have plenty of time.” He told her what Vivienne had said. “So I’m going to ask again, but I won’t be offended if you say no. Spend Christmas and New Years with me. I promise, as soon as you’re feeling one hundred percent well, we will have a riot together. There are a few parties I’ve been invited to, which I would love for you to attend as my partner, if that suits you. And if not, we have the world at our fingertips, Elli. Anything, anywhere.”

Elli smiled at him. “As long as I’m with you, I don’t care what we do.”

Her heart warmed when she saw the delight in his eyes. He is lovely, Elli thought now. Why the hell am I holding onto the ghost of what might have been, when this man is offering me the world?

Elli fell asleep locked in his arms, feeling something had shifted in her soul. Yes, she would try to be the woman Aldo thought she was, for him and for herself. Vivienne had been right.

It was time.

It was Christmas night and Elli and Aldo had finally stopped eating, lying with full bellies on his couch. Elli was groaning. “I seriously haven’t eaten that much in years,” she laughed and moaned as Aldo patted her bare stomach. “Don’t. I’ll explode.”

“Sexy,” Aldo said and laughed as she looked at him askance. “Elli, I’d like to thank you.”

Elli looked at him in amazement. “You thank me? Aldo, look at this place. Look at what you’ve given me.” She held up her wrist with the elegant and delicate diamond bracelet he had given her that morning, along with a host of other gifts. “You have given me something I thought lost to me. A family Christmas.”

Aldo looked delighted, but he also shook his head. “You don’t understand—Christmas for me, for the last few years, has been …painful. Dark. You see, Yvetta was born on Christmas Day.”

“Oh, Aldo, I’m sorry.”

“No, you see? You have brought the light back into my life and into the holidays. You, Elli, have given me more than I ever thought possible. Oh, I’ve dated a few women since Yvetta died, but none could come close to you, my love.” He leaned over and kissed her. “Elli, I told you a few days ago I was in danger of falling in love with you. These last few days have made me realize …I’m no longer in danger. I am in love with you.”

Ellis eyes filled with tears and she looked away. Aldo turned her face back to him. “Hey, hey. I don’t expect or want you to feel the same until you do. There’s no pressure, but I had to tell you that. I love you, Elliana Moretti.”

Hot tears flooded down her cheeks as she kissed him. “Aldo …I am changing. I can feel it, and you’re the reason. I’m not there yet, but I’m starting to believe I will be. When I tell you I love you, I want it to be the absolute truth. But it’s only you, now, Aldo. Only you.”

It was only a partial lie, but Aldo seemed satisfied, grinning as he kissed her. “If only we hadn’t been so gluttonous, I would take you on this couch right now.”

She grinned. “Remember the time I was out on the balcony? I wouldn’t mind reliving that, Mr. Constanza.”

Aldo laughed. “Kinky girl. Just how kinky do you get, Ms. Moretti?”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “What did you have in mind?”

“Hmm, how would you feel about restraints?”

Elli nodded slowly. “We could do that.”

“Or perhaps we should invite someone to join us.”

Elli’s eyes opened wider. “A threesome?”

“What do you think? If we’re getting real here, one of my fantasies is to watch you getting fucked by another man—as long as I could join in afterward, of course.”

Elli thought about it for a long moment. “If it would turn you on, I wouldn’t be against it. Who did you have in mind?”

Aldo adjusted himself so he could study her reaction. “A professional. Someone who can be trusted to be discreet.”

“We’re really talking about this, huh?” Elli was getting turned on now.

Aldo shifted, so he was on his knees, between her legs. He started to unbutton her jeans as he talked. “A young man. I’d ask him to undress you slowly so I could film your delectable body as he revealed each piece of skin.” He tugged her jeans off and then pulled her t-shirt over her head. Elli grinned at him as he reached behind her to unclasp her bra, then took her nipple in his mouth greedily, sucking and teasing. His fingers were on her belly, stroking a circle around her deep navel. He smiled up at her as he released her nipple and moved to the other. “I would tell him to suck on your nipples as he finger-fucked your bellybutton. Meanwhile, I would fuck your perfect ass, fingering your clit until you were begging for your sweet cunt to be filled.”

He was sliding her panties down and then his mouth was on her clit, sucking and biting gently as Elli shivered and moaned. He paused for breath and smiled up at her. “Then I would ask him to fuck you, hard and rough, as I film his cock plunging in and out of your vagina.” He slid two fingers into her damp cunt, then, and Elli writhed with pleasure.

“Yes, yes, Aldo …”

A third finger slid inside her and she bucked against his hand. “Aldo, please, I want your cock. I need your cock inside me.”

Aldo unzipped his pants and pulled his tumescent cock out, hard and quivering with arousal. “You want this, pretty girl?”

She nodded, and removing his hand, he obliged, fucking her hard as they began to describe kinkier ways to fuck. Aldo pinned her hands above her head as he tumbled her off the couch, onto the carpet. “I would love to see this incredible body in a leather harness,” he said, clamping her legs around him and thrusting deep inside her. “There’s just something about seeing you bound and helpless …you weren’t happy with the blindfold, but what if you could see what I was about to do to you, but you were still helpless to stop it? We could role play …you could be the political prisoner. I could be your torturer …I mean in a way you enjoyed,” he added, seeing her eyes widen in surprise. “Nothing dangerous.”

Elli relaxed, and they made love until they were both breathless and sated.

They got to live out one fantasy a few nights later. Aldo brought Elli to a New Year’s Eve gala benefit held in one of the city’s beautiful art museums. He introduced Elli to the man who had organized the gala, Maceo Bartoli, Venice’s most celebrated art dealer. Elli liked the man immediately; his merry eyes and sweet smile belied the handsome face. With a pang, she realized mid-conversation that he reminded her so much of Indio that her chest began to hurt. Indio before the darkness, before he had left her. Maceo, his dark curls highlighted with silver, introduced Elli to his wife, Orianthi, a dark-haired beauty who had as much mischief in her eyes as her husband.

Ori bore Elli off to grab some drinks from the waiters who glided gracefully and discreetly around the gathering. Ori took an orange juice for herself, nodding down to her swollen belly. “This one won’t let me drink for another three months.”

She glows, Elli thought, warming to the other woman. “Is it your first?”

Ori shook her head, grabbing a canape from a tray and shoving it into her mouth in a way that Elli approved of. “No, we have a son too. Dario. He’ll be eight soon—a charmer just like his dad. How long have you and Aldo been together?”

“Just a couple of months. It’s early days. Have you known him long?”

“A while, but not well. He’s kind of private. We don’t see him out much. He’s a home boy, I think, especially since his fiancée died. Awful, that was. I know something about being stabbed, so when Maceo met him, just after Yvetta died, Maceo told him about our history. I think it helped to talk to someone who knew what it was like.”

“Maceo was stabbed?”

Ori shook her head. “No, I was. By a psychotic asshole who thought woman were possessions. But I nearly died, and Maceo went through hell. At least I had morphine. So he could relate to how Aldo felt. I hope it helped Aldo come to terms.” She smiled at Elli. “Sorry, this is morbid. Let’s change the subject. Are you in love with Aldo’s home? I have such envy—not that Maceo wouldn’t build one for me if I asked, but still. Whoever designed and built it for Aldo was a genius.”

Elli felt her chest clench a little, but she asked the question anyway, keeping her tone casual. “Do you know who the architect was?”

Ori shook her head and leaned in conspiratorially. “I don’t, but I heard he was some kind of player. Don’t quote me on this, because I don’t know for sure, but there were rumors that Yvetta was sleeping with him and that he may have had something to do with her murder. Of course, it was never proved and her murder is unsolved still. Hey, are you okay?”

Elli had paled. It couldn’t be Indio. It couldn’t. He would never hurt another person …would he? Her nightmare came back to her and she shivered. She tried to smile at Ori. “I’m fine, honestly. Just such a lot of pain to cope with …I just feel for Aldo.”

“I know. Hey,” Ori said, apparently wanting to distract her, “You’re a journalist, right? I read your interview with Aldo and was inspired to read some of your other stuff. You’re really talented.”

Elli flushed with pleasure. It meant a lot to her that this lovely woman liked her work. “Thank you, Ori. You’re very kind. If you ever wanted to tell your story, please think of me.”

Ori hooted a little. “I’m not that interesting, believe me. Come on, let’s look around.”

An hour later, Aldo, catching up with her, bent his mouth to her ear. “Meet me upstairs in the small balcony above the O’ Keefe. Do you see it?”

She nodded and he disappeared. In a minute or so, she left Ori with Maceo and followed Aldo upstairs. The marbled hallway echoed with the chatter from below, but it was empty. As she got to the balcony, Aldo pulled her roughly into the little alcove that overlooked the gathering.

He kissed her passionately, then began to hitch up the skirt of her dress. Elli grinned, and when he encountered bare flesh instead of underwear, he looked up in surprise. “I thought something like this might happen …well, I hoped it would,” she whispered. Aldo stood and kissed her again.

“I’m going to fuck you first,” he said. “Then we’ll try something different.”

He unzipped his pants and thrust deep inside her. Elli gasped, and Aldo clamped his hand over her mouth to silence her. It was a hard, quick, thrilling fuck, and they both came quickly.

Elli rammed her legs together as she felt his cum trailing down her leg, but it was such a turn on to play like this, the fear of being caught adding to the fun. Aldo lowered her skirt and turned her to face out of the balcony.

“Now,” he said quietly, moving behind her. “The game is this. I’m going to fuck you from behind, but you must remain as if a statue, so that no one guesses what we are doing. Every time you feel my cock thrust into you, I want you to find a man in the gathering below, gaze at him, and pretend it’s his cock fucking you. Control your orgasm. Concentrate on feeling it entirely in your cunt.”

Elli felt him push up the back of her skirt and part her legs with his hand, caressing her clit from behind. She put her hands flat on the waist-height balcony balustrade to steady herself as Aldo entered her.

“Look at him, or him, or him …” Aldo’s murmur was low and masterful. “All of these men in this room would kill to fuck you, Elliana. Look at them.”

As he fucked her, Elli obeyed his instructions and imagined that some of the good-looking, successful men in the gallery were the ones whose cocks was reaming her so hard. The international property magnate with the red-gold hair, or the sleek, blonde racehorse owner …or Maceo Bartoli …

Elli felt disloyal to Ori, looking at her husband with those thoughts, but Maceo was easily the handsomest man in the room. Aldo thrust harder as he neared his peak and keeping still was getting harder for Elli. She concentrated on Maceo, registering again how much he looked like Indio, and as she neared her peak, she felt Aldo’s hand on her belly, pulling her back into the shadows. He muffled her cry with his mouth. They panted, calming themselves. They tidied up their clothes, grinning at each other.

“That was such a rush,” she whispered, and Aldo grinned, nodding and kissing her again.

“Thank you for helping to fulfill that particular fantasy,” he said, and she laughed.

“It was my pleasure.”

The countdown to midnight was starting, and Elli and Aldo kissed as the clock struck twelve and the cheers went up in the room.

“Happy New Year, Elli, my beautiful one.”

“Happy New Year, handsome.” He kissed her again, long and hard. They were breathless when they broke apart and Elli grinned at him. “Dang, that one kept going.”

Aldo laughed and reached for her hand. “Ready to go down?”

“I must just use the bathroom to freshen up.”

Aldo nodded. “It’s just along this corridor, two lefts, and a right. I’ll meet you back downstairs.

Elli walked along the hallways of the art gallery. There was no one around and her shoes clicked on the marble floor and echoed off the old stone. She found the bathroom where Aldo said it was and went in. She was washing her hands when she had the feeling of being watched again, that same feeling she’d had a while back in the alleyway. She whirled around, but the vast, luxurious bathroom was empty.

What is the matter with me, she started to think, when suddenly the door of the bathroom, partially ajar before, was yanked closed with a slam. Acting on instinct, Elli rushed outside and looked both ways down the hallways., For the briefest second, she saw the back of a tall man rounding the corner. He had dark brown messy curls, and Elli’s heart began to beat heavily against her ribs.

Indio …

She yanked the high heels from her feet and took off after him as fast as her lilac column dress would let her. She pushed through doors, glancing around the rooms, sure he had been watching her. She told herself over and over that it couldn’t be him, and finally, breathless, she slowed and stopped.

This is ridiculous. It’s just paranoia, she reprimanded herself.

Stop. Just stop.

He doesn’t deserve your time, Moretti. He left you. He’s gone, and there’s a gorgeous, sexy man, with whom you’ve just had public sex, waiting for you downstairs.

She turned and retraced her steps back to the bathroom. Just as she was about to descend the stairs, a light breeze carried the scent of a man’s expensive cologne to her. Indio’s favorite. For a second, she breathed it in, eyes closed, then gritting her teeth, she stomped downstairs, almost angry now.

Aldo was chatting to Maceo and Ori as she returned to his side and slipped her hand into his. He smiled down at her and kissed her cheek, scanning her face for a brief second, leaving Elli feeling like he saw everything, even things she hadn’t admitted to herself yet. Then he turned back to the couple, resting his arm securely around her waist. “Here she is.”

“We were just saying, we should all have dinner sometime,” Ori said to Elli, and Elli nodded.

“I would love that.” Maceo, she noticed, didn’t seem as enthusiastic as he had earlier and she wondered if she had done something to offend him. But when they said goodbye later in the evening, he kissed her cheek warmly.

“If you or your magazine ever need any artistic spaces or anything, please let me know. It would be great to work with you.”

Elli smiled at him. “That sounds like a great idea. How about we talk around mid-January?”

“Great. Happy New Year.” He handed her a card, and they said goodbye.

In the car on the way back to Elli’s apartment, Elli leaned her head on Aldo’s shoulder. “I’m glad we’re staying in the city tonight.”

“You don’t like our house?”

She chuckled. “Your house, and of course I do. It’s just my place is closer, and I’m feeling very, very horny right now.”

Aldo laughed. “Well, that’s just about the best news a man could hear.”

She kissed his jawline as he drove to the parking garage nearest to her apartment. Walking hand-in-hand back to her place, Elli looked up at him. “Aldo?”

“Yes, baby?”

“Feel like getting kinky tonight?”

Aldo grinned. “Always. What were you thinking?”

Elli hesitated. “I’d like to try the blindfold thing again. I think it would teach me to trust better.”

He nodded. “We could do that. We could play some games.”

In bed with her a short while later, he wound his tie around her eyes. “Can you see?”

“No,” she grumbled. “And it’s torture knowing you’re naked and I can’t see you.”

Aldo laughed. “And you won’t be able to touch me either. I’m going to tie your hands behind your back, beautiful.”

“You are?”

“Yep. On your stomach, Moretti.”

Elli laughed and obeyed, and Aldo bound her hands, tucking them into the small of her back as he rolled her onto her back again. Elli wriggled, smiling.

“You like that, huh?”

She laughed. “Surprisingly, yes. Now, tell me about this game.”

“Well, you see this beautiful, soft belly of yours?” He ran a finger down her stomach, and she sighed happily. “Well, we’re going to play a game of guess. I’m going to stroke various objects down it, and you have to guess what they are.”

“Are all these objects attached to you?”

“Some of them will be.” They were both laughing now, “Some I will have culled from your place.”

Elli giggled. “And what is the purpose?”

“Apart from me spending quality time with your gorgeous abs? Well, here’s the game. If you guess six or more right, you win, and I go down on you like I never have before. Get four or fewer, and you suck my dick and let me come into your sweet mouth.”

“Dirty boy.” But she was getting wet at the thought. “And if I get five correct?”

“Subtract one from seventy.”

Elli laughed. “Oh, you are so on, Mr. Constanza.”

She heard Aldo go back to the kitchen, then the living room. “I’m not trying to sway you, but you might want to look in my nightstand.”

She heard him come back into the bedroom, the drawer of her nightstand opening. “Oh, ho ho,” he said with a chuckle. “You’ve been holding out on me, you little minx.” She heard the buzz of her vibrator, then jumped as Aldo touched it to her clit. “I have to say I’m relieved my only competition comes with batteries.”

Elli smiled. She felt Aldo climb onto the bed, then his fingers stroking her belly. “Too easy. That’s your hand.”

“Did I say I had started? I was just preparing the playing field.”

Elli started to giggle now, both with amusement and nervous anticipation. She felt him kiss her belly, then run his tongue around her navel.

“Okay, my beautiful Elli, what’s this?”

She felt something cold, very cold, circle her navel. “Ice cube?”

“An easy one to start.” He traced the ice around her belly, then to her nipples. Elli moaned at the sweet pain of the ice. Aldo chuckled softly, stroking it down her body and into her sex. Elli shifted, wriggling with pleasure, and when she felt Aldo’s mouth on her nipple, cold from the ice cube, she gasped a little and arched her back to meet his lips. He teased her nipples with the ice cube until it melted, then kissed her mouth. “You taste like heaven, Elli. Next item.”

A soft, ticklish thing, a feather, was next. Aldo traced it around her belly, then up and down her body as his other hand massaged her clit. Elli, enjoying the game and getting more aroused, guess the next three items as –well—a crystal ornament Vivienne had brought her from Paris, the edge of a wooden box from her desk, and the cold metal of her fountain pen.

Aldo kissed her. “You have five correct already, baby.”

“We could just stop here and suck each other,” she said, but Aldo laughed.

“No way …this is too much fun. Next one.”

Elli felt something cold and metallic touch her skin. At first thin, like a needle, and then flat against her skin …like a knife? Elli’s blood ran cold, and for a second she couldn’t breathe.

“A knife?” she said hesitantly. She heard Aldo’s sharp intake of breath.

“Of course not, Elli. What do you think I am? It was my watch.”

“I’m sorry, Aldo. I wasn’t accusing you of anything. Some people like knife play. I’m just not one of them.”

“Me neither, Elli, especially after what happened to …” his voice choked off and Elli felt terrible. She couldn’t reach out to comfort him, her hands still bound behind her.

“God, Aldo, I’m sorry. I was insensitive. Please, let me up so I can hug you.”

“No. It’s okay. I understand why you would have guessed that. Let’s just put it down as a wrong guess. Next one.”

It was hard, but soft at the tip against her skin, almost silky. Elli, trying to cheer him up, smiling at him. “Is that your incredible cock?”

Aldo laughed and pushed her blindfold off. Elli blinked to see him tracing his cock around her navel. “Correct. Which means you win, beautiful. Now …” He shifted down the bed and hooked her legs over his shoulders. “Hold on tight, little one.” He grinned up at her, and Elli could see no lingering anger or hurt in his eyes. Aldo buried his face in her sex, and she sighed as she felt his tongue twist around her clit until it was hypersensitive, then he plunged his tongue deep into her cunt, almost violently, until she was screaming his name and begging him never to stop.

Afterward, they fucked until dawn and fell asleep together, lips almost touching, Aldo’s big arm locked around her waist. To Elli’s great relief, the nightmares didn’t make another appearance, and when she woke in the morning, she felt rested and safe.

In the shower, she took him in her mouth and milked him until he was groaning and coming into her mouth. He lifted her afterward and took her against the shower wall, his big frame almost filling the tiny cubicle.

While Elli dressed, Aldo went out to buy fresh, soft rolls for their breakfast. He returned as she was brewing some fresh coffee. He held out a newspaper to her, and she took it, registering the anger on his face. “What is it?”

“Page eleven,” he said shortly. She opened the paper and saw the picture of them leaving the art gallery the previous night. Aldo was kissing her. She looked up at him. “So, we’ve gone public.”

“That’s not the problem. Read the article.”

Elli looked down and began to read. “What the fuck?” The article, far from just outing them as a couple, ripped into Elli’s journalistic integrity over dating a subject of an interview and called into question whether it had been a legitimate article or a puff piece designed to sell her ‘boyfriend’s’ business to the masses. There was no identification of the writer in the piece.

“Ms. Moretti seems preoccupied with Mr. Constanza’s physical attributes far more than whether his philanthropy is genuine or masks a man whose ruthless business acumen means he leaves few survivors in his wake. But what strikes me most is this—since when has Il Mondo Italia been what amounts to a gossip magazine pandering to the elite? Since Ms. Moretti needed to get her rocks off, it seems. It is a sad downturn in the quality of a previously exemplary investigative magazine. Ms. Moretti, you should be ashamed.”

Elli’s hurt, and anger rose to the surface and she threw the paper on the table. “Fuck.” She tried to keep the tears from welling in her eyes. She’d had bad reviews before. Of course she had—it was part of being a writer, but this was one step away from calling her a whore. She slumped into a chair and covered her face. Aldo stroked her arm.

“None of that is true. You know that, right?”

She nodded, but it didn’t make her feel better. Being called a whore in public wasn’t the way she wanted to start her New Year, but she knew that responding would only make it worse. Her cell phone rang and she saw it was Viv calling.

“I may be about to be fired,” she said to Aldo, who shook his head. Elli answered the call. “Hey, Viv, guess you saw the article.”

“Yes, I did.” Vivienne sounded mad, “And when I get my hands on the writer of it, he’ll wish he’d never been born.”

“I’m sorry, Viv. I really am.”

“You haven’t done anything wrong, Elli. This article is completely unjustified, and what’s more, false in every way. I can’t believe the editor let it get through.”

Elli sighed, somewhat relieved. “Look, I’m coming in to work. We can talk about it in greater depth and consider how we might respond.”

“Are you sure? What about what the doctor said?” Vivienne asked.

“That was days ago. I’m fine. See you soon.”

Elli put her phone back on the table. “Well, I guess the vacation is over.”

Aldo leaned over and stroked her cheek. “Don’t worry about this joker. Look, I’ll walk you to work, but then I have to go away for a few days for work. Will you be okay?”

Elli was surprised. “You’re going away?”

“Yes. Is it a problem?”

“You haven’t mentioned it before is all. Where are you going?”

“New York. I’m sorry. I thought I had.”

She shook her head. “But then again, there’s no reason you should have to run anything past me, so don’t worry about it.”

“You sure, Bella? You look a little annoyed.”

She shook her head, but the truth was, she was a little scared. This business trip seemed to come out of nowhere and she wondered if Aldo thought a little distance between them would be a good thing after the article.

Aldo was watching her, and as she got up, he pulled her onto his lap. “Whatever it is you’re thinking right now isn’t what’s happening. It’s just a short trip, and if I didn’t know you had work, I would have invited you to come with me. “

Elli leaned into him, already missing him. “I know. I’m sorry.”

At work, after Aldo had kissed her goodbye and promised to heat her bed with his phone call later that night, Elli went to see Vivienne, who hugged her, then asked her to shut the door behind her and sit down. “I called the editor of this rag.” She waved the offending newspaper in the air, still mad. “The article wasn’t from one of his own people, rather an anonymous submission. He thought it made good points—which, by the way, it doesn’t—and put it in. Elli, did you piss this guy off at all?”

Elli thought back, then shook her head. “I don’t think so. But then that paper has never liked magazines like ours—we’re too ‘elite’ or ‘left wing.'”

Vivienne still looked unhappy. “Smearing one of my employees is not something I’m willing to let go, Els.”

“Fair enough, but if we engage with them, it’s like saying their opinion is worth something. I hate to say it, but let’s just leave it alone. I’ll just have to make sure that my future articles are …”

“As good as they always have been,” Vivienne said, a little forcefully. “Do not let this asshole make you feel as though you’re not talented. You were born to do this, Elli, and you know it.”

“Thanks.” Elli got up. “I’m going to distract myself with some work. I’m fine,” she emphasized, before Vivienne could check up on her yet again. “Sitting around at home won’t do me any good.”

As promised, she immersed herself in her work. It felt good to be back in her office, calling some of the shots in her life. She did some general research on some pending pieces, then called Maceo Bartoli and set up a meeting with him to discuss working together. “I’d love it if we worked on something that was both investigative and beautiful to look at,” Elli told Maceo. “If we could do something actually in your own gallery—I’ve heard it’s a beautiful space.”

Maceo laughed a deep, sexy chuckle. “You should come have lunch with Ori and me sometime and have a good look around. Then you’ll see it’s chaotic and frenzied, but. yes, I adore it. We’ve managed to build it up over the last few years so that we have a family atmosphere. You would enjoy it.”

Elli smiled down the phone. “I would love that.” They set a date for the following week, and Elli said goodbye, feeling a lot happier. She also got a message from her colleagues, supporting her after reading the article. A couple of journalists from local T.V. reached out to her, but she politely turned down their requests for interviews. “I’m not the story,” she told them, wishing she could go back to the relative obscurity she had known a few weeks ago.

It was three o’clock before she looked up from her work, and then it was only because she heard a commotion out in the reception area.

Suddenly, a girl with bright blue hair burst into her office. “Konnichiwa!”

Elli gaped at the girl. “Tandy? Oh my god!” She got up and the two women embraced, hugging each other tightly. Tandy, a part-Japanese, part-American woman in her early twenties had been Elli’s best friend for a few years, ever since the younger woman started as an intern at the magazine. Tandy Li had only one ambition—to travel to every country in the world—and over the last two years, she had been doing exactly that, working her way (sometimes illegally) through the Americas and Canada, down to the Caribbean, and then to Europe.

Elli made some coffee and they sat in her office. Tandy told her she was in Italy for just a week. “I’ve finally got enough money to go to India,” she said. “But I couldn’t do Europe without coming back to say hi to my bestie. How're things? Viv said you’re getting some decent sex at last.”

Elli nearly choked on her coffee, but then laughed. “Nothing is sacred, is it?”

Tandy grinned. “Nope. You look good, Els, I have to say.”

Elli smiled. “Well, I’m excited you’re here, Tandy. Where are you staying?”

Tandy looked a little guilty, and Elli laughed, having expected her to ask her to stay with her—it was an old habit. “You can stay as long as you want, Tee. You know that.”

“The boyfriend won’t mind?”

She hadn’t really thought of Aldo that way before. Elli turned the label around in her mind for a moment, feeling oddly uncomfortable with it, before dismissing the feeling as yet another residue from the damn concussion. “The boyfriend is in New York for the next few days, so you’re all set, as long as you don’t mind sharing a bed with me.”

“Have I ever?” Tandy rolled her eyes. “We’re going to have so much fun. Listen, I have to go meet another friend, so can I come by your place around nine tonight?”

“Of course. I’ll even go grocery shopping.”

“Don’t buy anything healthy.”

Elli chuckled. “Oh, I won’t.”

Elli lugged the grocery bags up the stairs to her apartment. Dumping her bags on the table and taking off her coat, she walked over to the small table beside the door to set her keys down—if she didn’t, they’d be lost immediately. As she leaned down, she spotted a plain brown manila envelope just poking out from beneath the door. Frowning, Elli picked it up and turned it over. There was no name on it, nor was it addressed to anybody. Walking back into the kitchen, she set coffee brewing, then opened the envelope and shook out the contents.

A photograph slid out, face down, and when she flipped it over, she felt a cold fist in the stomach. It was a picture of her from about twenty minutes ago. She was emerging from a bakery several blocks away, looking sideways down the street, so she’d missed whoever it was who had the lens pointed her way.

What the fuck? She studied the envelope and photo minutely, but could not see any trace of a clue to who might have sent it. It was such an invasion of privacy—and so creepy. She remembered how she’d felt at the art gallery on New Year’s Eve and that same prickling feeling chilled her skin. If this is you, Indio Navaro, stop it. I’ve moved on.

Maybe he had seen the picture of her and Aldo kissing. Don’t kid yourself, girl. Why would he care?

Elli shook herself and stuffed the photograph and the envelope in the trash can. She unpacked the groceries and was wondering if she should cook something for a late supper with Tandy when her cell phone rang. Not looking at the Caller ID—she automatically assumed who it was, based on Aldo’s earlier promise—she answered with a playful, “It’s not quite bedtime yet. Missing me so soon?”

The caller whispered down the phone.

“You look beautiful tonight, Elli.”

Her flesh crawled again and anger flashed through her. “Who is this? What the fuck do you want?”

A low chuckle, and she tried to pick out anything she could recognize in the voice.

“You, of course, Elli. Always you. It’s always been you.”

Elli gritted her teeth. “Well, asshole, you don’t get to have me, do you? Who are you?”

“You know me, Elli Bella.”

The shock was icy cold. “Indio?” her voice, a whisper, broke as she said his name.

He chuckled. “Who knows? All that is certain is one thing, beautiful Elli.”

“What’s that?”

“That soon you’ll be bleeding out, whore.”

And the line went dead. Elli dropped her phone and sank to the floor, trembling violently, unable to stop the panic attack, and that’s where Tandy found her an hour later.

Tandy insisted on Elli reporting the call and the photograph to the police, but the terse officer taking her statement evidently thought she was a hysterical female, and soon Elli stomped out, followed by a furious Tandy.

“Motherfucker,” she raved as she wrapped her arm around Elli’s shoulders. Tandy had the height from her American father, almost six feet of her to Elli’s five-five, and Elli was weirdly glad of it as they walked home through the dark streets. It was bitingly cold. Elli looked at Tandy a little sheepishly. “This isn’t the homecoming I wanted you to have, Tandy. Maybe I’m making too much of this.”

“A death threat? No way, Elli. This is scary stuff.” Tandy sighed, shaking her head. “You know what’s weird, though?”

“What?”

Tandy glanced at her. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I always was waiting for something like this to happen to you.”

Elli was shocked. “Why?”

“Because look at you, Elli. You’re so beautiful, so friendly, and yet when anyone gets close, they’re banging up a brick wall. Someone was always going to get nasty, and I think this is it.”

Elli was silent. “So it’s my fault?”

“Hell, no.” Tandy was vehement. “It’s the fault of a civilization that leads men to believe they’re entitled to any woman they want, and that murder is an option open to them if they don’t get what they want.”

“But I have let someone in,” Elli insisted. “I hope you get to meet Aldo …he’s just the sweetest, sexiest guy. And he and I are growing closer every day …in every way.” Elli flushed, and Tandy grinned.

“Then he’s probably not the one playing these games.”

“Of course it’s not Aldo,” Elli said in surprise. “He would never do anything to hurt me.”

“Of course, of course.” Tandy waved her hand. “I was being facetious. Elli, I know you won’t want to go down this path, but … do you think it might be Indio?”

Tandy knew everything about Indio and Elli’s love for the man. Elli sighed.

“I would hate to think so. Besides, Indio knows that if he came back …”

“You would dump Aldo in a second if Indio showed up.”

Elli was stung. “I wouldn’t.”

“Hey, I’m not judging—but are you being honest with yourself?”

Elli could feel the tears coming again, and she looked away from her friend. It was a moot thought anyway—Indio was never coming back—so what did it matter if Tandy just might be right? “Please don’t make this harder than it is,” she said in a soft voice. Tandy hugged her.

“Sorry. Now, let’s forget this nonsense and go eat our body weight in front of the television.”

Tandy did a great job of distracting Elli for the evening, but when Tandy fell asleep on the couch just after midnight, Elli put a pillow underneath her head and blanket over her and went to her bedroom, realizing she’d never gotten the promised call from Aldo.

She grabbed her laptop and opened Skype, hoping he would be online. She had been debating with herself all night whether to tell him about the threats, but when she saw his smile as he logged on and greeted her, she demurred.

“Hey, gorgeous.”

“Hi, Aldo. How’s the Big Apple?”

“Lonely without you. I only got in a little while ago. Did you talk to Viv about the article?”

God, the article …she hadn’t thought about that at all since the threats. “It’s all good. We’re not going to respond to it.”

Aldo looked a little surprised. “Wow.”

“What?”

“Well, you were so fired up and now it seems like you’ve let it go.”

Elli nodded, not quite meeting his eye. “Yeah, well.”

“You okay?”

“Absolutely. Actually,” she said, seeing Tandy stumble into the bedroom, bleary-eyed, and using it to change the subject, “I do have to tell you that I’m sharing my bed with someone else tonight.” She grinned as Aldo’s eyebrows shot up and Elli moved the laptop around to where Tandy was crawling into bed. “Say hello to Aldo. Aldo, this is Tandy, a good friend of mine. She’s crashing here for a few nights on her way to India.”

Aldo chuckled and said hello to Tandy, who greeted him, then promptly went back to sleep. Elli grinned at Aldo. “She showed up at the office today. No warning.”

“Serendipitous,” Aldo nodded, “I like you’re not alone.”

Elli gave a half-smile. “I’m a big girl now, Aldo. I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Sorry,” he smiled ruefully, “I’m overprotective, I know. Scuzi.”

“You’re forgiven.”

They chatted for a little longer, until Elli felt herself wilting and said goodbye. Aldo blew her a kiss, clearly seeing that their evening rendezvous was a no-go tonight.

“I love you, Elli. Sleep tight.”

“Goodnight, Aldo. I miss you.”

After she’d shut her laptop, she lay back. She felt guilty about not telling Aldo she loved him when it had been her mind lately that she might be falling for him. Certainly she was very, very fond of the man, and she loved the sex—exciting and a little dangerous. Aldo being a billionaire didn’t faze her—she had never been the gold-digging type. It was his money, not hers.

Elli closed her eyes and was asleep in minutes. She wasn’t sure how long she slept before he nightmares came back, bloody and violent, and she woke, crying. Tandy inevitably was woken by Elli’s panic attack and sat beside her friend as she gradually calmed down.

“It’s still Indio, isn’t it?” Tandy eventually said.

Elli sighed. “Less so. I think …I think I just need closure, you know? I have no idea where he is—even Googling him brings up his company, but nothing, and I mean nothing, about him personally. It’s as if he’s wiped himself off the face of the earth. Even gossip sites have nothing on him, and seeing he was married to that model, I’m surprised.”

Tandy sighed. “Look, I wasn’t going to tell you this …but I saw him. Now, because I never met him, I could have been wrong, but I don’t think so. You can’t replicate his kind of beauty. In Seattle. He was having dinner with a couple. This was about six months ago. He looked tired, worn down, and they were having a pretty intense conversation by the looks of things, as if he were upset and they were trying to help him.”

Elli’s heart was thumping with a sad heaviness. “He looked tired?”

Tandy nodded. “I didn’t feel as if I could go over, so I thought it would be best if I didn’t tell you. But he is out in the world, safe, if not happy. Does that help?”

Elli considered. “I don’t know.” She hesitated. “I keep thinking I see him, just a brief glimpse and then he’s gone. Sometimes I think I’m going crazy. If it hadn’t been for Aldo, I might have.”

Tandy smiled. “You like Aldo, don’t you?”

Elli smiled. “He says he loves me, but I haven’t been able to say it back yet.”

“Where is he at the moment?”

“Four Seasons in New York. He’ll be back on Friday.”

“Huh.” Tandy was frowning.

“What?”

Tandy shook her head. “No, just something struck me. He’s a solid-gold billionaire, right?”

Elli half smiled, half frowned at her friend. “So?”

“Well, it’s just, if I had his money, I would be staying in the penthouse suite. From what I saw, that wasn’t the penthouse of The Four Seasons.”

Elli shrugged. “Maybe it was already booked. It was a last-minute trip.”

“Yeah, maybe. Anyway, I’m getting off the topic. You’ve probably heard this a million times from Viv, Elli, but …”

“Indio is history. Concentrate on the sexy man in your life now. Yeah, and I know you’re both right. I am trying.”

Tandy scooched down in the bed and tucked her arm around Elli. “Good. Now let’s get some sleep, or you’ll look like shit in the morning.”

“So will you, bitch,” Elli laughed.

“Not possible. Go to sleep.”

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