Hunted By A Shadow: Chapter 40

I look at the time again, and seeing it’s past three in the morning, I stand up from the couch and struggle to hold the tears back.

Where is he? It’s taking too long.

I drag my fingers through my hair, and unable to stop the sob, it bursts over my lips.

Please let him be okay. I can’t lose Renzo.

I swear I’ll throw myself over the balcony because there’s no way I’m living without him.

Realizing just how much I love Renzo, I cover my face with my hands and pray to all that’s holy he’ll come home to me.

Suddenly I hear the elevator doors slide open, and my head snaps up. I run toward it as pure relief washes over me.

Just as Renzo steps into the penthouse, I throw myself at him and wrap my arms around his neck. Sobs wrack through me as I get to smell his cologne and natural scent.

Thank God.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asks, his tone tight with worry and his arms crushing me to him.

I shake my head and cling to him with all my strength.

Renzo lifts me so I can wrap my legs around his waist before he carries me to the living room. He sits down on one of the couches, and I straddle his lap, refusing to let go of him.

“Skylar?” he asks. “Talk to me. What happened?”

“I t-thought something h-happened to you,” I sob. “I c-can’t lose y-you.”

“You won’t, amo.” He rubs his hand up and down my back. “I’m sorry it took me so long. I should’ve called you.”

I pull away so I can see his face and drink in the handsome sight before my eyes. “I love you,” I whisper.

He wipes my tears from my cheeks, looking at me as if I’m all that matters in his life.

“I really love you,” I say. “Not knowing if you were safe or dead in a ditch somewhere, I realized how much I love you.”

Framing my face with his hands, he presses a kiss to my mouth before saying, “Next time I have to go somewhere, I’ll text you every hour so you won’t worry. Okay?

Lost sobs drift over my lips as I whisper, “Okay.”

A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, then he says, “Montes is dead. It’s over, amo.”

It’s over.

I stare at Renzo as the words sink in. All the hell we’ve been through flits through my mind, and it feels like a weight rolls off my shoulders.

After everything I’ve been through, I deserve my chance at happiness, and I’m going to grab it with both hands.

Leaning forward, I press my mouth to Renzo’s, and I kiss him with every ounce of love I have for him.

He takes over control, and just like all the times before, the kiss quickly turns wild and passionate. Our tongues dance, and our lips knead as if we’ll die if we stop.

Renzo’s hands move down my sides, and while he pushes my dress up my thighs, I undo his belt and pull down his zipper.

We’re completely in sync.

I pull his cock free, and shoving my panties to the side, I sink down on him. Having him fill me makes my body shudder from how good it feels.

Renzo grips hold of my hips, and the pace is slow as we make love. The intimacy filling the air around us has me focusing on the taste and feel of the man who stole my heart.

I never believed I’d have this once-in-a-lifetime love. It happened in the most unconventional way, and the price we had to pay almost broke us.

Maybe it did, and our broken pieces fit perfectly together.

My stomach spins with nerves as I check that everything is ready for tonight.

I’ve made finger foods because all the heads of the Cosa Nostra are coming over for a poker game.

Renzo said they used to have it every two weeks, but two of the men got married and started families, so now it’s once every other month.

At least their wives are also coming, so I won’t be the only woman.

“Stop fussing,” Renzo says from the living room. “Come sit by me.”

“I just want –”

“Skylar, come sit your ass down right now!”

With a scowl on my face, I walk to the living room and say, “Don’t take that tone with me. It doesn’t work anymore.”

His eyebrow lifts as he rises to his feet. “Is that so?”

“Yes. You don’t scare me.”

I watch as his features tighten until the predatory look I used to fear settles over his face like a dark cloud.

I shake my head and cross my arms over my chest.

Slowly, he stalks closer until I have to tilt my head back to keep eye contact.

A smile threatens to form on my face as I say, “It’s actually a turn-on.”

He can’t keep up the pretense, and the corner of his mouth lifts as he chuckles. Just as he takes hold of me and pulls me closer, the elevator doors open.

“Not in front of the triplets,” I hear a man say.

“What? I was just going to show them how they were made,” Renzo jokes as he turns around and walks away from me so he can greet his friend with a handshake.

My eyes dart between the beautiful blonde, the strollers, and the man. They look like a typical family.

“Hey, Samantha,” Renzo greets the woman.

He walks with them as they come toward the living room.

“Skylar, this is Franco and Samantha.”

“Nice to meet you,” I say, a polite smile on my face.

“Franco is my closest friend,” Renzo adds as he comes to wrap his arm around my shoulders.

“I see you’re taking my advice,” Franco says as his eyes flick between us.

“Yeah-yeah. I’ll let you take the credit,” Renzo chuckles.

I move from under his arm, and peeking into the strollers, I whisper, “They’re so adorable.”

“You don’t have to whisper. We got them used to sleeping with noise,” Samantha says.

“Clever,” Renzo mutters.

The elevator doors open again, and I hear Dario say, “You better smile around the women. You look like a murder waiting to happen.”

Instead of Dario, a man walks toward us and mutters, “Get him off my back before I kill him.”

“Dario cut it out,” Franco says.

My eyes are wide on the man who really looks like a murder waiting to happen. He helps himself to a tumbler of whiskey before his eyes flicks from one person to the next before stopping on me.

Oh Jesus.

I dart back to Renzo’s side and feel some relief when he places his arm around me again.

“Don’t worry, he always looks like that,” Dario says as he comes to stand on my other side.

“Damiano, this is Skylar,” Renzo introduces us.

Damiano, as in the head of heads. That explains a lot.

“Is she yours?” Damiano asks.

“Yes.” Renzo tightens his arm possessively around me.

Damiano nods before taking a sip of his drink. “Dario told me you took care of the problem?”

Renzo nods. “Everything’s dealt with.”

“Good.”

Samantha comes closer and says, “I see food in the kitchen, and it looks mouthwatering.”

I glance over my shoulder, and pulling away from Renzo, I say, “Yes, I made finger foods. I thought we could hang out in the kitchen while the men play poker in the dining room.”

“As long as I’m close to the food, I don’t care where we sit.”

I let out a chuckle, and when we reach the island, I say, “Please help yourself.”

“Christ, come look at this spread,” Dario says from behind us. “Fuck poker. I’m sitting with the women.”

“The hell you are,” Franco mutters.

I hear the elevator door slide open again, and glancing over my shoulder, I see another couple with a toddler coming in. The woman’s heavily pregnant and has a sweet smile on her face.

“Finally,” Renzo says. “We were about to start without you.”

Everyone greets the couple, and it takes a minute or so before Renzo says, “Skylar, this is Angelo and Vittoria.”

“Nice to meet you,” I say before asking, “Can I get anyone something to drink?”

“Tori and I will have soda,” Samantha answers.

“Tori, is that what I should call you?” I ask Vittoria as I walk to the fridge to get the sodas.

“Please. Only the men call me Vittoria.”

I pour the cans of soda into glasses before handing them to Samantha and Tori.

We take a seat at the island, and the men come to help themselves to the food before they head to the dining table.

“Are you getting any sleep?” Tori asks Samantha.

I glance at Renzo and watch as he lets out a burst of laughter at something Franco said.

“Yes, they’re finally getting into a routine,” I hear Samantha answer.

Turning my attention back to the women, I ask, “How did you meet your husbands?”

Samantha lets out a chuckle. “I used to be Franco’s PA.”

“I didn’t actually know much about Angelo when we got married,” Tori says, making my eyebrows shoot into my hairline. “It was kind of a forced marriage situation. My stepbrother owed him money, and I was the payment.”

My jaw practically drops to the floor. “You’re kidding, right?”

She lets out a chuckle. “No, I’m not, but I learned to love him. He’s an amazing man.”

I think I still hold the trophy for the weirdest way to meet the love of your life.

“How did you and Renzo meet,” Tori asks.

Samantha places her hand on Tori’s arm and shakes her head while saying, “It’s too soon for that question. I’m sure Skylar doesn’t want to talk about it yet.”

I give Samantha a thankful smile, then say, “Help yourselves to food.”

“Oh yes!” Samantha exclaims before getting up to load a plate for herself.

I glance at Renzo again and catch him staring at me with a soft smile tugging at his lips.

“Yep, the fucker is in love,” Franco mutters.

Renzo looks at his friend, then says, “You fell first, brother.”

I watch the men banter and argue as they start a poker game, then turn my attention back to Samantha and Tori.

This get-together feels refreshing, and with a little luck, I can become friends with the women.