Page 78 of Anything Necessary for Her (Crenshaw Kings #9)

BAECATION . . . LAKE COMO, ITALY

Low and I had taken a private jet out to Italy, landing at the Milan Linate airport before we had to hop into a luxury car to be driven to our intended destination out in Lake Como.

We were exhausted by this time, but that didn’t stop us from opening and drinking the complimentary champagne during the ride.

We were staying at Grand Hotel Tremezzo, and as soon as we got there, we were treated like royalty.

I couldn’t lie, I was a little bit afraid of what Low had planned, considering he wasn’t used to all of this, and I had bougie tastes, but he’d outdone himself. I wasn’t sure why I was even worried, considering how nicely he’d decked out our first date in the brunch spot and my ballet studio.

“Oh my gosh,” I mumbled, walking into our beautiful, humongous, and vintage private villa with our own balcony overlooking the water. I was mesmerized, leaving Low to engage with the man who’d helped us with our bags and the other attendant who was explaining how everything worked.

Stepping out onto the balcony, I squinted at the bright sun in disbelief that I’d never been here despite all my travels.

“This shit is nice.” Low joined me once everyone had left.

“I know. How much was this?” I queried, recognizing the fact that surely some Italian king or queen had once resided here.

“Don’t worry about that, Peep. Just enjoy yourself. You used to fly shit, though, so you know it wasn’t cheap.” He kissed me before leading me back inside.

I glanced over my shoulder to admire the view once more, before peering down at the expensive marble floors beneath our feet. You would think I hadn’t been anywhere or seen shit by my utter amazement.

Due to us having traveled for so long, Low and I bathed together in the large shower, before taking a nap together.

We woke up a few hours later, promptly ordering some food to the room since we were still too exhausted to go out anywhere for the hunt. Plus, we would be here for a whole week, so it was no real rush.

As we sat outside in our private garden area with the large body of water as our backdrop, the butler placed our food before us on the table. No one could ever call me spoiled again, because though my parents were rich, I had never lived like this, even for a day.

“This is so good. Try it.” I forked some of my pasta to offer to Low, but he shook his head. “’Cause of the duck?” I laughed.

“Yep. I just got here, Peep. Let me work myself up to that shit.” He bit into a slice of his good-looking ass pizza. Seeing me watch, he offered me some. “I know you couldn’t afford to take too much time off, especially with having missed two whole weeks of practice, so I took care of that.”

“How so?” I put my wineglass to my lips.

“You ever heard of a woman named Giulia Cattaneo?” he inquired, and when I immediately put my glass back to the table, letting my mouth fall ajar, he chuckled.

“Yes the fuck I have. All ballerinas should, but what does she have to do with anything?”

“I was able to get her to work with you while you here for three of the seven days we got left.”

Our week here didn’t include our arrival date, so thankfully, we had a full seven days remaining.

“Huh? How the hell do you know her? She’s like a top-tier Italian ballet dancer, and you’re a man who just learned of ballet and is hood as fuck.”

He laughed.

“I did my research while planning this whole fucking trip. I knew you wouldn’t wanna be idle the whole time, especially with all the good shit we gon’ be eating and after being injured and out.

” He drank some of his water. “Same time, I had to take you out the country like you’ve been asking and right now, since I heard this is the best time to come here. ”

I just fixated on him for a moment, trying to remember what exactly I did that made God feel like I deserved a man like this.

I will be the first to say I had never been super mistreated by niggas, and it was mainly because I wasn’t one to accept rogue behavior no matter how small, but also, because niggas were too spooked by my brothers to truly try some shit with me.

However, I’d never been with a man as thoughtful as Low, and I’d especially never been with one who legit made me feel like I was the center of his world and the world period.

It was an amazing feeling, the only downside being that he now had a power over me that no one had ever possessed before.

Low could hurt me in ways another man would have never been able to.

On the upside, though, I didn’t think he ever would.

He may have been reckless, but when he truly cared about something or someone, he was extremely meticulous, and I loved it.

“That was sweet, Willow. Even though I’m scared to meet her and am especially afraid to dance for her, I’m excited.

I expected to come out here and dance a little when I found the time, but the fact that you literally scheduled it into this is just .

. . You just wait until tonight.” I winked, and he flashed me his adorable yet sexy grin.

“Shit, fuck tonight. How ’bout now?”

“We just showered—having sex before we washed off—plus, we have that boat tour.” I checked my watch, making sure we’d be on time.

We asked the guy who’d assisted us up, Aldo, about the tour, and he claimed it was a beautiful boat designed in the sixties that would take us on a guided tour through the waters. I couldn’t wait.

“Aight, but soon as we get off that bitch, I want it.” He took my hand to kiss it while I chuckled, mouthful of the amazing duck pasta.

“Me too.”

FEW DAYS LATER . . .

The last few days had been straight out of a movie or one of my many daydreams I used to have when I was a teenager.

All Low and I had been doing was fucking or making love, eating either at the hotel or at different spots we found after riding on the ferries, taking lakeside strolls, eating an abundance of gelato—my favorite was the hazelnut, and his was the lemon—swimming in our private pool, and yesterday, we went to A Lido, a luxe private beach club.

Then tomorrow, after my practice session, we’d be taking a train to St. Moritz for the day.

I’d touched bases with Giulia, so tomorrow morning while Low was still asleep, due to him having trouble adjusting to the time change, I would go practice with her.

I was elated before I spoke with her via email, but even more so seeing how sweet she seemed to be.

I expected someone colder like Carolyn but figured maybe Carolyn was like that because she never made it to Giulia’s status.

I had no real reason for a purse, so I began leaving it behind unless we were out for dinner and it went with my outfit, because Low was paying for everything. He always paid for everything, even back in LA, making my father comment on how my bank balance wasn’t draining as quickly as it used to.

“Something smells edible, Peep.” Low came up behind me as I put the top back on my perfume.

He hugged me from behind, pressing his soft lips to my neck before hugging my back into his chest as he watched me through the mirror.

“I think that’s you,” I admitted truthfully.

I always found Low sexy and attractive, but out here, I wasn’t sure if there was something in the air, because I was pressing him for dick constantly. That was if you could call it pressing because by the time I put a hand on his dick, it was stiff already.

I wasn’t the only one, though, because I’d noticed a lot of the ladies out here eyeing him. He claimed it was because he looked like a wealthy drug dealer, but I felt it was just because he was handsome and looked well off.

“I would say let’s skip tonight, but we can’t.” He pecked my face.

“Why not?”

It wasn’t that I wanted to, but typically, he was always down to cancel some shit if it meant sex.

“Just can’t. You ready?”

“Yes. Is the car here? These heels are too high.” I frowned.

“Don’t need a car. We on hotel grounds tonight, but I can carry you.” He put his hand out, so I slipped mine into it.

He led me out, and I eventually had him carry me because of some cobblestone areas that we were coming up on. Low scooped me up bridal style and with ease, making me drape my arms around his neck.

“You so corny.” He laughed at me gazing up at him before we kissed.

“I can’t help I’m being carried by a rich, fine, tall, beautiful black man and in Italy. This is every woman’s dream.” I kissed the corner of his mouth as he simpered.

We walked up toward some stairs that led to a beautifully decorated table surrounded by rose petals. Lanterns were suspended from the tent above it that overlooked the water. Though it was night, the lake was still so beautiful and serene.

Low carried me up the steps where the table was, before placing me in the chair. He then went to sit across from me just before we were approached by a waiter to show us the curated menu for tonight.

“Pick up ya jaw, Peep.” He smirked, placing his menu down to signal that he knew what he wanted.

“This isn’t the restaurant.”

“Nah, it’s some private shit.” He watched me. “You cold?”

“No. I’m too hot to get cold I think.” I smiled at the young lady who delivered our drinks and the appetizer.

We ordered our food just as soft music began to flow from a man playing on a violin below. I started to talk, but when the melody he was playing became recognizable, I stopped. Low smiled knowingly as I watched him, wide-eyed.

“Yes, that’s Luther’s ass,” he confirmed before I could ask as he scooted his chair back.

“Low,” I whispered, confused as to what was happening as he ascended and walked over to me before dropping onto one knee. “Oh my gosh.” My chest heaved as I let out low, inaudible but labored breaths.