Page 88 of Storm in a D Cup

‘They would never have done that,’ I reassured him. ‘They’re smart.’

‘Yes. They are. But they are both still so innocent.’

Or at least, we thought they were.

20

Mixed Messages

My cell phone beeped as I rolled over, wondering if it was from Julian who used to send me messages from around the house, telling me my coffee was ready or that he was waiting for me in the shower, et cetera. Those were the good old days.

I want to lick you from head to toe,it read, and I sat up. Today was definitely looking up! I scrolled down to read the rest of the text message:And then inside out.

And then I realized in a split second of pure horror that this was not my phone. We had all bought them together in one go, and they were all the same. Stupid of us, wasn’t it?

I checked the next message and found an even more obscene one. Whose phone was I holding in my hand? Who was having this torrid affair? My heart began to pound erratically. Warren? Or was it Maddy’s? Julian’s? Please God, no! This was exactly how I’d found out that my first husband was cheating on me!

I scrolled down some more, and there were dozens of them, all obscene. I dialed the sender’s number, praying Genie Stacie wouldn’t be on the other end of the line.

A male voice kicked in. I almost died. It was Leonardo Cortini’s!

With shaky hands I picked up the house phone and dialed all our numbers. The cell phone came alive in my hands after I’d tried Maddy’s. I dropped it in horror.

Julian came out of the shower, toweling his head. He stopped. ‘What is it?’

Shaking, I shoved the cell phone under his nose.

He stiffened. ‘Who sent you this?’

‘It’s not for me!’ I yelled. ‘This isMaddy’sphone! And Leonardo sent it! Julian – he’s preying on our daughter!’

‘Where is she?’

‘She said she was going out with Angelica but now I don’t know what to believe! Oh my God, I’m a terrible mother!’

Julian’s eyes turned to two slits. ‘If he lays one finger on her he’s dead meat,’ he swore under his breath as he pulled on his jeans and T-shirt, grabbed his car keys and together, forgetting our own unresolved tensions, we climbed into the Jeep.

‘Pray we’re not too late,’ I whispered. ‘Pray…’

‘It’ll be fine. Because I’m going to kill the fucker.’

I glanced over at him, so confident of himself. Even when Ira had his baseball aimed at the side of his head, Julian hadn’t faltered.

He drove like a madman all the way past the river and to the hill where Leonardo lived and as his castle came into view Julian slowed down and finally stopped at the bottom. There, we got out of the car and huddled behind a shrub.

I eyed my husband. ‘They’re in there, I know they are,’ I insisted and that’s when I spotted Maddy’s scooter just under an olive tree. ‘Look!’ I pointed and Julian paled. The mere idea of Leonardo touching my daughter made me want to vomit.

‘Right. That’s good enough for me!’ Julian hissed.

Like a commando team, we came out of our hiding place, only to see Maddy bursting through the door and jumping onto her scooter.

‘Maddy!’ I screamed and she whirled.

We were by her side in a split second. Her hair was tangled and she was in tears. I grabbed her, squeezing her tight. ‘Are you OK, sweetheart? Did he hurt you?’

Maddy burst into a new spate of tears. ‘Mom, Dad, help!’ she sobbed. ‘Angelica’s in there and he’s gone crazy!’

I catapulted myself forward, Maddy behind me, hanging on to my arm.