With These Four Rings - Book Five: Wedding Bonus (Billionaire Brides of Granite Falls 5) (12 page)

Massimo had been coming home late and leaving early to try to make up for the time away, and to prepare for the upcoming honeymoon they would be taking. And she had been busy with nursing Aria back to health. It was the longest dry stretch they’d had since they’d been married. It was too long.

Shaina needed her man and from the way he was molding her bare breasts in his warm palms and rubbing up against her, she knew he needed her, too. She swiftly unbuttoned his shirt and reached for the buckle of his belt. The first round would be hard and swift, right here on the sofa, but the next would be slow and sweet on the bed.

She was glad they were here, in
il Nido d’Amore
, the place where their lovemaking always seemed to transcend to a higher level than anywhere else in the mansion. Perhaps it was the fact that the room, the décor had remained unchanged since the last time his parents had been together inside it.

The floor-to-ceiling taupe and red satin drapes that completely covered two of the walls, the mirrored third walls, the red silk throw pillows in front of the marble fireplace, the pillar candles strategically placed around the huge bed in the center of the room, all worked together to create an aura of magic, passion, and love. A small dining table sat near the sofa and offered magnificent views of rolling hills in the north, while northwest, just behind downtown Granite Falls, the Aiken River flowed by. At nights, the scenery created a twinkling canvas against the sky. Shaina could understand why Massimo’s parents used to sequester themselves in here, and ask not to be disturbed. She and Massimo had done the same many times, until Aria was born. Their daughter was the only person they allowed to interrupt their time in their love nest.

“Baby, I need you. I need your healing love.” Massimo’s hands were between her thighs, his fingers making their way inside the wet crotch of her panties, skimming across her hot swollen flesh.

“I need you, too, Massimo. So much. Let’s get these clothes off,” she said as a poignant vision of her and Massimo sprawled on the pillows in front of the fireplace flashed across her mind. His pants and his black silk briefs were halfway down his thighs, and his hard shaft was grazing the insides of her thighs when she heard Reese call her name, followed by Aria yelling for Mommy and Daddy.

They both stilled and looked toward the door leading into the sitting area of the love nest. The staff knew never to enter this room or the master suite unannounced. “Just a second, Reese,” she said, swearing inwardly as the inner walls of her sex seemed to scream in frustration.

Mass pushed off of her, his eyes blazing with passion and frustration. “We’re pulling an all-nighter after our company leaves tonight,” he said, fixing his clothes. “It’s been too long.”

Shaina eased her aching breasts back into her bra and pulled down her blouse. “Okay, you can come in,” she said when Mass smiled and nodded at her.

Seconds later, Aria came toddling into the room and headed straight into Mass’ arms. “Papa, Papa,” she chanted, winding her little arms about his neck. “
Aria ama Papà.
” With ease, she spoke in the language her father used most when conversing with her.

“
Ehi, dolcezza di là, e papà ama il suo piccolo angela
.
Papà sei mancato tanto
.” He squeezed her tightly then proceeded to lavish her face and neck with kisses, making her squeal with delight, even as she kissed him back with zest.

Shaina glanced at Reese standing near the door. “We’re entertaining family, so Aria doesn’t need you for a few hours. Just be on duty around ten tonight, and be prepared to take care of her in the morning.”
Since Mass and I will be taking care of each other
, she wanted to add.

“Thank you, Mrs. Andretti. I’ll see you later then.”

No you won’t
. Shaina gloried in the tender moments as she watched Massimo play with his daughter on the floor. Aria seemed to be helping him forget his pain, even if only for a short while. She leaned back into the sofa as playful growls and baby laughter swirled around her. She smiled at the thought of a new voice joining their merry chorus.

She’d slipped up a few weeks ago when Aria had been suffering from an ear infection, a cold, and was running a fever. Mass had been away with Bryce on Fonandt Energies business, and she’d been so preoccupied in taking care of a sick child that she’d forgotten to take her pill a couple of days.

As soon as he’d come home, she and Mass had made love every single day, sometimes twice, for a week straight. It was crazy. Neither one of then understood why they couldn’t seem to get enough of each other—not that they were complaining, but as a result of her slipup and the undeniable passion between them, her family was growing, as was her love.

Just as she hadn’t experienced any symptoms with Aria, Shaina had none now. She’d suspected she was pregnant when her period hadn’t shown up last week while they were in Kenya. She hadn’t said anything to Mass because she wanted him to have undivided time with his pet cat, and since they returned, she wanted to make sure before sharing her suspicions—which weren’t suspicions anymore.

She was blissful at the thought of giving Massimo another child, especially today when he’d lost so much. She cleared the lump from her throat. “Mass!” she yelled above Aria’s squeals as he chased her around the room. When he caught her, he tickled her tummy, and then pretended to gobble it up like Cookie Monster gobbles a cookie.

“No, Daddy, no,” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

Shaina called him name again.

“You shouldn’t interrupt the fun between a man and his girl, Shaina.” He said, tossing Aria into the air and catching her.

“I have something to tell you. Something important. You need to hear this.”

He halted in mid-throw, frowned at her, then smiled at Aria. “
Di mamma essendo estremamente persistente. Vediamo qui fuori.
” He sat down on the sofa and placed Aria on his lap.

Once she realized playtime was over she laid her head on her father’s chest and stared at Shaina as if she understood what he’d told her about her mother being persistent and that they should hear her out. Maybe she did. She was a whiz when it came to languages, just like her daddy.

Shaina’s gaze wandered above the marble fireplace to a painting of a young African woman dressed in colorful tribal clothing and wearing bright beaded earrings and necklaces. Her head was clean-shaven and her feet were bare, but her ankles were adorned with matching beaded anklets. Itifaki looked happy, innocent, yet wild and knowing—like an exotic princess. Shaina smiled as she studied the young girl who’d been brave enough to defy her family and her culture, and elope with Amadore, the man with whom she’d fallen in love at first sight—kind of like Shaina when she’d disobeyed her father and gone to the factory to see Massimo. If she hadn’t defied her father, she wouldn’t be sitting here now with her husband and her daughter.

“We’re waiting, Mommy,” Mass said.

Shaina took a deep breath and caught his gaze. “Remember when you told Aria that no matter how many sons you have, her birthright as your firstborn child was to run A.I.? Well, I hope she and her sibling will have as solid a relationship as Cameron and I have, so they won’t be fighting for power.”

Mass sat forward, his eyes wide, his mouth opened in awe. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Shaina nodded.

“But you’re on the pill. We decided to wait until Aria was at least three-years old before having another baby.”

“You don’t want it? You want me to send it back?” Shaina splayed her palms over her stomach. “Are you upset?”

He covered her hands with his. “Are you kidding? No, not at all. I’m delightfully surprised. But how is it possible with your birth control? They told us that next to abstinence, the pill was the safest method.”

Shaina told him about her slipup a few weeks ago.

His eyes sparkled as he grinned like a kid opening the present from his best pal at his birthday party. “So you must be about four weeks along then?”

Shaina bobbed her head up and down, tickled that he kept track of her cycle. “I went to see Dr. Walsh this morning, just for confirmation. Even though we didn’t plan it, this baby is supposed to be here, Mass. It’s part of God’s plan.”

“I love you.” He pulled her close, kissed her passionately, then tucked her against his side and enveloped her and Aria in his arms. “I don’t care whose plan it is. I needed to hear something positive, something hopeful today. Thank you for this gift of new life, pussycat.”

“
Puttycat
,” Aria shouted, kicking her bare feet against the edge of the sofa. “Bari. Nice
puttycat
.”

Shaina caught Massimo’s gaze, and for a moment she thought he would break down again, but he kept his cool and grinned at his daughter. “You hear that, Aria?
Hai intenzione di avere un fratellino”

“
O una sorella
,” Shaina said, happy he hadn’t told Aria about Jabari. Why tell her about something she couldn’t understand? Jabari would live on in one of their minds for a good while.

“I don’t care as long as it’s healthy. You’ve given me so much joy. I’m so blessed to have you and Aria, and now another little Norwood-Andretti to carry our legacies forward.”

“We’re blessed to have you, Mass. You’re the best husband and father any wife and child could ask for. I love you. We love you.”

“Love,” Aria said, hugging her parents. “Aria loves Mama and Papa.”

Warmth glowed in Shaina’s heart, and spread throughout her body. The meaning of
love
was something Aria understood in her own small way. Death could wait.

Even in the face of death, life shone brightly through. God took away today, but he’d already given back, abundantly. The child growing in her womb attested to the ever-spinning, ever-continuing circle of life.

CHAPTER EIGHT

The next day – Wednesday morning…

Sandwiched between her father and her husband, Tashi fought her way through the crowd of curious spectators, zealous reporters shoving microphones into their faces, and photographers trying to capture them at just the right angles. The paparazzi were working overtime outside the courthouse because they were banned from videotaping or recording of any sort on the inside.

By the time she ascended the steps of the front entrance of the Cuyahoga County Courthouse in Cleveland, Ohio, Tashi felt so exhausted, she just wanted to go home.

“Hang on, baby. This is the last time you’ll ever have to deal with this pandemonium,” Adam whispered, as they walked down the aisle and took a seat close to the front.

The courthouse, situated near the Cleveland Mall, was a magnificent landmark. Bronze statues of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton flanked the front entrance, while the rear overlooked Lake Erie. Deeply recessed arched windows and doors, along with fluted columns and colorful murals, graced the interior. It seemed surreal that people would flock to such a beautiful building just to witness the events of the most ghastly criminal activities that took place in their city. But flock, they did.

The courtroom had been packed for the two months the case was in session, and it was packed today as everyone awaited the appearance of the defendants, the jury, and the judge who would deliver the sentence. There had been many delays, sometimes for days, as the defense tried to have the case thrown out. They presented technicalities and requests for suppression of evidence, one after another. But the judge wasn’t hearing it.

Her Honorable Rowena Kingsley had no tolerance for suppression of the poor, and crimes in high places. Alessandro, Adam, and her father had worked hard to make sure she was the presiding judge over Tashi’s mother’s murder trial.

Since he retired from the FBI last year, her father had been spending a lot of time in Ohio, gathering enough evidence to convince the court to bring the men to trial. Tashi had been hesitant about attending. But Paul had argued that since she was the child of the victim who was left motherless at age four at the hands of the defendants, her presence in the courtroom would strengthen the prosecution’s case, and hopefully sway the jury to come back with a guilty plea.

Former FBI Special Agent Paul Dawson was the expert in these situations, so Tashi had taken his advice. Adam had rented a penthouse suite in a hotel last year when her father had begun his investigation. He’d kept it throughout the trial, and had encouraged her to stay over on days when court was adjourned late. But Tashi never did. Every day that court was in session, she boarded the Andreas jet with her father, or Adam. Her in-laws occasionally tagged along for added support. She would spend the three-hour flight to Cleveland gazing out the window. When the day was over, she flew back to spend the night with her husband and her infant son.

The first day was the worst as she anticipated staring into the eyes of the three men who’d killed her mother. But once she saw them, took in their arrogance, their disdain, and lack of remorse, her resolve to watch them go down was strengthened.

One of the men came from a family of corrupt politicians; one was the son of a private health insurance mogul, and the other was the nephew of a prominent Ohio physician. They were young and wealthy and thought themselves above the law when they murdered her mother—a nobody in their eyes, a pawn in their sinister game of human chess. They were older now with children and grandchildren, but evidently not too rich, nor too powerful to be brought under the penalty of the law.