It was going on four rings when he answered the phone and sounded out of breath, “Leese?”
Maybe she wasn’t in school.
“Hey, what are you doing? I didn’t catch you at a bad time, did I?”
“No, I was in the shower when I heard the cell go off. God, it’s great to hear your voice. I’ve missed you so much. I don’t suppose you’d want to tell me where the hell you’re at, would you?”
“Sure I will. I’m in Gualala, California, and I’m staring at the Pacific Ocean right now.”
“Not standing on the edge of a cliff, I hope.”
I laughed, “Please stop thinking of me as suicidal. I’m fabulously happy.”
The line was silent.
“Ryan?”
“Did you meet someone?”
“Yes, I did and he’s very special,” I said, my free hand cradling my small bulge.
“Are you sleeping with him?”
Someone else might have found that question too forward, but Ryan had no reason to play coy. “Yes. I don’t think I’ve ever been quite so intimate with someone in my life.” Sharing one body was as intimate as it gets, I laughed to myself.
“Sadarius?” he questioned.
“No, you nit wit-that was tabloid trash; you know that. You’ve-you’ve never met him before, but you will.”
“I will? Like when?”
“How does three or four days sound?”
“You-you mean it? You’re coming back to Colorado Springs?” I could hear the elation in his voice.
“Only for a day. We’re on a trek back home to Florida.”
“Really? But what about… Are you sure you want to go back to Florida?”
“Well, I want Mom to meet him. She’s going to be really surprised.”
“Damn, it’s good to hear you so freaking happy. I told you someday God would make sure you got the happiness you deserve. See you in a few days, baby girl. I love you.”
“I love you, too. See you then.” And I hung up. Okay, so I didn’t tell him about Micah, but my mystery man would be my first line of defense to get him to listen to me.
We cleaned out the cottage and locked it up, and pulled Dobrey’s Jeep into the tiny garage. I followed Micah to drop off the rental car and we were off in my Aero. I let Micah drive, because I didn’t think I’d be able to sit that still for ten or eleven hours. The scenery on the first part of the trip was spectacular, I’d seen it on the way out here, but my frame of mind had been much different, now I was seeing it with new eyes. Micah seemed to enjoy giving my Aero a chance to stretch out and there were miles of roadway before us.
It was 9 p.m. when we pulled into Las Vegas and drove to the Nuova Immagine hotel and casino. It had been an older building, but Micah explained how his father sank millions into renovations and now the building was elegant and classy, and was turning a steady profit. We made our way through the casino, several men nodding as Micah passed, and I knew this must be a mob hot spot.
“Micah Gavarreen,” he stated at the hotel desk. “I called this morning.”
“Yes, sir,” the young woman responded. “We’ve been expecting you. Please enjoy your stay,” she said as she placed the room keys in his hand.
The elevator doors open and we stepped inside. I clutched Micah’s arm as we began moving. He gave me a concerned look.
“I don’t trust these things anymore.”
“You have no idea how safe you are here,” he smiled, kissing my forehead. “You might as well be staying at the White House for all the security we have.”
“I’m afraid I haven’t developed a ‘safety’ feeling around the mob yet-at least not with the experiences I’ve had.”
“I don’t blame you,” he whispered, “but you are safe.”
We stopped at the top floor and went down the hallway to our room. He unlocked the door and we stepped into the penthouse.
“Wow, look at the view,” I marveled as I approached the wall of glass overlooking the bright lights of Vegas. “Do you come here much? I noticed a lot of people in the casino seemed to recognize you.”
“Every once in a while, just to relax and gamble a little.”
“Do the people downstairs know D’Angelo?” I didn’t want this ending badly.
“D’Angelo doesn’t come here. He’s much too busy in Louisiana. Besides, these are friends of my dad, and Dad runs with a whole different caliber of people than the likes of D’Angelo.”
“I thought-I mean from what you told me-D’Angelo was a friend of your personal family.”
“He was at one time, but things changed between them and now they barely speak. You’ve got to be tired, Leese.” He changed the subject. “Do you want me to have some food sent up and then we can go to bed?”
“I’m not tired or hungry, but bed sounds wonderful,” I gave him a sexy smile.
He didn’t seem to catch my drift at first, but then his eyes lit up.
“Oh… Shower first or second?” Before I could answer he took me in his arms and gave me a long, sensual kiss.
It was so wonderful to be spoiled by him.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
When morning came, we missed sunrise. We were just a little too comfortable to get up and see it. He rolled out of bed a little after eight and disappeared out into the main part of the penthouse, leaving me lounging. I didn’t move until I heard a knock at our door. I heard Micah thanking someone and then he appeared in the bedroom doorway with a breakfast cart.
“I figured it was time to feed my baby-both of them.”
“I’ll come out there and eat at the table; just give me a couple minutes.”
We would be meeting his family in a little while and I dressed carefully so that it wasn’t immediately obvious we were expecting. I wanted a chance to explain what happened before we gave them the news about the newest member to the Gavarreen family. They had no grandchildren, so this should be a very happy moment for Celeste and Giorgio-that is as soon as they realized I wasn’t a lunatic for leaving Micah.
Five minutes before ten, we were on the descent to what Micah called the ‘private’ floor. It was the floor reserved for Mafia and for his father to conduct business-I was petrified.
When we walked into the small room that looked like any other normal, business conference room, his family was already seated. The reaction as we came through the door holding each other’s hand was like when the villain appears on stage in the theater. I could almost hear the boo-hiss roar from this tiny crowd with no more than the look in their eyes.
David was the first to speak, “I knew it. I told you he hooked back up with the little bitch.”
I could feel myself recoiling at his angry reaction.
“Shut up, David,” Micah stated and then pulled out a chair for me.
Giorgio was the only one who wasn’t cutting me asunder with his stare. Celeste and Gwen both held me in utter revulsion by the expressions on their faces, but they said nothing. Gwen decided she wouldn’t even look at me anymore as she turned her face and stared out the window.
“Annalisa needs to let you all know the real reason she left when-”
“I saw the reason in Colorado Springs,” David snapped. “What’s the matter, Angel? Did Ryan finally get some sense and throw you out?”
“Stop it, David,” Micah growled.
Giorgio who normally ran the family meetings and kept David in check wasn’t holding his sons back this morning.
“I…” But the words were wadding up in my throat as I wondered how he could be so in love with my mother, but not willing to give me a fair chance to defend my actions.
“Well, come on, baby cakes, spill out some good lies!” he snapped, his fist coming down on the conference table so hard that I jumped in fright.