Maximus Read online

  "Do you play polo?" I ask when I see them.

  "I can."

  "Cool. I’ve never been to a polo match."

  "We won’t have time on this visit, but I’ll add that to your 'to share with Siri' list."

  I spin around to smile at him. "I have a list?"

  "Yes. You have a list." His eyes crinkle.

  "More questions on that subject later." I point at him, grinning, then I hit the button that revolves the clothes. It begins to move and I realize he has an extensive wardrobe. "You have clothes for every occasion."

  "Antonio takes care of it. I really don’t know. I just spin it till I find what I like."

  I roll my eyes.

  He walks through to the closed door on the opposite end. "Here’s the bathroom."

  There is a full size jacuzzi along with an open area tile shower with rainfall spouts and side jets plus a sauna/steam room area.

  "Sweet Zeus! This is unbelievable! It’s like the Roman baths!"

  "That’s the idea. We are in Italy."

  "It’s beautiful!"

  Aurei chuckles. "This isn’t the best part."

  "What? What more is there?"

  "The patio."

  Walking out of the dressing room, I’m again struck by the magnificence of this manly suite. "How long have you lived here?"

  "I stopped staying at the main house when I was about 14."

  "That young?" I follow him as he crosses to the French doors in the middle and stops.

  "This place was a sanctuary for me. Those were some really tough years." He looks away. "I needed privacy to deal with ... everything happening to me." His eyes grow sad, then he says. "Grandpa understood and gave me and Ann our 'own little private place' one Christmas."

  "Little?"

  "Not so little to you and me, but to Big Al it was little. Here’s the best part." He says as he opens the door to the patio.

  I glide through and outside under the enclosed veranda, I immediately see a black stallion fountain which is absolutely magnificent too. I walk to it and dip my hand in one of the tiers. The water spills over and splashes into a rock pool, causing bubbles that float over a waterfall that crashes into a sunken hot tub, which slips over an infinity edge into a cooling swimming pool. Surrounding the patio is a waist high, stone retaining wall, covered with the same ivy that covered the walkway from the garage. There is a bridge that spans the pool and the retaining wall giving the only access to the backyard. This wall also runs out into the courtyard where it transitions into a high, thick hedge which encircles soft, green grass that offers both a peaceful area and complete privacy. I absorb the beauty and log in my data bank, the personality that calls this home. Aurei waits for me to speak as I stand there mesmerized. I look down at the steam rising off the water of the hot tub and walk over. I slip my shoe off and dip my foot in. "The temperature is perfect. Can we take a dip?"

  He steps up behind me and my body senses him there. He brushes aside my hair and lays his lips on my jugular vein. The hum from his voice vibrates through my blood when he says. "We don’t have time right now, but we will. I promise you we will enjoy all the delights of my Bear Cave before we leave." His hand slides very slowly down my arm in that familiar way. The skin touched sings, and the skin untouched tingles with anticipation. When he reaches my hand, he cinches our fingers and squeezes tight and hard once. My clit thumps with it and I melt from his simple seduction. He leads me back inside and I watch his fucking muscle move in his jeans. When he stops, we are in the dressing room and he indicates I should sit on the bench. "Stay. I’ll get our luggage."

  Chapter Three

  While I wait, I think back to last night in the hotel. As soon as we arrived in the room, he received a text from Mia. She forwarded tweets with pictures and other social media sites of the two of us. We looked at them together and he translated. Apparently it hadn’t taken the media long to report that Maximus Moore of the Liotine Oil Dynasty, whose privacy had been closely guarded for years out of respect for his military duty, had an American woman with him in Rome and they were seen clubbing.

  I grin at him when he comes back with the luggage. "I am a quiet kitten."

  "It won’t last." He teases me. I stick my tongue out at him. "See what I mean." He gives me his big beautiful smile.

  I sigh and lean back to watch my man unpack, quickly and efficiently. My mind returns to Mia’s text and the pictures she sent.

  Aurei laughed as he read the caption under one. "The first woman Maximus appears with is a stripper."

  "They conveniently left out Vegas. I would have thought they would have discovered, I’m Seary." I swirled my finger in the air and give him some swag, then I fluffed my hair. "And that she is a fiery and feisty damn Diva!"

  He continued reading Mia’s text to me. *That picture is blowing up Twitter too.*

  It’s the one of the kiss I blew them.

  "It’s really a pretty good picture of me, don’t you think?" I mused over it.

  He chuckled as we scanned the candid shots of us grinding and dancing, along with some of us coming back to the hotel, entering hand in hand looking like a couple in love, then kissing deeply as we waited on the elevator.

  "I think the coverage and pics are tasteful." I told him as I started to undress, slipping off my shoes.

  "Has Maximus Moore, American Heir to the Italian Liotine Oil Dynasty, turned irresponsible Playboy?" He looked up at me and grinned. "Aka lost his mind?" He looked back at his phone. "With his bad choice of bad women." He looked up and winked. "Bad woman." He corrects the plural to singular, then adds. "Bad to the bone, Baby." Making me laugh out loud, then he continues reading the headline. "Drive a wedge in the otherwise conservative family?" He rolled his eyes. "Will his party habits reveal a secret drug and alcohol problem?" He shook his head. "These Fuckers will just make up shit." He read the rest of Mia’s long text without commenting.

  I stopped undressing when I saw his whole demeanor change. "What’s wrong?" He didn’t answer me. He called her on the phone. They spoke in Italian briefly, but I could hear her shouting at him and someone else. I assumed it was poor, sweet Angelo.

  As soon as Aurei had dialed Mia, he went into the closet, grabbed a couple of suitcases and began to pack with the phone pressed against his ear and his shoulder. When he hung up, he shoved it down his pants pocket. His jaw was set and his eyes had a scowl to them. I could sense his thunder. "What’s wrong? Why are you packing?"

  "Nothing is wrong. We are leaving immediately to avoid the media frenzy in the morning." He tossed me a t shirt, along with a pair of jeans, and walked out with my converse tennis shoes in his hand.

  I quickly, but carefully, finished removing my beautiful toga dress and asked, knowing he wouldn’t explain his anger. "Why is Mia angry?"

  "She’s upset she was left out of the loop."

  "What loop?"

  He paused packing for just a second, then turned and went into the closet.

  "What loop?" I asked again, thinking he was distracted and simply forgot to answer. I could hear him sliding hangers looking for something. Then I heard him stop.

  "Your loop."

  "My loop?"

  My voice made him stop and come back. We stared, eyeing each other.

  "Yes."

  "Why didn’t you tell her about me?"

  "Need to know."

  Our eyes locked. His green gaze pierced and pinned me down, but my green gaze shot him with arrows, searching for some hidden meaning. Then he looked up on a shelf distracted again.

  "Need to know? Hmm. Aurei! Shame on you! You should have told your VP!"

  He reached for an item, then he tossed it to me. "See if you can stuff all your hair up in this." He turned dismissing this 'need to know' issue.

  The item he tossed me was one of his ball caps. I tossed it on the bed next to the clothes. He came walking out with his brown leather, bomber jacket saying. "This too." When he saw I was still naked he assumed I wanted to fuck first. "Get
dressed. We don’t have time to fuck. I want to hit the road right away."

  I took the jacket, laid it on the bed next to the clothes and ball cap, but waited. When he came back, he had similar attire in his hands. He glanced at me as he stripped. He got dressed while I simply stared at him with my arms crossed under my tits, and my eyebrows raised.

  "What? Please, get dressed?"

  "She didn’t have a need to know? No wonder she was yelling into the phone and at poor Angelo too. I would have been upset. You blindsided her."

  He shakes his head and closes his eyes, knowing he must explain because I’m not letting it go. "She was mad they woke her up before daylight."

  "Really? I find that very hard to believe based on the amount of yelling going on."

  "The paparazzi blew up her phone wanting her to identify you and she was pissed about that too, but her rant was all about the spin the media was putting on it."

  "Then why did you hang up angry?"

  He looked at me with a 'you don’t really need to know either' look, but I persisted with my arms crossed and my face set. "Since you must know, she pissed me off when she called you a.... I told her to listen very carefully to me. You were my girl and I would flaunt your hot ass wherever the hell I pleased, to hell with the press and to hell with her if she didn’t like it because that’s the way it is from now on. Then I hung up on her."

  "Poor Mia. She thinks I’m a whore she will have to deal with. No wonder she’s pissed."

  "Siri. Don’t feel sorry for Mia. She is a shrewd business woman, but she is also a selfish bitch."

  "Still. I understand her being upset. The label 'whore' affects everything in a negative way."

  His eyes flashed at me and the thunder rumbled behind them. "You and I know it isn’t true. If we acknowledge their false assumption, we give it power. And if we give it power, then it might as well be true. Perception is power. Don’t say it again. You’re not. Own the truth! Do you understand? To me and to the world, you are my beautiful Lady. Mio Bella Signorina."

  I stood stunned by what he said. The force of his commanding nature on full display, demanding we assert the truth. What a MAN! WHAT A REAL MAN!

  Finally, I smirked. "Wow! That was profound. OK, I will own the truth, but you must know they will still think it of me and they will still whisper it about me. In their eyes, I will always be a whore. But for you, I will own our truth."

  "For us." He corrected me, then relaxed and told me with a softer tone, but no less commanding. "Now, please, get dressed Siri. I’m only concerned about your safety. Your picture has been plastered all over the internet and if Ruth’s threat is real, you are in danger here."

  Without any more resistance, I obediently slipped into my clothes while he headed for the bathroom to pack the toiletries. When he returned, he said. "The rest can be packed properly and sent to the Compound. Come on. Let’s go. Grab the jacket."

  "Compound?" I stopped and stared at him.

  He laughed. "That’s only a nickname Antonio and I gave the family villa. It sounded more mysterious to two young boys, but it is in essence a compound. You’ll be safe there. We’re only leaving a few days earlier than I planned anyway. Not a big deal, Baby. Don’t make it one." He kissed my lips with a sweet butterfly kiss before he grabbed the luggage handles and we left the hotel room.

  In the elevator on the way down, he adjusted my cap for me. "Let’s hope we can sneak past the 'razzis and get to the parking garage without being ambushed."

  When we exited the elevator with our heads down to avoid eye contact, we made a quick sharp turn to the rear doors. Outside we were greeted by a couple of security guards. Carlo and Franco had ensured that we could leave unnoticed, so we simply walked to the garage where the valet parked the cars and got in a Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 Roadster. Black, of course.

  When Aurei cranked the car, he turned to look at me and whatever was on his lips vanished when he saw my twinkling eyes. "What’s up?" He asked suspiciously.

  "This car is dope!"

  "Yes it is, but that look is more than 'nice car.' I know that look by now. Spill it."

  I giggled. "Good thang we didn’t have to make a run for it."

  He frowned, looked at my shoes like something must be wrong with them because I run 'pretty good for a girl.' "Why?"

  I pulled my shirt up, lifting my tits so they bounced dramatically for him. "I would have given myself a black eye."

  "Shit! I forgot your bra." His eyes flashed shock and I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped. "Why didn’t you say something, Naughty Thang?"

  "Because I’m naughty!"

  He chuckled as he pulled out of the garage. "That’s for sure."

  I turned to look down the street for traffic. "Clear right."

  Driving down the empty streets to the main freeway, I hear. "Fuck. I didn’t pack a single bra."

  Now sitting in the dressing room, admiring his efficient motion as he moves fluidly from the last suitcase to the hanging rack, I clear my throat. He glances at me. "There’s that look again."

  I raise my shirt and show my tits to him. "Licks, please."

  "You need to keep those hidden." He walks to stand in front of me.

  I spread my legs and lean my head back to look up into his gorgeous green gaze while I lean forward to touch my tits against his ever present bulge. My hair swings gently against my back as my neck lays bare for him. His eyes shine down and the warmth fills me with sweetness. His musk fills my head and I take a big relaxing breath. His scent is so divine! "Just one little lick can’t hurt, Sir." I bat my eyelashes at him.

  He smirks, making me giggle. "What to do with you?" His eyes narrow.

  "You stick your tongue out and drag it across like this." I stick my tongue out and place it in the middle of his crotch. I start to drag it up as I reach for his zipper to release his beast.

  "That’s it." He turns and goes into the closet. I hear him rummaging around for something. When he reappears, he tosses me a small, fist size, light brown object.

  Instinctively I catch it, then give him a look of 'what the hell’s this for?'

  "Instant bra."

  "Umm, umm." I toss it back. "I don’t think so."

  He catches it and walks back to me. "I know so. Put your arms up. This is non-negotiable." His commanding tone is back and I know I won’t win this battle so I reluctantly lift my arms and put my hands on my head. He opens the ace bandage and wraps it around and around my tits.

  "My girls are not happy about this!"

  "It’s necessary. I can’t keep my eyes off them."

  "That’s the whole idea." I wink at him.

  When he tucks the end in my not so prominent cleavage, he asks. "There. How does that feel?"

  "Like I’m a little C cup instead of full DD’s."

  "Perfect then." He places a sweet kiss on my lips. "As soon as we get back here, I’ll set them free." He drops his ear to each one and mimics screaming behind his hand as it smashes his lips. "Let me out! Let me out!"

  I giggle and push him away. "Smart ass!"

  Chapter Four

  Riding up to the house, I watch Aurei adjust the mirrors and tune his playlist. He’s nervous too. Maybe we should have discussed what we will say to his parents about our relationship, but his 'I got this' didn’t leave anything to say.

  I look out the window. My career and all its secrets makes the whole damn thing so complicated. Sweet Zeus, the scenario sounds like every parent’s nightmare much less a millionaire bachelors. We can’t tell them I am a wealthy business woman too without giving up Surreal and that would be a breach of contract. To not tell them leaves just the stripper Aurei is hooking up with and guarantees they will see me as a whore. His words of not allowing anyone to assume that label for me was sweet, but I know it’s harder to shake than he does. Still he is right. I have to rise above it and hold the truth high. I’m not a whore. I sigh deeply then look over at him. He’s got this. I have to trust him. Stay positive.
<
br />   He glances at me and I give him a big beautiful smile filled with more confidence than I actually feel. He gives the same in return then stretches his leg and reaches into his pants pocket. He pulls out his phone and hands it to me. "Here. Sync our phones with Find Friends. I want to know where you are at all times."

  I power it on. "I better be with you at all times."

  He smirks. "You might get hijacked to the spa with the girls."

  "As good as that sounds because I need a massage something awful, I don’t want to be separated from you."

  "You aren’t afraid, are you?"

  "Maybe a little."

  His hand slips between my legs and squeezes my thigh.

  "Ok. A lot," I admit.

  "Just smile. We will be ok."

  His phone comes on. "What’s your passcode?" I ask.

  "Guess."

  I start to laugh after I enter 7474 and it unlocks. "You got it bad for me, Sugar Bare."

  "Yes, I do. Don’t forget that. No matter what happens this weekend. You and I are unstoppable."

  I lean over and he meets me with a quick kiss. His lips feel soft and wet, and make me feel safe and warm. When I look down at his phone, my eyes sweep the message showing on the screen and I freeze. It is a text from Ann. My poker face slides down and locks itself in place.

  Ann: *Be warned, Bro. Mom is pissed at you! She’s hurt she found out from the News that you have a girlfriend. Don’t sweat it. She’ll love Siri once she meets her. Bee and I will be in Friday night late. See ya Saturday. I’ll be there in time to help you get ready for the battle. Don’t replace me! Maybe you won’t draw Quintus. Just kidding. Love you, Big Bro! Ciao.*

  Oh.... Zita is pissed. I hit the back button, afraid to read what else is there, but knowing I need to be prepared.

  Bob: *Son. Your mother is upset with you. Be prepared.*

  *Yes Sir.*

  *Ann said she was really sweet. We didn’t tell Zita. Maybe we should have.*