Page 390 of Under Her Skin

Today, he would meet Selima’s sister for the first time. He wondered how he would feel, seeing someone who resembled his lover so much. In the few weeks, he and Selima had been together, he had fallen hard for the tiny Indian-American woman. Every moment they were together was the most fun he’d ever had, and even though he was a salt-of-the-earth, straight-A, country boy, he found himself acting more spontaneously …recklessly? Had they been reckless the night Selima had beentaken?

There had beena roof party at one of their friend’s apartments, and they had stayed late, Selima sitting on his lap as they shared a beach chair. The night had been sultry, lines of twinkle lights strung around the rooftop and soft music playing. Selima had snuggled into his big chest, and he had kissed the top of herhead.

“Hey,beauty.”

“Hey, you.” She’d looked up at him as he kissed her mouth gently. Selima had sighed happily. “God, what a greatnight.”

“Not over yet.” He’d grinned at her meaningfully, and she’dlaughed.

“You know,” she’d lowered her voice. “My place is only about four blocks from here …but there are a lot of dark alleyways we could take shortcutsthrough.”

He had gotten her meaning and chuckled. “Why, Ms. Rai, you’re tryin’ to ruin my reputation,huh?”

They had madetheir way home, ducking into alleyways to make out, and when they had reached the one nearest Selima’s apartment, she’d grinned up at him, leaning back against the wall and hitching up her skirt. “Come here, farm boy, and fuck megood.”

Chase had laughed, but gathered her to him, pressing her back against the wall and sliding her panties down her legs. Selima’s hands had been at his fly, freeing his engorged cock from his underwear. He’d thrust into her, and she’d given a half-shocked laugh at the force of him. They’d fucked silently against the wall, only pausing mid-way as an elderly man walked past the end of the alleyway, stopping to let his dog pee on a dumpster. Selima had started giggling, and Chase had to put his hand over her mouth to silenceher.

Stumbling home afterward,neither of them had seen the men waiting for them. When one had stepped out of the shadows and grabbed Selima, Chase was on him immediately. Then the other guy had begun to pull him away, Selima screaming atthem.

“Don’t hurt the girl.” He’d heard a clipped American accent, glanced around, and recognized Jackson Gall immediately. Jackson had smirked, holding Selima back as the men had whaled on Chase, and when one had knocked him to the ground, the other had pulled out a gun, and Chase had felt his chest explode. Selima had screamed as Chase realized he’d been shot and that he could no longer move his body. His head had whirled as he saw Selima pushed into a car. “Take her to the facility,” Jackson Gallo had instructed his men, “I’ll follow you in anhour.”

Chase had wanted to shout, to scream, to tell Selima he would save her, but he hadn’t been able to speak or move. His entire body had been cold—too cold. Gallo had leaned over him and smiled. “I really don’t care if you live or die, my friend, but if you live, tell Amalia this …her sister will suffer the same fate as Penelope and Inca unless she comes back to me. Tell her to wait for mycall.”

Chase closed his eyes, and for once, let the despair take over him.Selima, I will do everything I can to find you.But he felthelpless.

An hour later, he felt the despair even more keenly when Selima’s sister walked into the room, took one look at him, and put her arms around him. Then, for only the third time in his twenty-six years on the planet, Chase Caplancried.

Inca finished another book,then put it on the pile next to her bed. Her recovery was going well, but slowly—and she was bored. Raff, Tommaso, and Bo kept her company as much as they could, but Raffaelo was looking for the men who had tried to kill his beloved wife, as well as helping out Enda and Ama, and Bo and Tommaso had seven kids to try to juggle. Stella and a couple of other girls from the tea house had been in to see her, as well as some of her friends from Naples, but they treated her as if she were a fragile thing and Inca had had enough of it. She was pissed, almightily pissed, at being back in thissituation.

When Raffaelo came in to see her, she had worked herself up into a temper. “I want out of here, Raff. Tonight.I’m not even on any drips or feeds or whatever anymore. I hate this. I hate beinghere.”

Raff let her rant away,holding her hand. The psych doctor had told him to expect this—to expect a kickback from not having processed the attack. Inca had told the police everything, then had not wanted to talk about it again. Neither had she wanted to discuss the baby. Raffaelo could see the heartbreak in her eyes, but she would not even contemplate what their lives would have been like if their child had been born. They had tested the dead embryo and discovered it was a girl, but Raffaelo had not told Inca that. She was particularly close to Tommaso and Bo’s only daughter, Hermione (named by their two oldest sons, who were Harry Potter mad), and Raff had caught her looking wistfully at the girl as she played with herbrothers.

Damn it.Even his chest cramped up with despair as he thought about how close they had come to being parents.A little girl,he thought,who looked like her beautiful mother and maybe had myeyes.

But it wasn’t to be. Raff waited for Inca to rant herself out, then held her as she started to cry. He knew it was just frustration; Inca wasn’t someone who felt sorry forherself.

When she was just hiccupping, and looking embarrassed, he brushed his lips against hers, back and forth, until he felt her lips curve up in a smile. They knew each other so completely now and had perfect trust betweenthem.

Inca drew away and touched his cheek. “Sorry,baby.”

“Don’t apologize. I love you,Principessa.”

She sighed and smiled. “As I love you. Give me some good news,darling.”

Raff grinned. “I can, actually. Selima’s boyfriend woke up and has given them some great information. They think Jackson has her somewhere inCalifornia.”

Inca’s eyes opened wide. “Wow, that is good news. Are you going to California,then?”

Raff was astonished. “Are you kidding me? I’m not leaving youalone.”

“Baby, you have three armed guards outside my hospital room at all times. No one is getting inhere.”

Raff shook his head. “Inca, there’s no doubt in my mind that the men who stabbed you are still in Naples. They will have been told to watch us and possibly finish the job.” He swallowed hard and shook his head at that. “Finish the job if you survive. And youhave.I’m not letting you out of my sight,Principessa.I will find them, and I will kill them. I promise youthat.”

Inca took his hand, seeing his distress. “I love you, RaffaeloWinter.”

“Ti amo, Inca.Tiamo.”