Chapter 80

MARK

We were seated on the front porch, gazing at the stars, our fingers entwined. From time to time during our conversation, she would tighten her grip and try to force my hand to the marble floor, gritting her teeth and laughing. When I offered resistance, her grip would go slack, only for her to try again moments later when she felt I wasn't on alert.

She failed miserably in all her attempts. There was something about the current state of my life that I loved dearly. It was something about the way Giulia made me feel like mashed potatoes and her smile which never ceased to make me nostalgic.

Just one flash of her pearly-white dentition and I was back in Seattle fifteen-plus years ago, running around with June and not giving a fuck. We used to also gaze at the stars, but at that time, it used to always be an argument on who could remember the types of stars Ms. RollingStone taught us.

The thought made me smile. Oh, teenage June was lit. She taught me the definition of fun. Going back to how she was those years ago, I could completely understand where Mary got her attitude from. The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

"Why are you smiling?" Giulia asked me, tightening her grip and pushing my hand to the floor with a grunt. I didn't miss the excited smile she flashed, eyes twinkling like lights on a Christmas tree. I let her win. She knew, but it was still a victory.

"Well, you won," I remarked, staring at our entwined fingers. Her smooth skin bathed in the milky shine of the moon made me hungry for a bite... I wanted those hands pinned above her head, her tits keeping my mouth busy. "I was just thinking of life with June during college. Even before that. She was such a nutcase."

"Just like Mary?" she giggled, oblivious to the thoughts I just suppressed. If only she knew how badly I wanted her begging beneath me. I knew how badly she wanted it too, but now wasn't the time. Not at all. Her body needed lots of rest.

"Exactly! Just like Mary. Maybe even worse. June used to be so wild."

"She sounds like fun." She laid her head on my lap and stretched her legs, a sign I took to mean that she wanted more.

"Fun is an understatement," I continued, now smiling down into her face. "She used to sneak out of the house past midnight to pull me out to parties. Kristen was livid when he was called to come pick her drunk ass up one night when she got drunk."

Giulia chuckled at that. "They sound so compatible."

"I wish you knew the level of stubbornness and insanity it took for their love to scale through," I said, my mind going back to everything that happened to bring them together. Even at that time, Edith was still one of the factors that tried to pull them away from each other. And she had the guts to also try that on me after just recently getting released?

"Am I making you sad?" Giulia's voice filtered into my consciousness, low, a mournful note that made a lump lodge painfully in my chest.

"What the fuck, Lia?! Sad? Hell nah. Just being here with you is the happiest shit I've done since I landed in Seattle. Well, excluding our time together in the kitchen."

She smiled at that and reached up for my face. I knew what was coming, and I surrendered to it, her cold fingers pulling my head down for a taste of my lips. If only she knew how badly I'd wanted that since we came out to watch the stars.

A soft groan of approval unwillingly escaped me mixing with her gentle sigh. The cool night air caressed our skins gently, physically channelling our exact pace.

When I pulled back, it was just some inches. There were no needed words. She completely understood. Firstly, I needed her in a perfect state of health. Secondly, we were in June's house-and outside. Thirdly, and the most obvious reason, I had to stop because-

"Is that your dick poking the back of my head?"

Wasn't it obvious?

"Nah, it's a piece of wood. I think I put something in my pocket," I replied sarcastically, pulling back to a sitting position and drawing air into my lungs to calm my erection. She started laughing, almost rolling to the floor if not for my iron grip on her waist, then caressed my chest moments later after the mocking laughter ended.

"Everyone over in Spain would be missing you badly right now," she smiled, staring into my eyes. "I can't imagine how badly Kenzo must have missed your company. You left things in his care, right?"

A bitter taste crept up my taste buds and settled in my guts. My heartbeat increased. Shit!

I opened my mouth to speak, but she suddenly started talking again, to my utmost delight.

"I am such a bad person. How could I forget to ask about Kenzo all this while?" she berated herself, her palms coming over her face in shame. "I'll lie to him that I asked about him a lot from you. When last did you speak to him?"

Oh, shit. I should have called. Fuck, someone should have called me to let me know the present state of his health. I knew he would have gotten discharged, and was probably resting at home. But what would happen if I lied about things and Giulia went back and saw him covered in scars?

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Mark, is everything okay?" she asked. I could sense the worry in her voice. The weight of her head left my lap. "Tell me Kenzo is okay."

"He is okay," I laughed to ease the tension. "I am just looking for a way to put this... Okay, after you left, I found out that he was the one who helped you. So I..."

"You sacked him?" Giulia asked in a whisper, tears forming quicker than I could swallow my guilt. Soon, she was looking guilty also. I was yet to drop the bombshell and she was already looking devastated.

"I did worse, Giulia. Far worse. Please forgive me."