Dangerous Beauty: Part Two: A Mafia Princess (38 page)

Aniyah gasped in outrage. “Bite your tongue, Carterina!”

Carter laughed. She loved teasing Aniyah about Kyle. Aniyah claimed she didn’t have a crush on him, but Carter wasn’t stupid— she had eyes. Every time Kyle walked past the reception desk, Aniyah’s eyes were on his ass.

“I will not bite my tongue. You like him.” Carter grinned and nudged her side again.

“I do not!”

“Yes, you do.”

Aniyah rolled her eyes and looked away from Carter. “Kyle Valente is not a nice guy.”

Carter frowned. “He’s misunderstood. He has a lot to offer.”

“Says the woman he’s in love with.”

Carter groaned. “People need to stop saying that.”

Aniyah pursed her lips and looked at Carter. “It’s true, Ri. He does love you.”

Carter nodded. “And I love him, too. But he’s not
in
love with me. And I’m not in love with him. We could have been something back when I was a waitress in Hope Beach, but that wouldn’t have lasted once I met Nathan. Then it would have been messy, and we would have all lost each other.” Carter turned to face Aniyah. “It happened the way it happened for a reason, and I understand that now. I’m not going to say that there were never any feelings between us because that would be a lie. And I’m not going to say that I didn’t want to be with Kyle once because that would be a lie too. But I can honestly say that I am hopelessly in love with my husband, and Kyle is not in love with me. He uses me as an excuse because he’s afraid.”

“Afraid?”

Carter nodded. “He’s in love with me because he can never have me. Kyle doesn’t want love, marriage, or children. Nathan was once the same, and then he found love. Now he has all three. Kyle is using me as an excuse. If I am the love of his life, then he can be single forever. Kyle had a chance with me long before Nathan. I told him what I wanted, and he stuck with friendship. But then all of a sudden Nathan has me, and he has an epiphany?”

Aniyah chuckled. “What makes you think I want a man with commitment issues, Ri?”

Carter smiled. “Because he’s worth it. He has so much love in his heart, and he doesn’t even know it. He’s been hurt and betrayed in the past, but his heart is healing.”

Aniyah frowned. “What? Did and old girlfriend hurt him or something?”

Carter frowned. No, it wasn’t an old girlfriend or something. That would make Kyle’s issues with women far too simple. When Carter found out what had happened to Kyle, her heart shattered into a million pieces. His distrust for women was deeply rooted. Kyle hadn’t told Carter about his past until after she had woken up from her injury. They’d been sitting in the living room, and he began to tell her how important she was to him. The conversation just kind of turned into his story. Carter had held him the entire time he spoke. Then cried for him later that evening when she talked to Nathan about it.

Carter was honored that Kyle had trusted her enough to give her a place in his heart. She didn’t know what she had done to deserve it, but she was glad. She couldn’t imagine her life without Kyle’s friendship.

Carter smiled at Aniyah. “No, Aniyah. It wasn’t an old girlfriend.”

Aniyah seemed to understand that the situation wasn’t so simple, and she left it alone.

Carter reached for Aniyah’s hand and held it. “You would be good for him.”

She shook her head. “No way, Carter. I’d kick that man’s ass. He’s rude and selfish.”

“He’s kind and caring.”

“He’s an asshole that barely sees me unless he needs something secretarial.”

Carter sighed. “Okay then. I was just saying. You two would be perfect for each other.” Carter dropped the subject.

For a moment, they sat in silence until Aniyah released a long sigh. “You don’t understand, Ri. It’s not as easy for me as it is for you. You’re beautiful— I’m not,” she said sadly. “Kyle Valente dates models, just like his father does. I’m not a model, and I’m not skinny, either. I’m fat.”

Carter frowned. That statement wasn’t true. Aniyah didn’t think she was pretty, but Carter thought the opposite. Aniyah was stunning. She had deep, brown eyes that were striking in contrast to her dark, chocolate brown skin. Her hair was as jet black as Carter’s, and just as thick, falling to her shoulders in shiny, bouncy curls. She could be a full-figured model— she had the perfect body for it. She wasn’t fat— she had curves and legs that went on for miles. Aniyah was smoking hot.

“You’re not unattractive, Aniyah.” Carter leaned forward in her seat. “Confidence is sexy, so you
have to have it,”
Carter stressed. “You’re gorgeous. Your body is beautiful, too. I wouldn’t lie to you about any of this. How can you say it’s easy for me? I had been single for two years when I met Nathan. I’d only had one boyfriend before him.”

“But you’re beautiful, and Kyle wanted you.”

Carter sighed. “Aniyah, you’re just as much of a woman as I am. There are times when I feel like my thighs are too thick or my chest is too big. Hell, I was going to get a reduction before I met Nathan. I’ve always felt they got in the way of my fighting, but Nathan loves them. I’ve seen some of the women Nathan used to be with before me. They were all blonde, tall and skinny, with long legs and small breasts. I’m looking around like ‘what the fuck?’ My husband has a type— and it’s not me!”

“Oh my God,” Aniyah laughed.

Carter laughed, too. “I’m serious. I’m not a tall, model-like, Malibu Barbie doll! I’m a curvy, five-foot four-and-a-half-inch, black woman— with a bad temper. He didn’t fall in love with me because of my looks. Our draw was much deeper than that. We clung to each other because of our pain, and we truly fell in love with each other over time.”

Aniyah nodded. “Yes, I understand. I don’t have to be his type in the looks department. We just have to connect, huh?”

Carter smiled and nodded. “But it helps that you’re hot.”

She chuckled. “Okay, Ri, you’re right. When I looked in the mirror this morning, I didn’t hate what I saw. I guess I am kind of hot aren’t I?” The both laughed and Aniyah kicked Carter’s chair gently. “I shouldn’t be getting love advice from you. I’m seven years older than you,” she said playfully.

Carter chuckled. “Well, falling in love and getting married matures a person quickly. Everything just happened so fast with Nathan and me. It was like back to back to back.” She animated her point with snaps of her fingers. “One day, I’m alone with a name that’s not my own, and the next day, I’m making out with the man destined to be my husband and the father of my child in the middle of the place where I waitressed.” Carter smiled and placed her hand on her flat belly. “I feel really blessed, you know.” Tears gathered in Carter’s eyes, and she cursed her damn hormones. “I don’t know. I’m just finally happy. My marriage is solid, I have my mother, my family … my baby. I went through five years of hell on earth, Aniyah. Now I feel like it was all worth it. The hurt, the heartbreak, the loneliness, the pain. It was all worth it because now I have everything I’ve ever wanted and more. I only wish my father could have been here to see how much I’ve grown.”

Aniyah smiled and squeezed Carter’s hand. Before she could say anything back, the phone rang.

Aniyah immediately reached for it. “It’s probably your husband.”

Carter immediately brightened at the possibility. There were no words to describe how much she missed him.

“Hello, Angelo Salerno’s office. How may I help you?” Aniyah didn’t speak after that, she just listened. After the person on the other end was finished talking, she hung up the phone with a frown. “Umm … Carter. They want you to go to the twenty-sixth floor. They said just wait there for your mother to come up.”

Carter raised her eyebrows and nodded. She stood and walked over to the elevator. When she looked back at Aniyah, she saw sadness on the woman’s face. Carter frowned.

“Niyah? Are you okay?” Carter asked.

Aniyah looked up and tried to hide her expression. “I’m fine, Carter. I’ll talk to you soon, honey.”

Carter nodded slowly and entered the elevator. As soon as she pressed the twenty-sixth floor, she heard Aniyah yell, “I love you, Ri. I’m here for you if you need me.” But before she could respond, the doors closed.

On the twenty-sixth floor, the doors opened, and Carter exited the elevator. The floor was nearly empty. There were only a few men there, and they greeted her and continued their work. Carter sat on one of the desks facing the elevators and waited for her mother. Just when she thought they’d never come up, men from downstairs began to file out of the elevator car. Carter frowned.

Many of them gave her weird looks on their way into the office, and some of them began gathering their coats and guns.

“Let’s go!” one of them yelled at the rest of the men. It was Ryan Mason. He was retired CIA and current Head of Security for the Salerno organized crime family. They obediently moved faster. “The jet’s leaving in thirty minutes! Nobody’s late! Angelo’s orders! Cesare says the rest of you need to be on patrol at Nathan’s penthouse! Check every corner, and I want men on each end of the street with your eyes
open!
”

To say that Carter was confused would be an understatement. Had something gone wrong downstairs? She stood up and jogged over to Ryan. “Ryan!” she called. He looked up at her briefly, but continued to gather his things. “Is everything okay?” she asked. But as soon as the words fell from her lips she knew the answer … She didn’t know why, but all of a sudden she had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Ryan’s eyes instantly filled with … sadness? … sympathy?

He looked away from her. “I can’t really say, Mrs. Salerno,” he said softly. “Your mother, Mickey, and Cesare will return shortly.”

“But what about Dante? Where is he?”

“He’s downstairs waiting for us.”

“Why?”

“Mrs. Salerno, please don’t,” he pleaded with her. “I don’t want to be disrespectful and walk away from you, but I have to go, just—” he placed a hand on her shoulder “— be strong,” he said right before grabbing the rest of his things and sprinting toward the elevator with his men close behind him.

Be strong?
Carter thought.
Who runs out after saying something like that to someone?

Carter was beginning to worry. What the hell was going on?

The other elevator opened, and Cesare, Mikilo, and her mother came out, each of them talking frantically on their phones. Carter stood helplessly, wondering what the hell had happened. She saw the same emotion in her mother’s eyes that she had seen in Ryan’s eyes.

“Mom?” Carter asked as her worry quickly turned to dread.

Cesare and Anastacia hung up their phones and began talking to one another in hushed tones. Mickey, on the other hand, was still arguing with someone on the phone. Carter thought it may have been Lucca.

“Is Kyle okay? Was he hurt? What about Nathan?”

When she heard Mickey asking those questions, an intense fear shot through her body.

“Mom!” she called to Anastacia.

Anastacia stopped conversing with Cesare, and they both looked her way. Their eyes conveyed that they didn’t want to tell her anything. Something happened, and she wanted to know what it was— right now.

“What’s going on?” she asked, not caring about sharpness of her tone.

Neither Cesare nor Anastacia responded immediately, which irritated Carter. “Say something! Is it Luchini?”

“No,” Cesare spoke softly, and once again that same emotion flashed through his eyes. “Luchini is handled for now …”

“Then what the hell is this? What’s going on?” Carter looked at her unusually silent mother. “Mom? Is-is it Kyle?” Carter could barely say the words as she began to feel light-headed.

Anastacia swallowed as sadness and regret masked her face. “Carterina … I think maybe you should have a seat,” she said softly.

Have a seat? Why would she need to have a seat?
She was talking as if someone—

Carter inhaled a deep, shaky breath as her heart tightened painfully in her chest. A biting sensation stung the backs of her eyes as hot tears began to fill them. “Where is my husband?” Carter felt a chill. She hugged her body tightly as she began to shiver.

Anastacia sighed as devastation filled her eyes. “Carter, please, have a—”

“
No!
” Carter screamed. “
Where is my husband?
”

Cesare reached out for her. “Carterina—”

Carter snatched herself away from him and turned to go get her cell phone. “Fine!” she yelled, an angry sadness washing over her. “I’ll find out myself. I’ll just call him.”

Carter proceeded to call Nathan’s cell phone. He always answered her calls. But by the fourth unanswered call, Carter had tears streaming down her face. “This doesn’t make any sense! Why isn’t he answering?” she cried. His voicemail picked up once again. “Bubby, please call me back,” she sobbed desperately. She felt a soft hand on her shoulder.

“Carterina,” her mother said softly.

Carter slowly removed the phone from her ear and looked into her mother’s sad eyes.

“I got a call about five minutes ago, baby girl …”

“No, no, no …” Carter cried the word over and over again and clutched her belly.

“Nathan and his father were on their way to their jet, and they were attacked. Nathan and Kyle’s car was the target of gunfire. Nathan pushed Kyle from the car to protect him and was … shot—”

“
What?
”

“He drove off. Kyle said he was going after the car because he spotted Silas …”

“Why would he do that?” she sobbed “Where is he? Please, tell me he’s okay, Mama. Please …”

She shook her head sadly. “Carter, they’ve been looking for him for hours …”

“Tell them to look harder!” Carter yelled. Her mother reached out for her, and Carter moved from her touch. “Stop!” she screamed. “I need to go with them! I need to find him! You don’t understand!” Carter tried to storm past her mother, but she was pulled back.

“Carterina, please be calm …”

“I need to find my husband!” she shouted.

She cupped Carter’s face roughly. “Stop and listen!” she yelled, her voice cracking with emotion. “They found his car, Carter. And his shirt— covered in blood.”