Italian Stallions (13 page)

She slid into the back of the limousine without their help.

Several minutes later, she was escorted into Roberto’s. While she kept her eyes forward, she noticed Donna and Gordo acting like a couple. She also saw John hanging out at the bar closest to Tucci’s office. Gabe was nowhere in sight. That was okay, he was yesterday’s news.

Gianna knew she looked good. When she strutted into Tucci’s office, he rose, shock clearly clouding his features. She was dressed as scantily as the dancers. Slowly, for effect, Gianna slid the coat from her shoulders. Her short black knit sheath dress hugged her curves like a second skin. The chunky belt accentuated her narrow waist.

“Shut the door, Mario,” Tucci commanded as he moved closer to her. “From the outside.”

“Hello, Mr. Tucci.” Gianna extended her hand, and he took it. His touch gave her goose bumps, but not the kind Gabe’s touch elicited.

“My God, Gianna, you look, fabulous. I…I’m speechless.”

Gianna allowed his lips to linger on her hand as she set her purse down, lens forward, on a waist-high book stand next to her. She moved into Tucci so that he wouldn’t see her adjust it so that it had a straight shot at the cozy little sofa that had not been in the office the first time she had been there. Looked like Fabio expected to go cherry picking.

G
abe gritted his teeth as he watched and listened to Gianna turn it on with Tucci. He knew damn well how hot she looked in that skimpy little dress. He didn’t need the minicam to show him. If she were his girl, he wouldn’t let her out of the house in it.

Gabe leashed his escalating jealousy. Instead, he focused on the scene unfolding in front of him and decided right then and there that if it even looked like Tucci was going to do the dirty deed, he was out of the truck and in that office before he could alert his team.

Tucci slipped a possessive arm around Gianna’s waist and walked with her to the sofa. Gianna sunk into the cushions and looked straight at the lens. A flirty smile twisted her lips. Gabe hissed in a breath. “Why, you little minx, you know I’m watching you.”

When she pulled a Sharon Stone move and crossed her legs, giving a quick glimpse of her red-hot panties, Gabe’s cock swelled. Tucci was as affected. He sidled up to Gianna, and like a little boy wanting to pet a pussycat, he held his trembling hand out toward her breasts. As if she were the queen of the world, Gianna turned a smile on Tucci. She leaned forward and almost allowed him to touch her. “Do you want to touch me, Fabio?” she softly asked.

He nodded, his head bobbing up and down. Gianna smiled that seductive all-knowing smile of hers and sank back into the cushions. “I have a few questions I’d like answered first.”

Tucci slid closer. “Ask me anything.”

Gianna cocked her head sideways and said, “I want the truth.” She leaned toward him, her full breasts brushing the hands twitching in his lap. He palmed one. Gabe nearly climbed through the screen.

Gianna sat back and waved her finger under his nose. “Uhuh, Fabio. No touching until I have my answers. I’ll know if you’re lying to me. And then”—she shrugged—“the only way you’re going to get to my cherry is by forcing me.” She smiled and leaned closer, her pouty lips an inch from the don’s face. “And I don’t think either one of us wants that, now, do we?”

Tucci shook his head.

Gianna smiled and sat back. Her gaze once again looked directly at the lens. “How did my father die?” she asked.

Tucci straightened. He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “
Bella mia
, I heard he fell down the steps and broke his neck.”

Her eyes remained fastened to the lens. Gabe felt a swell in his chest. Even from where he sat, he could see the pain in her eyes. “I don’t think he fell,” she softly said.

“What are you saying?” Tucci asked, false concern lacing his tone.

Gianna moved her gaze to rest on Tucci’s face. “I think someone pushed him, and I think you know who did it. I want you to tell me who it is; then I want to watch you kill him.”

Gabe gasped. If he didn’t know better, he’d think she was serious. Then he watched her eyes harden. Shit!

“
Bella
, if I—”

Gianna slapped him full across the face.

“Fuck!” Gabe said, standing up. That was going to land her on her back for sure. He hesitated when Tucci sat perfectly still. Gabe’s eyes dropped to the mobster’s crotch. He was wearing beige trousers, which suddenly inflated. Son of a bitch. He liked to be slapped around.

“Tell me who killed my father!”

Tucci took the hand she slapped him with and brought it to his lips. He kissed her fingertips, then sank his teeth into the tender flesh of her palm. Gianna cried out but did not try to move away. Instead, Gabe watched her figure Tucci out. She smiled and leaned into him. “You like to play rough, don’t you?”

He nodded. She slapped him again, this time with her left hand. Tucci squirmed in his seat. “Tell me who pushed my father down the stairs and I’ll slap you so silly you’ll scream for me to stop.”

“I went to talk to your father.”

Gianna gasped. Tucci hurried with his words. “I wanted you, Gianna. I wanted the treasure between your legs. But Cappy wasn’t selling.”

Gabe watched her poker face and felt another hard tug at his heart for this brave woman.

“Go on,” she softly said.

Tucci brought her hand to his chest. “I pleaded with your father. I told him I would forfeit all of his debt. I told him I’d spot him his next fifty Gs. He called me a
finnoch
!” Tucci pressed her hand to his crotch. “I’m not gay!”

Gabe spoke into his earpiece. “The fox is being hunted hard. Stand by for my word to move in.”

Gianna grabbed her hand back from Tucci. Her eyes snapped with fury. She stood and looked down at him. “So, you go to my father and demand he hand his only child over to you for sex. He refuses. You push him down the stairs, then tell
me
that if I don’t come up with the money or give up my cherry, you’ll see to it I end up next to my father?”

“Gianna, please,” Tucci begged.

“No! I’m going to the cops. I’m going to tell them everything.”

He stood slowly, and his eyes morphed from begging to cold and calculated. Gabe held his breath. He had enough on Tucci right now, but a good attorney could get him off by saying Alberto’s death was an accident.

“I would not do that,” Tucci said so softly, Gabe wasn’t sure he heard it.

“What are you going to do?” Gianna flung at him.

He grabbed her and yanked her hard against him. “Silly stupid girl. Your father was an ass. When he told me no, I told him how I was going to fuck you until I split you in half. Then I shoved him down those stairs. But he didn’t die, Gianna. He was still alive. As I twisted his neck, I told him there was nothing he could do to keep you from me.”

“Go!” Gabe yelled into his headset.

Gianna stood, terrified and furious. Her father was murdered for her cherry! She was going to kill Tucci herself.

He moved closer to her. But she held her ground, knowing it was just a matter of minutes before the calvary burst through the door.

“I’m going to fuck you right now,” Tucci threatened. “Then let my boys have my sloppy seconds, then send you on a midnight cruise out into the deep blue Pacific.”

Gianna laughed, the sound stopping him. She narrowed her eyes and dropped her cherry bomb. “I have a newsflash for you, Tucci. I’m not a virgin anymore!”

He slapped her. “Liar!”

Heat stung her, but she was locked and loaded for a fight. Gianna flung her hair over her shoulder and sneered. “You’re not man enough to find out.”

Tucci lunged at her, knocking her back onto the sofa. He grabbed at her panties, his nails digging into her thighs. Wildly, Gianna fought him off. She heard a loud thud against the door, followed by another. If she could just hold him off…

Gabe threw his shoulder into the door separating him from Gianna. The force of his muscles and his body hitting the thick wood as it opened sent him shooting into the room. He caught his balance and kept from tripping over Tucci, who was rolling on the floor and howling in pain, grabbing his balls. Gabe looked up to see Gianna standing over the howling don with her hands fisted at her sides.

“He’s going to need some ice.” She unbuckled the belt containing the wire and flung it at Gabe, then stepped over the mafioso and out the door.

As the rest of his team rushed into the room, Gabe went after Gianna.

“Gianna!” he called as the chilled October air hit him hard in the face. She’d exited the club, and in that skimpy dress and high heels, she stalked down the crowded sidewalks of the Tenderloin. If she didn’t have that get-the-hell-out-of-my-way look on her face, Gabe was sure she would have been accosted more than once. As it was, anyone near her moved to get out of her way.

Gabe caught up to her and grabbed her elbow. She spun around and raised her fist to him. “Do you want a piece of this too?”

He grinned. He couldn’t help it. All five foot four of her acted like she could take on the world and win. He sobered. Hell, after what he witnessed tonight, he bet she could.

“Gianna, you need to come back to the club.”

“No, I don’t. You have everything you need on film and on tape. I want you to leave me alone.” She jerked her arm from his grasp and continued to stride down the sidewalk. Gabe watched her vanish around a corner. He should have been jubilant. They had Tucci right where they wanted him. He’d go away for the rest of his life. But instead of feeling good about the success of his operation, Gabe felt as if he had lost something so precious, he’d never be able to replace it.

“C
’mon, Gianna,” Tressie cajoled. “It’s been three months, and you haven’t wanted to go shopping once!”

Gianna smiled at her cousin. “I know I haven’t been good company lately. But it isn’t like you’ve been around a whole lot.”

“I know! That’s why it’s important we have some cuzzy time.”

Gianna smiled and continued to fold napkins at the bar. It was a quiet Monday afternoon, and the restaurant wasn’t open for lunch on Mondays. She looked out the big front window to the gray afternoon. It had rained earlier and threatened to rain again. Shopping in the rain didn’t excite her. In fact, not much did these days. She hated to admit it, but she missed Gabe. But he obviously didn’t miss her. He hadn’t made any effort to contact her. The last time she saw him was that night on the sidewalk in front of Roberto’s.

Gianna let out a melancholy sigh. She missed the excitement he stirred in her. She’d tried to open up to the advances of several men. She’d even gone on a few dates, but she always said a polite thank you and shook her head when they asked if she’d like to go out again.

She decided that come spring, she was going to make arrangements to travel. Get out of her comfort zone and see the world.

“You still think of him?” Tressie asked.

Gianna smiled. She’d confided everything to Tressie. And while her cousin had been there for her, Tressie was of the opinion that Gianna should give the hunky Fed the opportunity to say what he had to say. Gianna refused. She was done putting herself out on a limb. Especially after Donna had filled Gianna in about Gabe. He was married to his job. He would never push it aside for a woman. At least not in her lifetime.

No, Gianna wanted a man she could trust. A man who came home most nights, a man she could build a life with. And while life with Gabe would be exciting and on the edge, it would always be on his terms and on his time. She deserved more.

A loud knock on the window startled both women. Gianna jumped in her seat and turned to see what caused the noise. Her stomach plummeted to her feet. Gabe!

Before Gianna could move, Tressie was up and at the door, unlocking it, inviting him in.

Gianna stood and put the bar stool between her and the man who had turned her inside out and left her hanging.

The months hadn’t changed him. He was as big, as handsome, as sexy. He may have lost a little weight, but he still wore his fine threads like a runway model.

“I, um, have something to do in the kitchen,” Tressie said, leaving them to stare at each other. Gianna scowled. She really needed to find a more loyal cousin.

“Gianna,” Gabe softly said, “you look well.”

“What do you want?”

“To talk.”

“I’m sorry, but I have no time to spare you for conversation. Please leave.”

He moved into the room. She sat at the bar, giving him her back, and proceeded to fold more napkins.

“I quit my job,” he softly said.

Gianna’s hand stopped for just a brief second before she continued to fold.

“I moved back up here.”

She continued to fold the red cloth into little crowns.

Gabe moved to stand closer behind her. Gianna kept her breath as even as she could, not willing to read anything into his words.

“I’ve missed you, Gia,” he softly said.

Her hand trembled. Her stomach slowly somersaulted.

“I wanted to apologize for, um, for taking advantage of you. I regret it. If I could take it back, I would.”

Hot tears welled in her eyes. Anger simmered. Gianna spun around in the chair and faced him. “You regret it!” she shrieked. “You regret lying to me, then seducing me? Then taking what I should have given to a man who gave two shits about me?” She punched him in the chest. “Well, guess what, asshole? I
don’t
regret it. I don’t regret the biggest lesson I could learn. Men are pigs, and you’re the foulest of them all!”

She moved off the chair and stood up to him. She only came to the top of his chest in her heels. But she felt like a tiger. Hot tears sprang from her eyes.

“I don’t regret the fucking, Gabe. What I regret is the fact that it’s going to take some serious research to find a guy who excites me the way you did, but one I can trust. One who won’t go sniffing after the next piece of ass that wags under his nose.”

She moved back to the bar stool and sat down. In a jerky motion, she began to fold the napkins again. “Thanks for stopping by and for your crappy apology. The door is unlocked. Please leave.”

After several long minutes, when Gabe made no move to leave, she turned on him again. His soft smile stopped her cold. Against her better judgment, her heart began to thaw.

“Gianna, I have not stopped thinking of you since the day I watched you at your father’s funeral from behind a bunch of oleander bushes with my asshole partner Gordo. I haven’t touched another woman since that day.” He moved closer. “I don’t want anyone else but you, Gianna.”

Her heart swelled, but it wasn’t enough. “I can’t trust you. Donna told me how you were unfaithful to your wife.”

Gabe’s jaw tightened. “I won’t deny it.” He let out a long breath. “I knew I didn’t love Debbie the day I married her. It’s why I didn’t care if I came home or not. It was wrong, and I hurt her bad, but sometimes, Gianna, you can’t see the forest through the trees.”

He reached out and brushed a long strand of hair from her cheek. “I can tell you, I feel more for you than I have for any woman. It’s why I didn’t pursue you.”

She looked up at him, confused.

“I knew I couldn’t make a commitment to you, Gianna. Not when I was neck deep in a UC operation. It wouldn’t have been fair to you. So I stepped back.” He slid his fingers into her hair and pulled her to him. “But things are different now. I quit my Fed job. I’m done. I have almost a year’s worth of vacation they owe me, plus all my years of hazard pay. I sold my house in L.A. and have a nice chunk of change. I’ve been rehired by SFPD. So long as I start within the next nine months, they’ll guarantee my job.”

Hope flared in her chest. “What are you saying, Gabe?”

“I’m saying I want to be here with you. Or wherever you want to go. I just don’t want to spend another day without you in it.”

Gianna stood for a long time and stared at him. His dark eyes held sincere promise. “I want to go to Italy and cook in all of the great kitchens.”

Gabe grinned. “I want to eat everything you prepare and turn into a fat, happy Italian man.”

“I’m afraid, Gabe.”

He gathered her into his arms. “I’m afraid, too, Gianna. Afraid one day you’ll wake up and not want me anymore. But it’s a chance I’m willing to take if you are.”

Gianna stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing his lips down to hers. “I’m game,” and she knew she would not regret her decision.

Gabe kissed her hard and deep, like there was no tomorrow. Before she could protest, he swept her up into his arms and strode into the kitchen. Tressie jumped back from where she’d been eavesdropping next to the batwing doors. “I’m going upstairs to ravish your cousin. I don’t think she’ll make it down for dinner.”

As Gabe continued his way through the kitchen, Tressie laughed and said, “I’ve got you covered, cuz!”

Gabe tossed Gianna on the bed, and instead of a slow seduction, he ripped her clothes off. “I’ll buy you an entire new wardrobe, Gianna. Just help me get you naked.”

As she shucked her stockings and shoes, Gabe stripped down to his birthday suit.

Gianna smiled and rose up on her knees. He stood naked and hard before her in all of his manly glory. Her blood quickened and she knew without hesitation this was the man she would spend the rest of her life with.

Touching a fingertip to the glistening bead of come on the tip of his cock, Gianna’s smile widened. She rubbed her thumb across the full head of him, smearing the thick lubricant. Gabe hissed. “Are all men as big and beautiful as you are?” she softly asked as she lowered her head to him.

His body shook when she took him into her mouth, her tongue swirling around the wide head. She sucked him into her mouth and Gabe groaned, and if it were possible, his cock became thicker. Gianna wrapped her fingers around the base of his shaft, and slowly took more of him into her mouth. Her nether regions tingled, and heated. She wanted to devour him, then in turn be consumed by him.

Gabe dug his fingers into her hair and pressed hotly into her. “Jesus, Gianna, the first time I saw your lips I wanted them on me like this.”

She smiled with him in her mouth, and in a slow rhythmic pump, between her hand, her lips, and her tongue, Gianna brought Gabe to his knees. When she cupped his balls with her free hand he groaned and shuddered and pulled away from her.

His dark eyes were hooded, the planes of his face sharp. On his hands and knees Gabe pushed her back into the pillows. “You’re mine now, Gianna Cipriani. And that means I don’t share.”

She smiled and relaxed back into the pillows, parting her legs. She reached up and dug her fingers into his thick dark hair and pulled him down to her. “Neither do I.”

Gabe smiled, breaking the tense moment, and in one long fluid motion he filled her. His warmth infiltrated her velvety muscles, loosing them more to accommodate the thick heat of him.

The sensation of him filling her combined with her full heart was so sublime Gianna felt as if she would burst into tears. She’d never felt so desired, so loved or so complete as she did at that moment.

In a slow unhurried motion, Gabe moved in and out of her, their bodies parting but coming back together as one. Each giving, each taking, and each knowing there was no place on earth they would rather be.

Gabe smoothed back her hair and looked deeply into her eyes, then whispered, “Gianna, I feel like I’ve come home.” And she knew it was true for them both.