Dangerous Beauty: Part Two: A Mafia Princess (23 page)

Angelo nodded in understanding. “You two will need to get caught up on what has been happening. You don’t worry. I will make arrangements for everyone. You and Carterina will need privacy for your discussion. We will be here in the morning to help begin the preparations and inform you of the changes that have been made at S.O.”

“Changes?”

“Yes, son, changes. What occurred in that building will never happen again. We were careless with security. We made some improvements that I will tell you about tomorrow.”

Nathan nodded his understanding.

“Come, let’s head back in there.”

Nathan shook his head no. “Not so fast, old man. We had a deal. I answered your questions and more— now you answer mine. What the hell is going on between you and Anastacia?” Nathan asked in a firm voice.

Angelo sighed and nodded. “A deal’s a deal,” he said, deciding to tell Nathan only enough to satisfy his curiosity. “Anastacia Stone was my first love, and continues to be a persistent pain in my ass. I hate her, and I love her, but sometimes I wish I just hated her. What you saw in there was a game we like to play from time to time. Nothing serious. At least not for us. The woman once hit me in the back of the head with a damn lamp, and five minutes later, we were making love …”

Nathan’s eyebrows arched, and he laughed.

Angelo rolled his eyes. “Like I said before, our relationship is complicated and messy. It’s difficult for me to explain.”

Nathan held up his hands. “It’s okay. I think I’ve heard enough. You two still love each other. It is what it is. Just try not to kill each other, all right?” Nathan joked. “At least not in my house. Blood’s not easy to get out of these expensive ass carpets.”

Angelo laughed. “Well we haven’t killed each other yet smart-ass.” He smacked Nathan in the back of the head. Softer this time.

“Yeah, but she was kicking your ass in there, Pop,” Nathan said through a laugh. “She’s half your size, and she didn’t even flinch when you grabbed her. She just kept kicking your ass.” Nathan couldn’t hold back his laughter at this point. Thinking about little Anastacia beating his dad the way she did was the funniest shit.

Angelo smiled at his son then caught him quickly in a head lock.

“Don’t take it out on me, old man!” Nathan yelled.

Angelo ruffed up his hair as Nathan tried to break loose from his father’s tight hold. Once he broke loose, he jogged out of the office laughing.

Angelo came strolling out of the office soon after. “Keep laughing at your Papa, boy. How many times have I saved your ass from
little
Anastacia? I believe she kicked
your
ass the first day you brought her to meet me,” Angelo said smugly. “Had you crying on the floor, holding your little winky.”

Nathan gasped in outrage. “Again with the little winky shit?” Nathan pointed at his father. “You and Cesare need to chill with that!”

Angelo laughed.

“I’m a grown-ass man, Pop.” Nathan glared at his father “And yes, I remember that … Not one of you motherfuckers helped me,” Nathan said, feigning hurt.

Angelo shrugged. “She keeps you in check,” he smirked. “I couldn’t have asked for a better daughter-in-law.”

Nathan rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” They began walking down the hallway toward the kitchen when Nathan remembered something he wanted to ask his father. “Hey, how did Cynthia take the break-up?” Nathan asked.

When his father didn’t answer, Nathan glanced behind him. Angelo still followed him, but his expression was impassive. Nathan frowned. “Pop? How did she take it?” he asked, still making his way to the kitchen. He heard music playing, and the heavenly scent of sirloin hit his nose as they made it closer to the kitchen.

Angelo was still silent behind Nathan, and Nathan abruptly stopped walking. He turned to his father with a look of disapproval.

Angelo gave Nathan a warning glare. “Nathan—”

Nathan cut him off before he spoke another word. “
Quello che volete
. I wash my hands of it. Your relationship with Anastacia is yours. But—” Nathan turned to his father and narrowed cold, gray eyes on him “— the next time you and Anastacia decide to have a boxing match, do it before you walk into my house. Neither myself nor my wife will be involved in whatever the hell you two have going on. Keep us out of it.”

Angelo didn’t speak for a moment, but then nodded his head. “I understand, son. It won’t happen again.”

Nathan cooled his heated demeanor. “Good.” He had nothing more to say about it to his father. The man could do whatever he wanted. Nathan didn’t agree with his actions, but what could he do about them really? He knew that his father was only with Cynthia because her family name had done wonders for him in the political world— not to mention the fact that she looked good on his arm. But his complete disregard for the feelings of the women he loved was disappointing to Nathan.

Plus Anastacia would kill him— and Cynthia.

Nathan turned to walk down the hall. “I’m going to find my wife,” he said without a backwards glance.

As he neared the kitchen, his ears were greeted by the sound of Carter’s melodic laughter. Entering the kitchen, he smiled at the sight before him.

“Move your hips, Momma, come on,” Carter said, laughing at the look on her mother’s face as she danced around the kitchen. It was something Carter had been doing in the kitchen since she was a kid. She had gotten her dad to join her, Nathan sometimes joined her, and now she would get her mother to join her, too.

“No, Carterina. I don’t dance,” Anastacia said as she poked at the sirloin.

Carter pursed her lips and took the utensil from her mother. She bounced over to the sirloins to flip them, never halting the movement of her hips. “You will dance with me, Mother. I won’t take no for an answer. I didn’t with Daddy, and I won’t with you.”

Anastacia snorted. “You did not get you father to dance around the kitchen.”

“Did, too!”

“No, you didn’t,” Anastacia said with a look of disbelief.

Carter smiled. “Yes, I did. Daddy danced around the kitchen with me on numerous occasions, thank you. It was—” Carter gasped when the next band came on the radio. “
The Script!
Oh
, Maman
,
vous avez danser avec moi, s’il vous plait!
” Carter pleaded with her mother to dance with her as she danced circles around her.

Anastacia laughed. “No, Carterina!” Carter grabbed her hands and started to move around the kitchen floor. Anastacia laughed loud at her daughter’s silly dance moves while Carter continued to gyrate around her, singing her favorite song.

Once Carter had finished bothering her mother, she released her and turned slowly to Nathan. She had felt him enter the room not too long ago. She always knew when he was around. They were connected. His presence sent chills down her spine and heat coursing through her entire body. It was impossible to ignore.

“Hi, Bubby,” Carter said. Suddenly, she felt a little shy.
What the hell?

Nathan chuckled. “Hi, baby,” he said in a soft, sexy, deep voice. “Come over here and hug your husband. I missed you.”

Carter smiled and ran over to Nathan. Once there, he lifted her up until their eyes were level and kissed her lips. Carter wrapped her arms around his neck, surrendering to him. Mmm … Nathan. Carter felt light-headed, like she was floating. It was the sexiest feeling. But it only served to fuel her insatiable need to be touched by him even more.

“You two never stop being adorable, do you?” Anastacia laughed softly.

Carter pulled back from their kiss as heat rushed to her cheeks. Crap. She always got a little carried away with Nathan. It always felt like they were the only two in the room even when they weren’t.

“Oops,” she whispered.

Nathan chuckled.

Anastacia smiled. “Giving your husband a kiss isn’t something to be shy about, baby girl.” She winked at Carter and wiped her hands with a towel from the counter. “I will leave you two. I must go and get the rest of Carterina’s gifts.”

“Mama, you didn’t have to get me anything.”

“Are you out of your mind? It’s your birthday, baby girl. I want to sit next to you and watch you open the gifts I gave you. This will be the first year that you will actually know what’s from me. I …” Anastacia paused and cleared her throat. She was
feeling
a little too much again. She didn’t like to cry, but this was the first time she would get to be with Carter for her birthday. She wished Carter’s father could have been here. “Anyway, I just want it to be special.”

Nathan placed her back on her feet, and she turned to her mother. “You sent me birthday gifts?” she asked.

Anastacia laughed softly to avoid showing her emotion. “Of course, I did.” Her voice came out a hoarse whisper. It was getting harder and harder to hold this in. “Every birthday outfit you ever wore. Do you think you father could pick out clothes like that?” She shook her head.

Carter laughed, fighting emotions of her own. “I should have known,” she pouted. “Oh, Mommy—” She scurried over to her mother and hugged her. “You’ve already made my birthday special. You’re here with me. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for as long as I can remember.” Carter suddenly chuckled, thinking of something funny. “What do you think Daddy would say, seeing us here, together like this?”

Anastacia placed a hand on each side of Carter’s face. “He would be happy.” She kissed both of Carter’s cheeks. “I miss him, too, honey … very much,” she whispered. “I will be back. I love you, sweetheart.” Anastacia turned to leave the kitchen just as Carter muttered something softly. She turned back around. “Did you say something, Carterina?”

Carter’s body tensed, and she clasped her hands in front of her. Lowering her eyes, she shook her head no. It didn’t take her long to realize what she had done wrong, and she quickly met her mother’s eyes with an apologetic smile.

“No, Mama. I didn’t say anything,” she lied. “I’ll see you when you get back,” she said softly.

Her mother stared at her for a moment then nodded her head and left the kitchen.

Once she was gone, Carter turned back to Nathan. “Shit …” she sighed, disappointed in her weakness. “I’m such a coward.”

Nathan crossed his arms over his chest and slowly strolled over to her. “Baby, you’re not a coward. You and your mother are making progress. Do you remember how it was the first week?”

Carter nodded. She did. She had been extremely shy around her mother then, and now they were dancing around the kitchen together. They’d come a long way. It had been fast— too fast for Carter to completely trust it. She just couldn’t shake a bad feeling she was starting to have.

“Carter?” Nathan touched her face, and she looked up into his concerned eyes.

She touched his hand. “I’m all right. I am. I just …” she frowned. “I feel like she’s keeping something from me.”

“About what?”

“My dad … their relationship,” she sighed. “I told her some things today, and she completely shut off. I mean, one second she was warm, and then I revealed something, and she went completely blank. It’s like she’s reacting, but she doesn’t want me to know her reaction.”

“And you think that means she’s hiding something?”

“Doesn’t it?” Carter asked, looking for Nathan’s input. He knew how to read these situations just as well she did. He could tell on the spot if someone was holding something back. That’s how he had gotten her to open up about Anastacia in the first place.

Nathan let out a long breath and nodded. “Yes, but not just her— my father, too.” He was sure they were keeping secrets. He hoped to God they weren’t the life-altering kind, for both his and Carter’s sake.

Carter groaned and wrapped her arms around Nathan’s waist. He wrapped his around her and held her close.

“And what did your father say about their relationship?” Carter asked.

“He said it’s complicated … She was his first love— and a pain in the ass, or something like that.”

“They’re going to kill each other, Bubby,” she whined.

Nathan sighed and rubbed her back. “I know.” He lifted her chin so their eyes could meet. “But promise me something, baby. We don’t get involved in their bullshit. I know what it’s like being stuck in the middle of two people you love. I’m not doing it, and I don’t want you to, either. What happens between them is their business. We stay focused on us. Agreed?”

Carter looked at him for a moment then nodded her head. “Agreed, Bubby.” She stood on her toes and kissed him. “Will you promise me something, too?” she asked.

“Anything,” Nathan replied.

“I know they’re keeping something from us, Nathan. Whatever it is, I want you to promise me that it won’t affect what we have. Promise it will always be you and me against the bullshit.”

Nathan smiled. “I promise. I’m sure it’s not all that bad, baby, but whatever happens, we’ll get through it together.” He kissed her to seal the deal. When their lips parted, he confided, “I talked to him about my mother.”

Carter’s eyes lit up. She opened her mouth to ask him how it went, but Nathan placed his finger to her lips.

“We’ll talk about it later. I promise,” he said softly.

Carter smiled and nodded and continued preparing her birthday dinner. “That fight? That was intense, Bubby,” Carter said over her shoulder. “I was terrified. Do we fight like that? God, please tell me we don’t.”

Nathan laughed. “Well, I still have scars from some of our fights,” he joked.

Carter looked up from the food with a naughty smile. “Nathan, you and I both know those scars you have aren’t from the fights— they’re from
after
the fights,” she reminded him. She had a few scars herself. The outline of Nathan’s hand was damn near imprinted on her ass.

Nathan smirked then closed the distance between them once again. “You’re so sexy, Carterina.” He came up behind her and pressed his body against hers.

Carter leaned back against him. “I know I am,” she teased. She turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Just wait until you see my performance as your ice cream sundae tonight,” she said with her most wicked smile.

Almost immediately, Nathan’s entire demeanor changed, and his gray eyes darkened with lust. Carter could feel his body responding to her game. She knew he wanted to take her right there in the kitchen, and he probably would have had Angelo not walked in at that moment.

“It smells heavenly in here.”

Carter glanced over to the kitchen entrance, a little disappointed that she and Nathan were no longer alone, but still happy to see her father-in-law. She tried to leave Nathan’s arms, but he held on to her tighter and growled.

Carter giggled. “Nathan,” she whispered. “If you’re good now, I’ll be bad later.”

He immediately let her go.

She laughed and ran as quickly as her feet allowed into Angelo’s waiting embrace. “Hi!” she squealed as Angelo picked her up into a warm hug.

“Happy Birthday, sweet girl.” He kissed her cheek and set her back on the ground.

Carter looked up at him with concern. “Not that I’m prying or anything, but … are you okay?” Carter asked. She hated seeing Angelo and her mother so mad at each other. She hoped they had worked through it.

Angelo smiled and pinched her nose. Carter scrunched up her face and tried to get away from his torture. He chuckled at the face she made and set her free. “Well, at least Ana’s clone likes me,” he teased.

Carter had to laugh at that. “I’m sure you’ll charm your way back into her good graces, Angelo Salerno. If your words don’t work, you can just use that devastatingly beautiful Salerno smile. Apparently Stone women have a weakness for it,” she said as she walked back over to the food. “I know I do.” She winked at Nathan, and he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

“Jesus,” Angelo said, drawing Carter’s attention away from her husband’s bad behavior. “You sound like your mother, child. Are men described as beautiful now?” He walked over to the half-circle table by the window.

“Well, is there any other way to describe a Salerno man? I don’t think so. There’s nothing wrong with a beautiful man, Daddy Salerno. You should listen to my mother more. Apparently— much like my husband— she’s always right.”

Angelo rolled his eyes and Carter chuckled.