DOUBLE DEUCES (Part 4)

Eye's Wide Open

The meeting was just as I suspected it would. Mindless chatter, business talk, and the ear numbing jokes. Midway way through, I found myself a bit tipsy and in need of a bathroom break. Leaning over to Luca I placed my hand on the back of his neck and whispered in his ear. "I'm going to the restroom".

Immediately he forgot his current conversation with some drug Lord and devoted all his attention to me. "I'll escort you sweetheart".

"No, no. It's okay. Finish your talk". I assured him.

"Okay, but I'm sending a few men with you".

Nodding, I placed a kiss to his cheek and stood. He held my hand as he instructed his men on my care. By a few men, he meant five. "Luca, that's not necessary".

Giving me a wink and my bottom a squeeze he stated. "When it comes to you everything is necessary".

Not attempting to argue the matter, I went on my way. It seemed since we had been in Paris, Luca has gotten more handsy with me. No, I haven't slept with him yet and wasn't sure I would just yet. That was a major step for me. It made  everything seem all to real. Yea, I know now I'm getting divorced but I guess I'm in denial.

Stepping into the elaborate bathroom, I let loose a sigh. It felt nice to be away from all that dull conversation. So far this meeting had been a flop and I hadn't  saw or heard anything that would benefit Dem yet. Reaching into my clutch, I grabbed my tube of notorious red lipstick. Leaning against the counter toward the mirror, I began to reapply it. The bathroom was rather dim but as I focused on my lips something behind me caught my eye in the mirror.

Pretending to focus on my lips, I saw eye's staring at me in the mirror. Not just anyone's eye's, no, it was London's eye's. I'd know those dark, dangerous eye's anywhere. Using the mirror I locked my eye's on his. "Are you going to come out or stand in the shadows like a stalker?" I asked on a smart assy tone.

Slowly London emerged into the light. He didn't stop until he was right behind me, so close a sheet of paper couldn't fit between us. Our eye's remained locked on each other through the mirror. My heart raced. I'm sure he knew who I was here with and I didn't know if I was about to die. "Why are you here?" I asked .

In a deep, low voice he replied. "I should ask you the same thing babydoll".

Tilting my head to the side I decided to get this over with. "I accompanied Luca".

I swore i could see him wince at my announcement. "You fucking him?"

The nerve of this bastard I thought. He gets rid of me yet wonders whom I'm sleeping with. Whirling around to face him, I had to lean back to keep my breasts from colliding with his chest. "You have no right to ask me such personal questions. Remember you are divorcing me. Who I fuck is none of your concern".

"Answer the God Damn question Laney. Are. You. Fucking. Him.?" London's voice was down right dangerous but I would no longer let this man rule me, intimidate me. Jutting my chin upwards toward him I hissed. "It's not your fucking business. You don't own me".

That last sentence lit his fire and he ripped the string of pearls from around my wrist. Before I could react he had them twisted around my neck. The very pearls he had given me for our seventh anniversary. The very pearls he used on occasion duiring our love making. He would fill me up with them and remove them with his mouth or place them in my other area and remove them as I orgasmed. Those pearls brought me so much pleasure by his hand now they was bringing me pain by his hand. I gripped his hands trying to loosen his grip. I could feel myself getting weaker from lack of oxygen and just as I felt I was about to fall unconscious, he released me.

Bending over, I swallowed large amounts of air in. My body was limp and London gripped my arm helping me stand upright. "Come babydoll, let's go home now".

This motherfuckers cheese has done slid off his cracker If he thinks I'm going anywhere with him. "No". I said full of rage as I snapped my arm from his hold.

"Excuse me?" He asked somewhat shocked by my answer.

"I said hell no". I seethed. "You let me go. I practically begged you on several occasions not to leave me. Now you want me back because you see me with another man" .

"Laney this isn't up for discussion. Do not make me kill Luca here."

I shook my head no. "You'll have to kill me first to get to him".

For the first time, I saw fear in London's eye's. That's the phrase I use to tell other's that sought London's head, now I'm telling it to him. London advanced on me and smashed his lips down on mine. As usual, I turned to mush in his hands. A moan escaped my throat as I thought how good it felt to be in his arm's again. He pulled me closer and my body melded into his. It was if my curves fit to his body like puzzle pieces. His hands started lifting my dress up to my hips as I pulled on his hair. London's mouth moved down my throat making his way to my breasts. Lifting me, he placed me on top of the counter and I instantly spread my legs as I tossed my head back in ecstasy. I never wanted him as bad as I wanted him right now. I heard the material of my panties being ripped and it was like a light came on. I can't do this. London's only doing this to lure me back in and never give me what I need. "No". I half screamed pushing him away.

Scooting off the counter, I straightened my dress as London stared at me as if he was confused. "Stop this now babydoll. You need to get on my plane and come home. You still want me.

I caught myself shaking my head no and every memory I shared with the man before me raced through my head. From how we met, the birth of our children, me sitting on the counter while he cooked, our wedding day, when he proposed. Anything and everything. All the laughs, tears, hugs, nights of endless passion played out in my mind's camera. I hadn't even realized I was crying. Softly I whispered. "I can't. Not again. God, I love you so much it hurts, but I can't. Luca is retiring in two month's for me. He's so good to me. He wants a life with me, a life you refuse to give to me. Luca is planning on taking me to Italy after he retires. He tries with Demarco, helps him anyway he can. He doesn't mind when I interupt him duiring business".

I stopped to wipe my tears then continued. "He tells me I'm more important than this damn life you cherish. I-I can't come back. I wouldn't survive another let down from you, not you". I sobbed.

"Just once I wish you could feel how i feel for you. So many time's I let you shut me up, control me, chain me and I let it go, forgave you because having you in my life was more important than anything you could do to me. I just wish you knew how much I loved you. I would've took your place if you was about to die, even tried to on that  pier that night. I laid over you so I would catch the bullets, covered your head with mine because I could accept dying. What I couldn't accept was living in this world without you".

I paused to catch my breath and moved closer to the door. "I-I've got to go. Luca will be worried".

I inched closer to the door and was almost there when London whispered in a low voice. "Please don't go babydoll."

Shaking my head and wiping my tears again, I whispered. "I'm sorry London. I've got to do this for me".

"I'll retire. Right here, right now. Dem, Miri, whoever can fucking have it all".

Shaking my head no, I sniffled. "I'm sorry London but I've heard that too many time's before. Your word means nothing".

I reached for the door and London hit his knees. "Please babydoll I'm begging you. I'll do anything I swear. I can't go on without you". He said in a broken voice as he clutched onto my leg and hip.

Sobbing I pryed his hands from me. Taking my hand, I tilted his chin up to look at me. "You've been doing fine the past several weeks without me. You can do this my king".

Placing a crimson red kiss to his forehead I walked out. Luca's men were waiting for me and I led them away from the bathroom and had Luca summoned. One look at my tears and he knew what happened. Thankfully he wrapped me in his arm's and took me back to the hotel.

They say unfinished love is the most romantic. You continuously burn for that person. They also say Paris is the city for love and romance. No, I don't think that's true. For I left my heart in Paris.

Paris broke my heart.