Page 39 of Caruso (Vegas Mafia #3)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Taylor

E very time I think I’ve found paradise, another contender lies just around the corner. The penthouse was out of this world, but this ranch is in another league.

I blink several times to remind myself this is real. I have never seen such a place, and it’s not the riches inside that have captured my attention. It’s outside. The mountains. The glorious design of Mother Nature, which man can never equal.

The way the sun is high in the sky and bathes the mountains in splendor. The rugged terrain mixed with the landscaped finery of the Freedom Ranch.

Aside from the luxuries the brothers have insisted on, the trails, the horses and the hiking is what interests me.

Giorgio aspires to be a cowboy, well saddle me up, honey, and watch me ride into bad decisions like it’s my full-time job .

I wander into the closet and, once again, my eyes widen at the array of outfits already in place. It’s as if I have always lived here. They have thought of everything, and I’m happy to report that none of it resembles designer elegance.

Everything is more practical here. Plaid shirts, jeans, cowboy boots and shorts. T-shirts, sweaters and sneakers take pride of place among baseball caps, bikinis and sportswear.

I almost can’t wait to pull on some jeans and a t-shirt and shrug a hoodie on against the chill in the mountain air. I’m guessing we’re walking somewhere, so I wear sneakers, and once my hair is pulled back in a ponytail, I’m ready to meet Tommaso.

He’s a strange one for sure. One minute I’m terrified of him and the next craving his attention, no matter his mood. I can’t figure him out, and he’s a mystery I must solve.

He’s hiding something; they all are, and yet I shouldn’t be concerned because after today, they won’t be my problem anymore, and I hate how sad that makes me.

But how can I stay? This life isn’t for me. I haven’t earned it, and I don’t intend to earn it by lying on my back. I value myself more than that. I’m not a whore. No matter how they dress this arrangement up, I would be the Caruso whore and one thing Jason said resonated with me.

‘We’re survivors, you and me. We came from nothing but will leave with everything. ’

He’s right. I am a survivor, and I’m done trying to fight for the right to a normal life.

If I stay, I lose; if I leave, as Jason said, I will leave with everything.

I will leave with my dream of a normal life, and to achieve it, I must remove myself from an extremely abnormal situation.

Move away from Vegas to a small town where normal is expected and take a job in a diner or restaurant and start again.

I find Tommaso waiting at the bottom of the stairs, and my mouth dries as I feast my eyes on perfection.

He has changed out of his customary suit and is wearing a black t-shirt, black jeans and black cowboy boots. His leather jacket is hardly cowboy but is seriously hot, and as he glares at my approach, I detect a softening in his expression as I head toward him.

“Come.” He holds out his hand, and I wonder why it’s as natural as breathing to take it. I should be awkward around him; he sure doesn’t make it easy, but it’s as if my hand belongs in his.

As his huge fist curls around mine, my heart thumps with anticipation. Will I make it three brothers in as many days? A parting gift to myself. I guess I already know the answer to that.

We head outside, and I breathe in deeply because away from the city the air is sharper, cleaner, healing even .

The sun kisses my upturned face, and the slight breeze is refreshing, and as we head to the steps leading down to the landscaped lawn, I wonder where we’re going.

Tommaso is brooding about something, and I guess that concerns me. Everything I do annoys him in some way, but I’m too wired to care. It’s this place. Freedom Ranch is aptly named because this place comes with a lightness of spirit as standard.

His gruff voice interrupts my thoughts. “Around the property are trails leading into the mountain. As I said before, make sure you have a guide because they may look tempting, but there are hidden dangers.”

“Like what?”

“Nature, and I’m not just talking about the snakes and wildcats that prey on these mountains. Loose rocks play a part, and there are many ravines with no fencing to stop you from slipping and tumbling down them.”

I shiver as he paints a grim picture of a beautiful place, and he tightens his hold. “There is a great deal of danger in beauty, Taylor. It disguises itself well and strikes when you least expect it.”

I say nothing because every sentence he speaks appears to hold another meaning, and I wonder what happened in his past to corrupt his soul so badly.

We wander across the lawn and reach a gate, and as we head through it, I note a stone path leading upwards.

He pulls me along, and as we climb up a steep trail, my breathing intensifies, and he says abruptly, “The oxygen is light up here. We have an oxygen bar at the ranch. You get used to the altitude, but it takes some getting used to.”

“You don’t say.”

I must be super unfit because I’m already panting, and we haven’t even ventured far, and Tommaso says with concern, “It’s not far. I want to show you the view from the first ridge.”

We carry on, finally arriving at our destination about ten minutes later, and as we move to the edge, my breathing is forgotten as the view steals it away.

“Wow!”

I gaze with delight at the view below us. We are surrounded by nature, no cars, no houses, just breathtaking magnificence.

“We are on top of the world up here.” I laugh happily, and Tommaso’s fingers tighten on mine.

“Up here, we are merely tiny pinpricks on the landscape. Who we are, what we do, and any reputation we have earned, counts for nothing.”

Tommaso’s voice is husky, deep and wistful, and my heart flutters. I could listen to him all day long, and I edge a little closer. Loving the proximity to the one man who holds himself apart from the rest of them.

“It grounds us coming here. In Vegas, we are respected, feared and admired. Hated, coveted and envied. Here we are nothing. Nobody is around to impress or to intimidate. We can drop the facade and allow our minds to recharge. It’s a haven from the madness of the world where nature is the one in charge, to be respected and worshipped.

Revealing how insignificant it all is when you are faced with nothing but your own thoughts. ”

“It’s liberating.” I mean every word, and he nods, turning toward me, his eyes gleaming against the sunlight reflecting in them.

He reaches out and touches my face, almost with hesitation, which isn’t like him.

I surprise myself by resting my hand over his and whispering, “Thank you for bringing me here, for introducing me to Jason and for opening my eyes.”

“I wish I could say you are welcome, but I’m regretting my involvement.”

“Why?”

“Because you decided to leave.”

For some reason, the pain in his eyes is hard to bear, and I step a little closer, needing to be closer to him.

“Do you want to talk about it, Tomasso?”

“No.”

He understands my meaning and shuts me down.

“Why not?”

I really should guard my runaway mouth because he closes down almost immediately and snaps, “Because it has taken me a long time to file away the madness and I’m not prepared to revisit it.”

“How do you switch off from it?”

His eyes gleam, and I should be very afraid right now because his jaw hardens, and he pulls away, turning toward the view and flexing his fist.

“I control others to keep my rage in check.”

“Others?”

I’m intrigued, and he nods. “Have you ever heard the term ‘dominant’ princess?”

“As in sexually?” I swallow hard.

“Yes.”

“We will speak about how you know that later, but yes, I like to dominate my sexual partners. It gives me control, a release if you like.”

He turns, and the steel set to his jaw is both frightening and an aphrodisiac.

“To control is to forget. It heals wounds that are weak.”

“Do you dominate one particular woman?”

I’m interested because, from what I have learned, the brothers mix things up and never revisit the same woman twice. Perhaps Tommaso has a woman stashed away somewhere on her knees, waiting for him to visit.

I’m almost amused at the thought, which must show because his eyes flash. “Is something amusing you?”

“No, it’s just I can picture some poor woman waiting for you while her knees grow weaker, wondering if you’ll arrive to put her out of her misery.”

A flicker of a smile lights his face, and he shrugs. “I use a club. The women know the rules, and I get to play without the headache of being responsible for one woman.”

“A club?”

“In Vegas.”

“Sodom and Gomorrah? ”

“How the fuck do you know about that place?”

He appears angry, causing me to shrug, my soft giggle floating down to the plain below.

“Giorgio took me there.”

“What the fuck!”

Tommaso explodes, his rage echoing around the open space, and I say quickly, “For a meal, the steak was good.”

“Is that all you did?” His voice is tight, controlled, angry, and I shiver inside.

“Yes, we left, and when we returned, you were back. He seemed pretty pissed about that.”

“I bet he was.”

Tommaso breathes a little easier.

“Giorgio thrives on danger. He always has loved the club more than is good for him. He has a habit of losing control with his fists, which is a problem I have yet to find the answer to.”

“It’s all about control with you, isn’t it?”

I’m intrigued by him, and he nods, turning toward me once again and then surprises me by softening his voice.

“I have a feeling you would benefit from being controlled, Taylor.”

“Me!” I bark out an incredulous laugh.

“I would hate it.”

“Would you though?”

I fall silent because part of me craves it when he acts on my behalf. Telling me what to do, directing my actions.

“I’ve always fought against being controlled. ”

“Then allow me to educate you on the benefits. Give me two days to see if it’s for you.”

I think about his proposition. Two days being controlled by him, obviously sexually, which is fine by me. But I’m guessing it also includes what goes on outside the bedroom. My life, my freedom and my mind.

His voice wafts across my soul as he whispers, “Give yourself a break and let someone else figure it out. It’s a freedom many find addictive, and you would be helping me out at the same time.”

“To channel your mind away from whatever is eating at your soul?”

He smiles, and my breath hitches at just how handsome this man is.

“If I do agree, will you tell me one thing?”

“I can’t agree to something without knowing all the facts. State your question now, and I’ll consider it.”

I hide a smile because that is so like him.

“Will you tell me what you are all running from?”

His eyes darken, and I add hastily, “I asked Matteo, and he told me it was your story to tell. Whatever it is, it affects you all. I can’t give up so much of myself without knowing what’s holding you all back.”

He says nothing and glares at the landscape, deep in thought.

I hold my breath because it’s as if we have reached a crossroads and he is deciding on the way.

Then he turns to me and nods, a dark gleam in his eye.

“It’s hard for me to speak of something that happened years ago but is as fresh in my mind as if it happened yesterday.

I shut the memory away to prevent it destroying me, however–” He balls his hand into a fist and says gruffly, “You deserve the truth, Taylor and here, on the edge of sanity, this could be the perfect place to educate you in the hope that it doesn’t scare you away. In the hope it convinces you to stay.”