He had been “working” more late nights ever since we got back from Greece. He didn’t bring up what had happened to his building, or whatever else was going on, but call it wife’s intuition—I knew he fought a battle that was kept under wraps.
I thought his building, orabuilding, getting blown to smithereens would’ve made the news, but it hadn’t. I watched the news every night and… nothing. The supposed “wars” between the connected families had died down, the news reported, and soon after that was settled, it was all about politics again.
Usually, I didn’t mind when he was late, but tonight was important for two reasons.One. Keely had her debut on Broadway. She was playing the lead. Some kick-ass Scottish warrior who was an excellent archer.Two.I didn’t want to think about reason two. It made me nervous to keep dwelling on it, so when it happened, it happened.
“Mariposa,” Capo called out, coming into the bedroom. He found me sitting in the bathroom naked, touching up my makeup.
He stopped, his suit jacket over his arm, looking me over. “Just the way I want you,” he said, his voice low. “Stand.”
As I did, he threw his jacket on the counter and loosened his tie, his eyes never losing contact with mine. The frenzy that existed between us, something carnal, seemed to feed his desire as much as it fed mine.
A long moment seemed to stretch before something seemed to explode inside of me, before his body created the physical equivalent between his chest and mine. Our bodies crashed into one another, my fingers hungry against his skin, his mouth devouring mine. My back slammed against the shower, and without him having to instruct me, my legs wrapped his waist, urging, pleading,demandingthat he settle the ache.
I’d come to know that whateverthingstood between us, was primal but basic, animalistic. And that’s how we were tearing at each other, like animals that didn’t know right from wrong, that had no other thought or feeling butthisandnow.It had only been hours, but the ache screeched…right now!
The noises we made echoed around the huge bathroom, and the noises his mouth made from pleasure reverberated inside of me, reaching every hollow, pinging from bone to bone, sliding right through my bloodstream.
He drove me higher and higher, my back sliding against the doors to the shower, his thrusts hard and crazed. He read my body language, maybe the way I started to quiver, and how loud my moans were becoming—maybe the pleading was getting worse. Then, in another explosion, we came together, his guttural growl swallowing my softer one as he spilled into me with so much pleasure that it made me feel like the most powerful woman in the world.
We stood connected for a moment, our breaths settling together, and when I finally had the energy to open my eyes, I smiled at him. He’d been watching me.
“Welcome home, Capo,” I said, my voice shredded.
He grinned and set me down on my feet. “My favorite time of the day,” he said.
“Mine too,” I whispered, dazed, as he carted me into the shower and wet all of the makeup I’d applied and my hair.
We were going to besolate.
I hurriedly redid what he had wrecked, my face, and tried to the do the best with my hair without having to fuss too much. Tonight was a reason to dress up, so I wore a sapphire silk jumpsuit, and diamond, sapphire, and gold bangles on my wrists to match.
“Blue.” He grinned as he stepped out of the closet, handing me a pair of shoes I had asked him to find. It had taken him ten minutes to get dressed.
“My signature color,” I said.
He nodded. “Sempre bella in blu.”Always beautiful in blue.
We stared at each other for a moment or two. The intensity in his eyes was hard to meet, especially when images of the night before, when he had brought the marshmallows home, did things to me that made my skin shiver in remembrance. Out in public, the man was as reserved as could be, but behind closed doors…he was an insatiableanimale. And when he had time…delayed gratification was his specialty.
“It really should be a crime for any man to look as fine as you,” I said, not able to help myself.
“That’s why I married the most beautiful woman.” He slipped my dress coat over my arms, helping me into it. “No one will be looking at me, but at you.”
I sometimes forgot how much of a recluse he was. Even though women stared at him wherever we went, he didn’t seem to notice, or care. The sooner he was behind closed doors, the sooner he opened up to me.
Ever since the day of his grandfather’s funeral, after what had happened in church, something had changed between us.Nonnohad told me that all life changes begin with a crux. He explained to me what it was—the decisive or most important point at issue, the heart—and when it changed, it changed the entire course of things.
“Compare it to taking a different road,” he had said. “Sometimes we do this by accident; sometimes we do this by will, but it changes everything beyond that point. It changes history that has yet to happen.”
Greece only helped. Capo was more relaxed, more at ease, even though I knew he was grieving. Somehow, though, I knew Capo was teaching me how to live (almost through death), and it seemed like it was in honor of something. Though I didn’t know exactly what. Maybe the fact that he had saved my life? And the cost to him, because I knew there had to be one, would be in vain if I didn’t make the most of my time here.
Nonnowas a philosophical man. His grandson was, too. I tried to keep up.
Giovanni drove us to Broadway. The show was packed; sold out completely. I waved to Keely’s family as I took my seat. I was so nervous for her that my foot kept tapping against the floor.
Capo squeezed my thigh, stopping me. “Dov'è il tuo rosario?”Where is your rosary? he asked in Italian.
I dug in my clutch and pulled it out. The soft lights made the pearls shimmer against the darkness of my nails as I rubbed a bead between my fingers. He rarely had to remind me to use my rosary to ease my anxiety, but tonight, my mind was running in too many different directions, tearing me apart.
