Page 51 of Dark Masquerade

Elli stared at the ceiling. “Aldo stabbed me. He was so cold. He told me he meant to kill me all along, as revenge on Indio …” She gave a humorless laugh. “Revenge for ‘forcing’ Aldo to kill Yvetta. Aldo’s face when he stuck that knife in my gut …I’ll never forget it. Such hatred.”

Vivienne dropped her head into her hands and gave a little sob. “When I think I encouraged you to be with him …I can never say sorry enough, Elli.”

Elli reached out and took her hand. “Viv, he fooled us all. He was clever and manipulative. You know that first day, when I almost got hit by a car, slipped, and he helped me? It washiscar that nearly hit me. He already knew who I was; he knew Indio and I had history and that we loved each other—love each other …please, Viv, I need to see him now.” Her voice broke and she began to cry silently.

Vivienne held her, pushing the call button. When the nurse came in, Vivienne smiled at her. “Would you send someone to get Mr. Navaro, please? He’ll be in the cafeteria—look for the beautiful man who looks like a wreck. Tell him the love of his life wants to see him.”

Two years later …

“You evil little monster.”

Elli stifled a laugh as Lily Storm launched herself at Dario Bartoli, who had just turned a very cold hosepipe on her. Dario grinned unrepentantly as Lily chased around the garden. Ori poked Elli in the ribs. “Don’t encourage him, Els.”

“Nah,” Jess Storm grinned at them both. “He’s fine. Lily could do with a soaking.”

Her daughter overheard her. “Mom!”

The parents all laughed at the betrayal in her voice. They were sitting at the long wooden table in Elli and Indio’s garden, the men cooking on the outside grill and waving away offers of help from the women, who shrugged and left them to it. Elli looked at her friends and felt lucky. Lucky to be alive, lucky to be with these wonderful people, and lucky to have her love at her side. Indio saw her gazing at him and came over to steal a kiss.

“This bikini top is coming off the minute we’re alone,” he said in a low whisper, but Tandy, sitting next to Elli, rolled her eyes.

“Isn’t there some scientific theory that says couples move out of that nauseating loved-up phase after two years?”

Elli grinned. “Willneverhappen,” she said as Indio shook his head. “Nope, not a possibility.”

“Same here.” Jess put her hand up and then glared playfully at Theo until he agreed with a grin.

“Didn’t happen for us.” Maceo wrapped his arms around his wife’s neck. Ori had only just recovered from being shot, having had extensive physiotherapy, but it hadn’t dampened herjoie de vivre.She grinned at Tandy now.

“You wait. It’ll be your turn soon.”

“Ha, never,” Tandy said and got up to chase the children around the garden.

The sun was setting when their friends finally left, driving the two hours back to stay in Venice. Elli and Indio took a stroll down through their olive groves and row and rows of grapes on the vine. Elli leaned against her husband, and he hooked his arm around her neck, crushing her lips under his. “God, I love you, Mrs. Navaro.”

She grinned. “Well, you better …what a fantastic day.”

“I know. Days like this …well …”

Elli stopped and looked up at him curiously. “What?”

Indio sighed, his green eyes bright and hopeful as he looked out over the countryside, then back at his beloved wife. “They make me excited. Excited for us and for what the future might bring.”

He looked down and stroked her belly. “One day …”

Elli nodded. “We’ll get there, Indio. I want to give you a dozen beautiful kids who look just like you.”

“I’d much prefer they look like you, especially the girls,” he laughed. Elli smiled and pulled him down on the ground, kissing him and tangling her fingers in his hair. Indio covered her body with his and pushed her skirt up, pulling her panties down her legs as she giggled at his wicked grin.

“Okay, well, seeing as we’re having a dozen …oh,god,Indio,” she gasped as his fingers stroked her clit, then dipped inside her. “Let’s say we’ll settle for six of each and …oh, oh….”

She didn’t finish her sentence as, with one long stroke, Indio’s cock was inside her and she forgot what they were talking about as they made love in the sultry Italian dusk.

The End