NINETY-TWO

"Are you sure it's safe to go on this trip?" I asked, nibbling on my lower lips as I shuffled from one foot to another, unable to be at peace.

Alessandro had offered to take me on a three-day trip while Tiffany and the maids we hired would look after our son until we were back.

"I had to spend three days convincing Ethan to let you go, Gianna. Do you think I'm not going to take you out to celebrate accomplishing the biggest goal I've ever set for myself?" Alessandro chuckled.

"Tone down with your flattery, dude." I laughed, playfully smacking his arm. "I'm only worried about the safety of our son and I hope you can understand that."

Alessandro pulled me close and I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I understand why you're worried and you have every right to be. You've never been away from him for more than a few hours and now, I'm asking you to spend three days without him."

"He's been through so much already, I don't want him to suffer anymore." I sighed, placing my head on his chest.

"He's my son as well and I want the best for him but you spent the last few weeks looking after the both of us, I need to return the favor and this is how I know to do it best. So what do you say?"

Alessandro and I had painfully gone through the strenuous process of carefully handpicking Ethan's nannies. I knew my paranoia was getting the best of me but Alessandro didn't mind, he was with me every step of the way, and in as much as I'd hate to admit it, he was right. I haven't had a vacation in years and I was due for one.

The past two days have been some of the most memorable days of my life and the best ones since the birth of our son in the past three years.

I was seeing a different side to Alessandro that I'd never seen before and while I couldn't categorically tell if he was walking on eggshells around me he treated me with such tenderness and respect that it made me tear up every time I thought of it.

"Tell me something, Alessandro, do you plan on making me fall in love with you?" I gave him a mocking glare as he massaged my toes.

"Is it working, my lady?" Alessandro chuckled.

"You'll need to put in more effort, you know? You need to do something better, something more sexy…" I trailed off.

I didn't know if it was the wine or if it was my hormones speaking but the sexual tension in the air was so thick that you could slide through it with a knife and I was fed up with holding on to my dignity around him and I knew he felt the same way. We both wanted this to happen.

Pulling me closer, he nibbled on my lower lip before sucking it as I moaned into his mouth before wrapping my hands around his neck, pulling him closer as I matched his desire with reckless abandon.

"Do you want me to make you feel like past times, Gianna?" Alessandro asked, his hand slipping under my short dress as he caressed my thighs, making me whimper.

I was still spellbound whenever he put his hands on me-the years hadn't changed that.

I moaned in response as his fingers stroked my wetness through my panties and my legs parted further to give him even more access. I wanted this-I wanted him more than anything else in the world right now.

"That's what I was expecting to hear from you, Gianna. I know you fucking want this."

I moaned out loudly again as his hands found my body before he pulled me close, my soft breasts pressed against his hard chest as his fingers slipped inside of me, bringing me close to orgasm.

With my other hand, I pulled down one of the straps of my gown and he flicked my exposed nipple with his tongue, making me moan out loud yet again.

We were going to wake the neighbors but I didn't care.

I knew it was only a matter of time before he broke through my defenses and I was eager to get the party started. I quickly undid his pants as I shimmed out the gown I wore. I straddled him instantly and his lips claimed mine in a fierce kiss before I reluctantly pulled away.

"Alessandro, please," I begged. I wanted him inside of me. The torture was too much for me.

"Your wish is my command," Alessandro growled.

Just then, the shrill sound of our phones ringing simultaneously forced us apart. I stared at Alessandro and I knew I mirrored the perplexed look on his face.

He reached out for this phone and placed the call on loudspeaker.

"Don Alessandro, there's been a problem." I recognized the voice immediately, it was Yoda's.

"If you're calling me while on vacation, it had better be something serious." Alessandro sighed.

"I'm sorry to have interrupted anything you were doing but it's quite important. Is she with you?"

"You can speak, Yoda. Gianna can hear every word you're saying."

"That's good because she needs to hear this as well."

"Yoda, you're stalling and it's never a good sign when you stall. There's something wrong and you need to tell us right away!" Alessandro said, slamming his fist on the table as I jumped, partly frightened.

"There was an incident at the house. The lights were tampered with and we were attacked by several unidentified men. By the time we managed to subdue the attackers, we discovered that the attack had been a cover for their main target."

"And what could that possibly be?" I asked this time around in a quiet voice.

"They came for your son, Gianna. Ethan has been kidnapped and we're looking for him."

I fell to the floor screaming and just before I could scurry off to the door, the lights went out and I heard the sound of gunfire fill the air.