SWNOVELS Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Mackenna was locking her office door when a pair of strong arms circled her waist, and a hot kiss was pressed to her neck. She slapped his hand. -Alessandro. You said dinner She didn't even need to turn to know who had his hands and mouth on her.
-I want dessert first He nuzzled her even though she struggled. What are you hungry for?.
-A shower,II she answered angrily as she tried to get out of his grip, but he simply drew her, so she was tucked under his arm. Would you let me go?. She wriggled away from him, but he held fast. -I think we've discussed this a thousand times before. The answer is no, I will never let you go. I love you
-Ug!II She threw her arms up and spun and faced him. -Stop it. Stop saying stuff like that Alessandro. I don't want to do this with you. I can't do this all over again. It's the definition of insanity -Okay, he put his hands up in front of his chest in defeat. -Okay. Lower your voice and we'll go have a quiet dinner and we will just talk. I'll behave
-You don't know how to behave She grumbled as she walked past him in the direction of the hospital lobby.
-No, I don't know how to behave well but I can behave badly He grinned at her and saw the smile twisting to force itself on her lips. When she exited the building and started walking down the street, he reached for her. My rental is parked in the parking area
-My apartment is six minutes away on foot. It would take longer to walk to your car, start it and then find parking on my street She returned smartly. We walk
-You don't have a car?. He asked curiously, signaling for his security agent to follow at a discreet distance.
-No,II she tried not to overreact when his hand dropped over her shoulder again and she pushed it off, but he put it back. She looked to him and saw he was grinning widely. She shook her head. -Incorrigible
-You're sexy as hell when you're angry She spun on her heel. -Alessandro. You promised me dinner and talking. No sex
He laughed and pulled her to his chest and pressed a hard kiss to her lips. I will feed your appetite. Perhaps later you will feed mine?.
-No She glared at him but was unable to stop her lips from pouting to accept another
-Not right now, we're on the street He looked around and then looked back to her, unless of course you're now into public things. I don't mind trying new things His eyes danced wickedly at her hot blush. -Alessandro!II Her lips were pursed as she prepared to scold him and then couldn't help it and she burst into laughter at his words and the light in his eyes. —What am I going to do with you?. She whispered as he hugged her tight.
-I have a list of things written down. We'll go over them later. I'll add the s*x on a public sidewalk to it He teased her and kissed her temple as they strode down the street.
She tried to reinforce in her mind, this man was her future ex-husband, and his lover was a patient in the hospital where she worked but he was charming, funny, and teasing, and she had no ability to refuse him. She knew he would not like her apartment. It was utilitarian at best, but it was where she laid her head every night and it had been her sanctuary for five years and somehow it felt like she was bringing the devil into church because she knew once he stepped into her tiny safety-net, it would never be the same for her.
-There is no security door?. He asked suddenly as they pushed into the small apartment complex without so much as a key.
She gave a carefree shrug, -No, but our door inside has two deadbolts though
"A deadbolt isn't going to stop someone from trying to break in through a wooden door He grimaced as he struggled to hold onto the light mood, he was trying to keep with her. When he followed her down to the basement and the musty smell hit him, he almost groaned aloud.
The sound of a rotating thump caught his earWhat is the drumming noise?.
-Shared laundry, II she pointed to a lit closet. My neighbors on the third floor have twin infants. They wash a lot of clothes
His wife was living in a bloody hovel, and she was doing so just to avoid being with him.-
Well, I'll give you that. I would never have thought to search for you in a cave
She turned and held her finger up angrily. -Alessandro, if you don't like it, the exit is that way. I won't stop you going
He took her finger and put it in his mouth and sucked it then watched her mouth open and close and he chuckled at her reaction. —Stop being so cranky. You must be hungry again. I'm only saying this is not what I expected
She turned away from him, hating her stomach was doing flip flops at the way his tongue had felt on her finger. She opened the doors and stepped inside. Come in She kicked her ear and she hissed back at Savannah's cat. -Get lost Romeo or I'll skin you and make a pillow out of you
-You have a cat?. Alessandro paused in the doorway. He'd never known she liked cats. *No, Doctor Kirkland has a rabid beast she rescued from the streets and it's evil and mean and demented so keep your eyes on him if he comes into the room. He scratched me once and I had to have three shots in the posterior just to deal with the infection The beast had the nerve to sit and lick his paw as if he were proud of his actions. -Romeo, you're lucky I love your mother, or you'd be a rug
She moved into the kitchen and knew the cat was following her for its dinner. She opened
the refrigerator and tossed a can on the counter. Grabbing a spoon, she scooped out a glob of
the meat-like substance from the tin can and dumped it in the dish. She smiled wickedly at Alessandro. My only consolation is he truly hates this food but he's on a special diet and it gives me pleasure to feed him this crap She eyed the cat with disdain. -You fat bugger.
Don't choke on it
Alessandro chuckled and bent down to stroke the large grey tabby and it purred loudly as he ran his hand along his back.
-He's purring?. Mackenna stared in disbelief. -You have this monster purring?.
-He knows I feel his pain. I too am hated by you. It's a terrible feeling to only want to be loved by the most beautiful woman in the world
His voice baby-talking to the cat mocked her and she groaned and opened the fridge and put the container of food back in. -Alessandro, keep it up and I'm going to feed you the same thing Romeo got -Who named him Romeo?. Alessandro asked with a grin as the cat rolled onto its back and exposed his belly to be rubbed and his purring turned into full-fledged rumbling as Alessandro obliged him. Mackenna was stunned at the beast's behaviour. -The animal shelter we turned him into when he first wound up on our doorstep. In the week he was there he managed to mount six different females She grinned at the animal. I personally paid to have him neutered. It was the best fifty bucks I ever spent
Alessandro was mortified as he consoled the beautiful animal. -My poor friend. She takes your manhood, and she feeds you tasteless globs of horse meat and she's not even friendly with you. I will see what can do about finding you a better-quality food
-From lack of s*x, II Alessandro quipped.
-No, because he's overweight and so the vet put him on a special diet. He played us, the little bastard,II she shook her finger at the cat as he turned his nose up at his food. I would feed him and then Savannah would come in and he'd act like he was starving so then she would feed him. He's immense. One day I come home, and he was not looking right so I rushed him to the vet, and they told us he had a heart condition because he's fat. This is the least expensive of the specialty foods and so this is what he gets She pointed to the cat. You should be grateful to have a warm bed and a roof over your head and a full belly She looked to Alessandro. -You can sit and talk to him. I need to shower and change.
-Do you need some help?. He looked around the cramped kitchen which didn't even have a table and chairs. There was a counter which doubled as an island with two barstools pushed
up to it. He wiggled his eyebrows in her direction.
-Showering?. She looked at him, her eyebrows knitted together. The bathroom is half the size of this kitchen. It's a stand-up shower and it barely fits me and a bottle of shampoo -Your funds are truly so tight you cannot afford a proper apartment?. Alessandro asked quietly, ashamed she was reduced to living like this and ultimately it was his fault. -Alessandro, I know you don't understand but I like my apartment. Savannah and I have
made it our home. Savannah grew up in foster care and she defied the odds in becoming a
doctor by working her butt off, but it cost a lot. She has a ton of student loans to pay off She
held his eyes. My parents had nothing for the first part of my life and so I'm used to having very little. I won't lie and say there were luxuries when I lived with you, I don't miss. The Jacuzzi and my shoe collection to name just two but the truth is, they're just things and I can live just fine without them
-Savannah has loans. What have you been saving for?. He knew the answer before she even opened her mouth, but he wanted to hear it.
-My freedom from you She felt the familiar resentment coming into her chest as she spoke. When I first called for a lawyer, and they told me how much it would cost for a divorce 1 almost cried. When I found out how much it would cost and to also have a special request the documents be sealed so the tabloids didn't get wind of it, well I did cry. I cried for a month. All i wanted was to move on and I was unable to. It took me three and a half years to get the money
together and when I had it, I called Camille and wired her the first payment
-You could have requested in the filing I foot the bill He felt sick to his stomach she had thoughts returned to the conversation he'd had with his protégé, and he closed his eyes for a moment.
-No, I wanted to do this on my own She stepped back from him. -Alessandro, I don't think you really get it and I know you think you can make me change my mind, but I've banked close to a hundred thousand dollars to do this and if it means I spend every cent and end up in debt because of it, then I'll do it. I won't stay married to someone who thinks I'm a joke
He pursed his lips as he struggled with his thoughts and his words. Guilt slammed his midsection as if she had swung a mace in his direction and he took a long breath. Why don't you go take a shower and get changed and we'll go for dinner? We can talk more over dinner
-Okay but be forewarned you won't change my mind She held his gaze and dared him to prove her right
-You can be forewarned I'm going to do everything in my power to try He didn't back away from her.