Page 7 of A Treasure To Keep
She pleases me when she hesitantly takes them, holding them close to her chest. I have doubts that she will try them on. Tonight at least. New goal: make Luci confident enough to love, love, LOVE lingerie. “I think I need to try these on privately. You’ve been infinitely nicer than anyone else here. Thank you for everything.”
“Alright, babe, have fun with your new style. I know this is a shit situation, but I promise I’m here for you. I need to head out though because I have a date with the hottest man alive. I’ll be back in a week-ish to help you with your wedding dress. My number should be programmed into your phone, you can send me inspo for some dresses. I’ll chat with you soon. And remember what I said, men are simple creatures. They’re easy to fool.”
Enzo unlocks the door after a few knocks, allowing me to strut out. I leave the items I brought for her behind, giving her space to experiment. Alessandro will get my bill for everything, and they can return anything Luci doesn’t want. I highly doubt they’ll send anything back. Similarly to my family, the Leones don’t examine their bills before paying them. Those dollars are simply a number. Unless it has seven figures, it’s practically pocket change to the Leones.
Shit. I realize at that moment that I didn’t drive, leaving me stuck here until someone drives me back to the shop. I pick up my handbag I left outside Luci’s room, and turn to Enzo. “Do you know who’s taking me back to the store?”
“I’ll find that out. You go down to the kitchen, and someone will come and grab you. I think Marco is busy, but Alessandro will make sure someone’s available to take you back.” Enzo is slowly becoming my favorite out of the guys, professional yet kind. Even when he doesn’t let me convince him to break the rules.
I’m making my way to the kitchen when Marco grabs me on the second floor. He drags me into the closest room, wrapping his hand around my neck to hold me in place. I thrash in his hold, wanting to deny my arousal and get away from him in general. Why do I have to be turned on by choking? What dramatic event happened in my past life that this is how I cope with that?
“What the fuck Marco? Let me go!” He presses his hard body against mine, and I can practically feel myself getting slicker. Not. Good.
“No fucking way, El. You need to stop with the fucking attitude.” I know he hears me gasp when he tightens his hold around my throat. His signature smart-ass smile spreads across his face when he confirms he did hear me. “Are you turned on by me, El? Do you think about New Year’s Eve as much as I do? Youhave no idea how many times I’ve stroked my cock to you riding me as Andrea filled your ass. How pretty your pussy was as you lowered yourself onto my face. Might I add, kudos to correctly sitting on my face. No real man wants a woman to hover.”
“I don’t think about that night at all.” Lie. “Andrea is a better lover than you will ever be.” Truth. “You were for one night and one night only,” says my mouth while my pulsing clit doesn’t get the memo.
Marco and I both know most of that is a big fat lie when his lips ghost against mine. I can practically taste the mint from his gum. He lets go of my neck, cupping my ass in his hands to easily lift me. My legs instinctively attempt to wrap around his muscular body. I grind against him, seconds away from giving in to temptation. He grinds back, his erection pressing against my soaked core. When his dick slides against my bare clit, my legs clench, and I let out a small moan. One that doesn’t go missed by Marco. Out of all days, I chose last night to forget to put my delicates in the dryer, meaning I’m forced to go commando. Instantly, Marco crashes his lips to mine, my mouth easily opening when his tongue licks against the seam of my lips. I rake my hands through his almost shoulder-length hair. The mint taste in his mouth mixes with the woodsy scent of his cologne.
I let myself get lost in the kiss until life crashes around me. I break our kiss, for once, speechless at my actions. Marco lets me down when I shove him away, tears filling my eyes when I realize what happened, and I storm out of the room.
Domenico is the first person I see once I reach the first floor, and I grab him, forcing him outside to the closest car.
“Get me the fuck out of here and back to the store.” He doesn’t give me an answer or question me, noticing my cracking voice. I have to face Andrea and tell him what happened. He gives me everything I need, and I betrayed him.
What did I do?
Chapter 5
Andrea
My day is almost done, and I’m cleaning out the dressing rooms as I hear El’s heels rapidly making their way toward me. My smile is ripped away when she appears in the doorway. Her eyes are filled with tears, and her makeup is splotchy, making it known she’s been crying for a while.
“What happened, mon trésor? Did someone say something to you? If Marco did something, I’ll make sure his clothes are always bleached when he gets them.” I expect her to laugh, but I know something significantly worse has happened. “El, what happened?”
She steps away from me when I try to reach for her, collapsing as she covers her face. “You’ll hate me, Andrea, and I don’t blame you. I betrayed you.”
“I could never hate you. Je t'aime mon trésor. Tell me what happened. It can’t be that bad.” She lets me finally grab her hands, dragging her petite frame up to me as I gaze into her eyes and kiss her knuckles.
“He kissed me.” Her words are quiet and defeated, but I sense there’s more. “Marco called me out about enjoying New Year’s Eve, and kissed me. And I wanted him to. A-and I kissed him back. I’m sorry, Andrea. I messed up. I’m sorry. Please. Please talk to me. Forgive me, please.”
I step back, dropping her hands, unsure of what to say. Yes, she’s done more with Marco, but it’s when I was there and we were together. We were following most of our rules. Rules that went out the window the second Marco cornered her.
El’s last boyfriend cheated on her. When you’ve been cheated on in the past, it becomes your largest insecurity. You don’t want it to happen again, and you don’t want to hurt someone in that way.
I can’t imagine the thought of giving in to that temptation without her present. Marco constantly flirting with El is vastly different from her acting upon it.
“Andrea. Please. Please talk to me.” El reaches toward me, trying to get me to say the words she wants. I wish I could.
“Eleanora, no.” I shake off her hands, noticing how wrecked her eyes are by my actions. I’ve never called her by her full name. And I’ve never denied her.
I can’t stand here anymore and listen to El’s cries echo through the room. Instead, I storm out, knowing where he lives, hoping that I can find him there. El’s cries get quieter the farther away I get from her and walk out of the store. I'll ride the bus as close as it’ll get to the Leone property, which is still a mile walk from where I’ll get off. I need to speak to him. Maybe fight him. Who am I kidding? I couldn’t win in a fight against Marco. I’m lean and of average height, a vast difference from Marco’s tall and broad frame. Statistics aren’t on my side.
The bus ride is a blur when I replay my encounter with El. Her broken words and sobs ring loudly in my head. When I get off the bus, my heart pounds with every step I take to the Leoneproperty. When I reach the gate, I’m approached by a man older than me by, I’d estimate, ten to fifteen years and aging like fine wine.
“Can I help you?” His voice is flat and deep, and I’m convinced his neutral face is his main expression by the lack of smile lines around his mouth and eyes. His eyes show this almost numbness that tells me he doesn’t want anyone to know what he’s thinking behind them.
“Yes. My name is Andrea Beaumont, Alessandro and Marco’s stylist. I need to speak with Marco.” What excuse am I going to use to get past the gate? I’m thinking ‘Marco cornered my girlfriend and kissed her and I’m going to kick his ass’ won’t be a valid reason. “I need to take some measurements for a suit Marco ordered, and he doesn’t have the time to come down to the store. My girlfriend, El, was here earlier today, making a house call herself. Afterward, we thought it would be a great idea for me to do the same for Marco.”