Choices We Make: The Moretti Brothers Series Read online

  “How have you been feeling?” Rafael asked.

  “I’ve been feeling really good and I’m enjoying this Christmas with your family.”

  “I know I haven’t been the most pleasant person lately but I wanted to let you know that I consider you a part of this family and if you need anything you can call me.” He said giving her eye contact.

  “Thank you Rafael, that really means a lot to me.” She started to speak but hesitated not knowing if she should ask. “Rafael, how are you and the kids doing? I know this must be a difficult time for the kids, not being with their mom on Christmas.” She said hoping she wasn’t over stepping her bounds by asking.

  He gave her a smiled “They kids are great and I’m getting there.” He gave her a faint smile and she knew he wasn’t ready to talk about his situation with his wife. “I better see what my kids are doing, they are too quiet.” He said as he went in search of them.

  Later that evening, Annette sat next to the Christmas tree. “Okay everybody, it’s gift giving time.” She put on her glasses so that she could call out the names. She went through name after name, giving out gift after gift until she was almost finished. The only ones left were the gifts that Victoria had purchased for Dominic. They were last after everyone put their gifts under the tree, pushing theirs to the back. His mother called the names of the three grandchildren. They opened their gifts and all three jumped up and down with joy, they had each gotten IPads with age appropriate educational applications.

  Dominic leaned in and whispered in Victoria’s ear. “You know you are in trouble, I can see this is going to be a long expensive night.” He kissed her cheek before looking forward again. She blushed but didn’t give him eye contact. Fran opened her gift to find the Michael Kors pocketbook she had been eyeing but was unable to afford it. She screamed before she jumped up to hug Dominic. She looked at Victoria and gave her a big hug and whispered thank you in her ear. She knew Victoria had to have told him because he didn’t know designers handbags.

  “Wow, I know that bag cost…” Maria was cut off by Victoria’s actions. She leaned back, out of Dominic’s range of sight and shook her head indicating not to say anything else. She looked at her with a raised brow but said nothing else.

  “What were you going to say Maria?” Dominic asked.

  “Uhh, I was going to say it cost you new soles on your shoes because I know you walked forever to find that exact bag that she wanted. Dominic gave Victoria a knowing look.

  “Okay everyone as you probably already figured out, Victoria did my shopping this year, so you can thank her too, since she seems to have figured out what everyone likes.” Francesco was the next to open his gift. He was given the latest android phone. “Wow thanks big bro and Victoria, it’s just what I needed. Marco received new navigation system for his car. “Now maybe you can be on time when you have to pick me up.” Dominic said with a smirk. Annette was overjoyed with the new coat she had her eye on and Maria received the sewing machine she had been looking at, she started a sewing class and really wanted that machine. Rafael received a new laptop so that he was able to monitor what his little ones were doing on their IPads. The last person to open their gift was Lorenzo. He was the hardest to buy for and the one she was most nervous about. The only thing he ever did when she was over was watch TV, but she did notice there was one show in particular that he liked to watch and she was hoping he would like his gift. He ripped the paper off the gift, stared at it momentarily before wiping a tear away from his eye before anyone notice, he sat the gift down and walked into the kitchen, Annette was concerned and followed him.

  “Did I do something wrong?” she asked Dominic.

  “I don’t know what’s going on, I don’t think I’ve ever seen my father shed a tear before. What’s in the box?” Everyone was surprised at his reaction.

  “Every time I was over your parent’s house I noticed that he was watching…” before she could finish his mother and father returned. Lorenzo walked over to Victoria and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you for the gift young lady, it means more to me than you will ever know.”

  “What’s in the freakin box?” Fran yelled unable to contain her nosiness.

  “It’s a fishing rod.” Victoria said as everyone in the room looked really confused.

  “A fishing rod, but you don’t fish.” Francesco said not understanding.

  “I don’t fish now, but when I was younger, it was my most favorite thing in the world. My brother and I loved to do it. I stopped fishing when you died. I have been thinking about him lately and how much I would love to go fishing again.

  “How in the world did you know?” Dominic whispered to her. The feeling of his breath on her neck caused her heart to pound. This gesture by Victoria was just one more thing that caused his heart to open up more for her.

  “I didn’t know it would affect him so much, but every time I came over, he was watching mostly sports but I noticed he would always turn to the fishing channel on commercials and during breaks in the games. There was always a look he had when he was watching it so I figured it was something he enjoyed.” He looked at her with a new admiration. Even though his father treated her badly, she still took special care in making sure she found him the perfect gift. “Thank you. You made this Christmas perfect.” He whispered in her ear as he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.

  “Get a room you two,” Fran said smiling.

  “Shut up Fran.” Dominic said as he kissed Victoria’s forehead, stood and walked over to the bar where Marco stood making a drink.

  “So where is your girlfriend?” Marco asked after looking at the interaction between him and Victoria.

  Dominic hadn’t thought about her all evening. “I don’t know, actually hadn’t thought about her,” he said nonchalantly.

  “Why would you when you have that beautiful women over there, who is carrying your babies, and obviously cares about you.”

  “Yes, but she doesn’t love me.”

  “How do you know, did you ask?” He looked at his brother and took a gulp of his drink without responding.

  It was in the wee hours of the morning. Victoria had gone up stairs about two hours ago. His brothers, Kevin and Richard stayed late to drink, play cards and smoke cigars in a room he converted into his personal den with special vents, so that the smoke would stay in that room only. Maria agreed to take her children and nephews to her house so that Rafael and her husband could stay.

  “So what’s really going on between you and Victoria?” Richard asked. Everyone looked at him and laughed because Richard almost never spoke.

  “Now if Richard noticed that something’s going on between you two, it’s blatantly obvious to everyone else.” Francesco said. “No offense Rich, but you never comment on anything.”

  “None taken, I’m having a hard time figuring out why Anna is still in the picture, I see the way you look at Victoria, I’m just surprised you two aren’t married yet. Richard said with a smile. All eyes were on Dominic for a response. “Are we playing cards or not?” Dominic asked as he took a gulp of his drink. They all began to laugh, but didn’t not comment further as they played cards.

  After locking up, Dominic checked in on Victoria. He tapped on the door softly before opening it. He could here soft whimpers. Victoria, what’s wrong? Are you in pain?” he asked with concern written all over his face.

  “No, I was just thinking about my mom. I miss her so much, and now I’m turning into such a crybaby.” she said as the tears started again.

  “Don’t cry Vic.” He sat on the bed and pulled her into his lap. He cradled her as he rubbed her back, “It’s going to be okay, lay down.” she did as instructed and he too off his shirt, toed out of his shoes and laid on the bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her. “If you need to cry, then cry. I will be here with you.” He pulled her into a spooning position as he rubbed her stomach. The tingling feeling spreading throughout her body began to feel like a calming blanket
that warmed her heart. The tears eventually stopped and the relaxing motion of his hands caused her to drift off to sleep.

  After about twenty minutes he could hear light snoring. He started to get up and go to his room, but decided against it, he liked laying there with her, comforting her, being close to her; he loved her, he loved this woman. He kissed her on her neck gently and continued to caress her gently until he also drifted off to sleep.

  Victoria woke up feeling an arm around her stomach, she thought she had dreamt last night, but there he was so beautiful and asleep. She tried to get up without waking him but as soon as she moved he opened his eyes “You okay baby?” She froze and he knew instantly he had made a mistake, because while he mentally he had several affectionate names for her, he never vocalized them. He called me baby. “I’m fine Nick, I have to go to the bathroom.” He moved his arm and watched as she walked into the bathroom. He sat up, planting both feet on the ground, mentally smacking himself for making such a mistake.

  “Victoria I’m going to take and shower and make breakfast, is there anything special you would like?” He yelled to her.

  “No, whatever you make is fine.”

  “Okay, I will see you down stairs.”

  *****

  After breakfast Dominic went into his home office to work while Victoria relaxed in the family room with her laptop answering emails, when she heard the doorbell. She didn’t hear movement from Dominic’s office, so she answered it.

  “Good morning. Did I miss breakfast?” Marco said as he kissed her on the cheek.

  “As a matter of fact you did, but I did want to talk to you.” She looked around to make sure that Dominic was not coming. “Come in the family room with me.” They both walk into the other room.

  “So what up, Vic?” He asked.

  “I need to ask you something and I need you to be honest with me.” Marco nodded “I know the deal Dominic was working on fell through, was that deal going to move his company into the next phase?”

  Marco nodded, “You need to talk to Dominic about this.”

  “Marco I want to help him but I know he won’t accept money from me, so I was thinking, what it I became a silent investor. Marco looked at her with a raised brow. “He doesn’t have to know where to money is coming. I really believe in his company and I know he’s going to make huge impact in the computer field.”

  Marco was silent for several seconds. “Vic, I know you love him and if you two ever get around to starting a relationship, you don’t want it based on deception.” Victoria looked at him strangely.

  “I never said I loved Dominic.”

  “You didn’t have to.” He said with a smile.

  “Ohh and you are the expert?”

  “As a matter of fact, I am very intuitive.”

  Victoria decided not to challenge him on the issue; she also didn’t address it any further. “I believe in him Marco and I don’t want his business to fail, will you help me?”

  He stared at Victoria, she had no idea how rich Dominic was, and the deal that didn’t go through was a hundred million dollar deal that was going to take his company global. “I’m sorry Victoria I wish I could help you, but you really need to talk to Nick.”

  She looked dejected, but gave him a knowing nod, after all it was his brother and she couldn’t expect him to betray his confidence. She would have to hire another attorney to handle it.

  “Now where is my brother…wait, let me guess, in his office?”

  Victoria nodded as Marco walked towards the office. Victoria knew she was taking a huge chance. If it backfired, it may eliminate her chances of every being with Dominic, but it was a chance she was willing to take. She loved him and she believed in him, and knew if given the opportunity his business would succeed.

  *****

  Over the next couple of weeks Victoria worked with an attorney to move forward with her plan to help Dominic, unfortunately her plan failed, before she was able to bring it to full fruition. The attorney ran into issues before he could make the deal happen. Because of this and other issues with the attorney, she had to fire him. Victoria now had to ask Marco for help to clean up the mess the other attorney made. She was pleased to find out that Dominic was able to broker a deal with another company interested in investing in his software. Dominic was excited about the progress his company and that excitement spilled over into his relationship with Anna. They seemed to be closer than ever. Victoria thought back to the day after Christmas when Anna came over and she overheard her giving Dominic a tearful apology for the way she had behaved and promised to do better because she wanted their relationship to work. A few nights later Victoria laid in bed crying because she could hear them making love and she knew she had lost him. After that night Anna appeared to be more understanding and very tolerant of the living arrangement.

  Anna was there almost every day, which irritated Victoria to no end. She needed to move. She couldn’t stay there, knowing that there was another possibility that she would hear, the man she loved, make love to another woman again. She began to put a plan in place, so that when she talked to Dominic, he would protest, but in the end he would not try and stop her. She waited for him to come home from the office. He walked in the door alone, “thank God,” she said silently.

  “Nick, can I talk to you?” He walked in the living room.

  “Hey, how are you feeling?” he said as he kissed her on the top of her head.

  “I’m fine but we need to talk.” He sat on the sofa beside her and pulled her feet into her lap and began to rub them, it was almost automatic how he catered to her needs.

  “So what’s up?” She pulled her feet away. There was no way she could talk to him clearly when he was touching her. He touches reminded her of the two weeks together and it also reminded her that he belonged to someone else. He looked at her strangely as she moved her feet.

  “I’m moving back home.”

  “What are you talking? No you’re not; you are staying here until our babies are born.”

  “No I’m not, I’m moving back home tonight.”

  “The hell you are, I thought I made myself very clear that I don’t want you somewhere I can’t get to you if something happened.”

  “You don’t own me Nick, I am moving tonight and you will have to deal with it. I’ve hired a service that will be there with me. I spoke with your mom and sisters and they all agreed to come by and check on me and I also have Monica and Jackie, so I am covered.”

  “And what about me, I didn’t hear you mention me in that equation, or don’t I matter anymore?”

  “Of course you matter, but you and Anna are trying to rebuild your relationship and I don’t want to interfere with that.”

  “Bullshit, you moving has nothing to do with my relationship with Anna, so what is it?”

  “It’s because I’m in love with you. Because when you touch me you set my body on fire, because I want you all to myself and I can’t stay here another night and listen to you make love to another woman.” She screamed in her head, unable to vocalize it.

  “I asked you a question Victoria. Why are you really leaving?”

  “You and Anna need privacy to work on your relationship, and I don’t need to hear you two making love.” She said softly before getting up slowly and walking up the stairs. She needed to get away from him before the tears started.

  Dominic sat there stunned at her revelation. He and Anna began a physical relationship again but he didn’t think they could be heard. Truth be told, the couple of times they made love, he was thinking about Victoria and got so turned on that he used Anna as a release. Now because of his carelessness, Anna thought their relationship was getting stronger and Victoria was moving that much further out of his reach.

  He turned to follow her when the doorbell rang. He looked up the stairs, then walked toward the front door.

  “Hi baby, I brought Chinese for three.” She said with a smile that did not reach her eyes, as she raised the bag. Anna decided th
at she needed to accept this living arrangement until she convinced him to get engaged again. She didn’t like the way he looked at Victoria or the way he catered to her like she was his woman. She knew she needed to do something now because it would just get worse after the babies were born.

  “Anna, did you hear what I said?”

  “I’m sorry baby, what did you say?”

  “I said you can put the food in the kitchen. I’ll be right back, I need to talk to Victoria.”

  She frowned as she walked toward the kitchen “What now, does the princess bitch need a backrub?” she spewed softly as she walked to the kitchen. Dominic rounded to stairs two at a time. He reached her room and knocked softly of the door. Victoria quickly wiped the remaining tears before telling him to come in.

  “Vic….” He looked into her eyes and could see she was upset. He moved closer to her. “I’m so sorry, this is the first time that anyone else has lived in this house with me, It was insensitive and thoughtless of me not to think you would not be able to hear…” he paused not wanting to say it “other activities going on in this house.”

  “I’m the one who is sorry, it was impolite of me to mention it, you are Anna are a couple.” He looked around the room and noticed it was completely void of Victoria’s belongings.

  “You’ve packed already?”

  “Yes, Fran is picking me up and Francesco and Marco agreed to move the rest of my stuff.”

  “So you and my entire family are plotting against me?” he said with a weak smile. He loved that they treated her like part of the family even if he didn’t agree with it.