Page 30 of Depths of Obsession (The Emerald Dagger Mafia #2)

EPILOGUE

“ S he really has no idea?” Renzo asks, his voice filling the Porsche through the sound system, carrying a mix of curiosity and amusement.

“No. She’s sitting right here next to me, blindfolded,” I reply, squeezing Pippa's hand gently. Her fingers curl around mine in response, her trust evident in the way she leans slightly toward me, her body relaxed despite the unknown.

Nico's laughter crackles over the speakers. “That’s a hell of a lot of trust, Pippa. You’re braver than I am,” he says, and there's an edge of admiration in his voice.

“Don’t even think about it, Renzo,” Mia chimes in, her tone playful but with a hint of warning. “Pippa has always been braver than I am.”

“Not really,” Pippa argues, a smile playing on her lips. “Maybe I’m just a bit more of a ‘leap before you look’ kind of person. But we had some fun times in high school, didn’t we? Remember when we?—”

“Stop talking, Pippa,” Mia interrupts, her voice laced with a mix of laughter and embarrassment. “We are not sharing those stories.”

Renzo chuckles, his voice full of teasing promise. “Pippa, we’ll talk later,” he says, his laughter echoing through the car.

The Porsche hums along the road, the cityscape blending into a blur of lights outside the window. Pippa shifts in her seat, her excitement palpable despite the blindfold covering her eyes.

“So,” Nico’s voice comes through, more serious this time. “Sorry to wreck the fun, but I heard back from Esme. No word yet on the necklace. None. She’ll keep asking, but if it went to someone in the magick realm, they’re not talking.”

“What about Natalia?” I ask, my eyes flicking briefly toward Pippa, who remains silent, her head tilted slightly, listening.

“Has anyone seen her or her brothers?” Pippa asks, her brow furrowing beneath the blindfold. “How did she escape with the necklace? I was never clear on that part.”

Nico chuckles, his voice tinged with a strange mix of admiration and disbelief. “She used a rope to rappel down the side of the Duomo and then disappeared. Gotta admit, it was impressive. Her brothers went down the stairs after they got up again.”

“And no one has seen them since?” I press, my grip on Pippa’s hand tightening.

Nico’s tone darkens. “Unfortunately, Natalia turned up dead. Drowned. Her body was found floating in the Mediterranean off a beach in Nice. Nothing to indicate foul play. Her brothers, though, were found in a parking garage, also in Nice. Shot. The French police are looking into everything.”

I take a moment, the news hitting me harder than I expected. Natalia was crazy, unpredictable, but she had a zest for life that was undeniable. There’s a heaviness in my chest as I say, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Me too,” Pippa whispers, her voice softer, sadness lacing her words. She hesitates before asking, “Do you think it’s the curse?” Her voice cracks slightly, and I can sense the fear underlying the question.

I glance over at her, her lips pressed into a thin line, her forehead creased in worry. I squeeze her hand again, wishing I could take away that fear.

“It could be,” Renzo says, his voice measured. “She was holding it when we last saw it, and it hasn’t turned up anywhere else. Maybe she fell off a yacht, or maybe someone killed her for it. Either way, the necklace is gone, and we no longer have to worry about it.”

“Easy for you to say,” Pippa mutters, her shoulders slumping. “It’s not an asset in a holding company under your name.”

Renzo’s voice brightens. “It’s not in your name either, Pippa. Your husband and I worked some magic of our own and transferred it to a holding company in Calaba’s name. It’s all legal and everything. We even managed to get his signature on it. Of course, he doesn’t know it yet, but someday he will discover that he technically owns the necklace.”

“Oh my God,” Pippa gasps, squeezing my hand tightly. Her face lights up, and I can hear the relief in her voice, a tension I hadn’t even realized she’d been carrying leaving her shoulders. “Thank you both so much. You have no idea how much that was stressing me out. This is amazing. I feel so much better.”

I can’t help but laugh, the sound coming out in a rush of warmth. “I’m glad. And there’s more. I have another surprise for you.” I pause, letting the anticipation build. “With a little persuading from Nico, your former boss Marcello has decided that going back to the US is in his best interest. The gallery is yours.”

Pippa reaches up to shift the blindfold, her breath hitching in her throat, but I grab her hand, stopping her. “Not yet, little one. You can’t take it off yet—it’ll ruin the surprise.”

Her lips part in a joyful gasp, her voice trembling as she says, “You all are the most amazing… creatures. I cannot thank you enough. My own gallery! Oh my God! It’s my dream come true!”

The joy in her voice is infectious, and I find myself grinning, my heart swelling with happiness. “We’re almost there, so I’m going to let you all go,” I say, glancing at the GPS. “I’ll call you later so we can discuss the clubs. The demon has disappeared, and so has Black Heart, thank God, but I think we still need to track him down. I have a few questions about what happened. I’ve been checking into Vittoria and her holdings. As much as she hated me, I’m not sure she had the ability to do everything on her own.”

“I agree,” Renzo replies, his voice fading slightly as we begin to end the call. “But let’s talk about it later. Have fun.”

The line goes quiet, and the car fills with the hum of the engine and the anticipation hanging in the air. I glance at Pippa, her face turned toward me, a small smile playing at her lips despite remaining blindfolded.

“We’re almost there,” I say, my voice softening. She nods, squeezing my hand again, her excitement palpable, and I know in that moment that everything I’ve done—all the deals, all the sacrifices—was worth it for this. For her. To see her happy.

I park the SUV and go around to Pippa’s side, helping her out. “Keep your eyes closed under the blindfold.” I say.

Pippa giggles as she puts her hands out in front of her searching for anything to grab on to.

I guide her to the sweeping staircase. “Okay, steps.” She picks up her foot, but I sweep her off her feet and lightly run upward. She lets out a squeal and then a peel of laughter.

Nothing has ever sounded so good.

I open the door and set her down. She cocks her head. “It smells…familiar. Just like…” she reaches up and pulls off the blindfold. Her mouth drops open. “Luca!” She turns to me, and I just nod.

“Yes, little one, welcome home.”

“The summer house is mine?” Her eyes immediately sparkle with unshed tears. She leaps up and kisses me hard on the mouth. “You are the most amazing husband!” She leaps out of my arms and takes off toward the living room.

“Just remember that the next time you’re pissed at me,” I call after her.

She laughs again and I follow her into the room. “It’s the same. The new owners didn’t change it.”

“They had plans to, but I bought it before they got started.”

Pippa meets my gaze and cocks an eyebrow. “Did you get the plans by any chance?”

It’s my turn to laugh. “What? So now you want to change the place?”

“Well,” she says, “it is looking a little tired.”

I grin. “On the dining room table.”

She practically runs into the dining room and then stands there staring down at the plans. I enter the room and wrap my arms around her from behind. “These were drawn up by an architect. But we can hire our own and make whatever changes you want.” I gesture to the blueprints without letting her go. “But this is a place to start.”

My phone buzzes in my pocket. A text. It’s done . I smile and put my phone back in my pocket. The man who tried to shame Pippa, Matteo Lunquist, is no longer of this world. I would have preferred to do it myself, but I am equally sure that Rocco gave Lunquist the message I requested. You hurt Pippa and now you die. They weren’t wrong when they say law schools are cutthroat. Even now after so many years. I grin to myself. Someday I will tell Pippa but not today. Today is all about her.

She looks up at me and smiles. “These are amazing. You’re amazing.” She kisses me once again and then goes back to studying the plans. Movement out on the lawn catches her attention. “Who’s that?” she asks. There are two women out by the dock. One of them is in a wheelchair. She moves over to the French doors. “Is that…?” she whirls and looks at me.

I nod. “Yes, it’s your mother. I brought her down here from the clinic last night. She still uses the wheelchair at the moment, but she won’t need it for much longer. She’s getting stronger every day. The woman with her is her nurse.”

“Oh Luca. I can’t thank you enough. This is all so magickal,” she says with a laugh. “Seriously, what can I do to thank you?”

“I can think of a few things,” I say as I hold up the blind fold, “and I think this is involved.”

“Luca,” she giggles, “my mother is out there.”

“Yes and we’re in here. What do you say we check out the new beds I had delivered. We can be quick.”

She grins as I take her hand and pull her up the stairs. I take her to her old room that has a new much larger bed in it. I immediately turn her around and put the blindfold back in place before I let her enter the room.

“This is…strange,” she breathes.

“Strange good or strange bad?” I ask as I turn her around and guide her to the bed.

“I’m not sure yet.”

I hike up her skirt and bring my hand down hard on her ass, making a satisfying snap and she lets out a squeak. “What about that little one, is that good or bad? Do you want me to do it again?” I rasp, as I skate my palm on her ass and drop kisses on the back of her neck.

Pippa lets out a moan and leans over. “I think I like this.” She arches back against me. I smack her ass again and she whimpers. I pull down her thong and dip my fingers into her pussy. “You’re drenched for me already. Tell me what you want me to do,” I demand.

“Me. I want you to do me.” She leans over and braces her hands on the bed.

I chuckle and then I squeeze her nipple until she groans.

“Fuck me, baby. Hard. Fuck me hard.”

I slap her ass again and then rub my fingers through her slick folds. Her hips buck.

“Stay right there.”

I step away and pull open the bedside table drawer. I pull out a vibrator and some lube.

“What are you doing?” she asks.

I come back over and stand behind her. I unzip my fly and pull out my cock. Then I slap her ass again. “I’m doing what you told me. I’m going to fuck you. Hard.”

I run my hand over her ass and then I start spreading the lube. “Oh God,” Pippa moans and pushes back against my hand. “I’m so fucking wet, Luca. Hurry.”

I slap her ass and then pick up the vibrator turning it on.

“Luca,” she moans and I rub her clit. “Fuck my pussy,” she says.

I put the vibrator to the opening of her vagina and slowly push it in. “Don’t come until I tell you to. If you come before I let you, then I will make you suffer.”

Pippa bites her lip as I turn up the vibrator. Her hips start to move. Then I put my cock at the edge of her puckered entrance. I push in on her and she moans again. “Luca..I’m going to come.”

I pull the vibrator out. “No. You’re not.”

I stick my cock into her ass, slowly inch by inch. “How does that feel little one? You like that?” She’s so tight around my dick, like a fucking warm welcome hug.

“I feel so full,” she moans.

I rub her clit and after turning the vibrator on high, I push it in her opening. Her hips buck. “Luca,” she snarls, “fuck me.”

I start to move. The pulsing of the vibrator in her vagina, the tightness of her ass… it’s bringing me to the edge. I start pumping, hard and fast.

Pippa’s hips keep bucking. “Yes,” she moans.

“I’m fucking you, my wife,” I tell her, and I slam into her again and again.

“Luca…”

“Don’t do it.” I tell her. She cries out in frustration, but I won’t let her come. I slam into her ass again and again letting the vibration drive me until I’m about to climax. “Come now, baby, come for me.”

She grits her teeth and then her hips buck violently as she climaxes and slumps over the bed. A moment later I come inside her. I lay on her for a moment before righting myself and slapping her ass. I pull the blindfold off her head. “Later I want to use this to tie you up.”

She smiles up at me. “I think it’s my turn to tie you up.”

“We’ll see,” I say.

“Yes, we will.” She kisses me hard then and laughs some more. Then she stands up and freezes. She’s staring at the wall beside the bed. “Luca,” she breathes…and then glances at me but can’t hold my gaze. Her eyes immediately ping back to the painting. “You bought it? You bought the Monet? It was ninety something million dollars…and you bought it?” She finally tears her eyes away from the painting.

“I would give anything to make you happy, Pippa, amore mio, and I knew this would make you happy.”

“But…I can’t…I mean I…I’m speechless.”

“Hmm. I’m sure it won’t last long.”

She hits me.

“I should probably tell you that I knew Monet and Degas. I have several of their paintings at my place in France. They gave them to me as gifts. There’s no record of them. They are ‘undiscovered’ works.”

Pippa’s mouth pops open. “You are…just so amazing.”

“As are you, my love. As are you.”

Keep reading for a sneak peek at Depths Of Desire, the third book in The Emerald Dagger Mafia series.