Reese Ch. 01

Unable to contain her excitement, Vangie jumped out of her chair and into Donatello's lap. She smothered his face with kisses and soon had him laughing.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she said between kisses.

"You are very welcome, but you have now aroused me with all of your wiggling in my lap. I suggest that we take a break from our activities and take a little rest."

Vangie jumped from Donatello's lap after giving him a kiss that made him even harder.

"I love you Donatello," she breathed and then she froze. She hadn't meant to say that and she didn't know why it came out. She waited for his reaction not sure if she had crossed some invisible line.

"Say it again," Donatello said pulling her back into his lap.

Vangie looked at him, not sure of what she should do. The memory of the one and only time he had hit her in anger crossed her mind, but not to obey was also not an option. Taking the path of least resistance, she repeated what she said.

"I... I said that I love you and if I said something wrong-"

Donatello didn't give her a chance to finish her sentence. He pulled her back to him and kissed her with a passion that took her breath away. Without breaking the kiss, Donatello stood up with Vangie still in his arms and carried her to bed. He got in still holding her and lay beside her.

"I love you too," he said softly. "It is only now that I can say it- there are things that I must tell you. Things that as my mate you are entitled to know, but not now. I want to enjoy this change in our lives."

"Mate?" Vangie asked. "As in wife?"

"It has always been so but I couldn't acknowledge it," Donatello said. "Let me take my first taste of you as your mate and I promise that one day soon, I will tell you everything."

Vangie nodded, but felt a ball of ice forming in her stomach. Somehow she knew that whatever he told her, it was going to be horrible.

****

Reese spent the next day constantly checking for emails from Marco and seeing if his favorite opponent made his move in their chess game. He hadn't, but the others had. He noted with satisfaction that one of the players was steadily improving. At the rate he/she was going, he/she would become a worthy opponent. In between moves, he rested. Soon it was dark enough for him to leave. He checked once more for a message from Marco, packed up his things and headed out. He didn't care that the room had been paid for; it was time to cross a name from his list.

He loaded up his bike, out on the dark blue helmet and looked in the direction in which Florida lie.

"Get ready you son of a bitch," he whispered into the air. "I'm coming for you."

***

Paolo was in the middle of going over the menu for his party when a distinct chill hit him. For the first time he wondered if he should cancel the party and leave. Then the sudden chill was gone. He sat at the table holding a menu for several seconds before deciding that he was overreacting.

The party would go on as planned.