The Twelve Zenati Pt. 23

"Did you see her any other time? At the house or the restaurant where you worked? Did she come to your wedding?" Armando asked, noticing his son stiffen at the words.

"No, I don't remember seeing her again. It would have been hard to miss her. She was tall and gorgeous, and I don't know she was just hard to miss even in a crowded room," Olivia said. "Sorry I can't be more help."

"That's more than enough to help us put some of the pieces together," Armando reassured her. "We also have the papers for you to sign so we can get them to Noah and Marcella in the morning."

"Marcella? She's still here?" she asked having believed that once she gave the Zenati men the proof Olivia needed to defend herself, she would have disappeared entirely rather than be forced to return to the city.

"She is the one brokering the deal with Bea Kottman," Armando nodded.

"I just thought... It doesn't matter," Olivia gave a half shrug and smiled.

"You thought I would take over the negotiations now?" Armando prompted.

"Noah more so than you, he always takes over her plans except when she went to find my boat but then you all took over that when she told you where it was," she admitted.

"I guess that is what happened," Genesis said in a troubled tone. "Not this time, however. It is Marcella's contact that wants the Royce mansion as payment and that contact is only dealing with Marcella even though Noah is with her." He could see where they had immediately pushed Marcella out of the investigation of the boat without even so much as a thank you for finding it and alerting the Zenati. Again, he felt guilt for the fact that he had given the woman no reason to trust or confide in him or his brothers when she had come to help her sister.

"Did Bea ever mention any family of her own? Children or the like? A son or a daughter? Maybe a brother, even her husband, assuming she had one," Isaac asked speaking for the first time since following Armando into the spacious apartment.

"Her husband had died along with her son in a car accident. Her daughter was all grown up and didn't need her anymore, so she was happy to have me to look after. Well me and Remy," Olivia said, causing Genesis to lose some of his control and growl at Remy's name.

"A daughter that never visited her at the house?" Isaac asked.

"I was, um, unable to leave my room when I was injured and I went to work most days that I wasn't so I couldn't tell you that for sure. There were visitors I could hear them coming and going on occasion, but I couldn't say if she were one of them. If I had to guess I would say no, she was hard to miss even in a crowd, in the house she would have stood out, and I probably would have heard her if I was there," Olivia shrugged.

"I know some women like that," Isaac chuckled. "I'll let you get back to the actual reason we're here." He waved his hand toward Armando and the legal paperwork they had brought with them.

"Remington's mansion was part of the assets belonging to one of his legal corporations that also owned the restaurant and building Olivia worked in as well as a few others. As Mrs Royce, when his assets are released, she will assume control of that corporation. Because Remington hasn't nominated his successor in the business she could, and in this case will be able to divide it up and dispose of it as she wishes. There is no will or legal provision for an inheritance or a successor in the business to challenge her and her right to claim his property despite that she was married to the man less than a week before becoming his widow," Armando explained.

"Fuck that's right! Fucking stupid I was looking in the wrong place!" Isaac burst out. "Excuse me for a moment please." He stood and taking his laptop with him went into the dining room and pulled up a chair.

"He does that sometimes, best to let him do what he needs to before asking questions," Armando chuckled. He enjoyed working with Isaac almost as much as Noah. Isaac's mind worked in mysterious ways, but he always got results and could often see the end game to puzzles that weren't apparent to anyone not paying attention yet.

*****

Leaving the cop on the side of the road as Noah entered the driveway leading to his family home, he smiled. Junie had been more than happy to assist with his request after the debacle in the hospital was explained to her, and he had been pleasantly surprised by the suggestions not only she made but his Uncles who were the leaders of their family as well. Anthony and Gianni could be ruthless men when called upon. Still, Noah had only ever known them as indulgent and generous uncles, and their wife Junie was the maternal force behind every part of their family even embracing their difficult mother and including her in the women's business. He hoped that his table held onto the values of their predecessors.

"My Uncles and Aunt live here, but they are in the city caring for Dom and Xavier right now. The staff know we are coming though," he said, hoping that information would reassure her. "My grandfather built this house for my grandmother, who was a little eccentric much like Madrina but not as extreme, in some ways at least, he chuckled. "This is where we have our Halloween festival," he indicated the colossal house that came into view.

Marcella was speechless as the house came into view. The sun was setting behind it, and the front was lit up with golden hues from strategically placed lamps. It was all so much to take in as was the enormity of the grounds it sat on. She continued to take it all in as Noah guided the car toward it and then curved around the back to a steep incline that rose as if from nowhere amid the flat surrounds. The car wound up a zigzagging road affording her a spectacular view of the house and grounds during sunset. A small area lit with two flaming torches came into view at the top of the steep incline, and Noah pulled his car to a stop.

"We're here," he said with a wide grin, his eyes glittering with excitement as he turned to look at her.

"We're where exactly?" Marcella asked, narrowing her eyes at him. They didn't seem to be anywhere at all.

"Your final challenge for the day and hopefully my home run after the little show you gave on the way here," he teased with a chuckle.

"Okay," she said, slowly looking around again. "Let's go then, and we'll see if you get a foul ball or not," Marcella said with an equally teasing tone in her voice.

"No way you will foul ball me for this," he said radiating confidence as he clicked off his seatbelt and stood from the car hurrying around to gather her to him as she stepped out unaided. She looked amazing in the red dress and fuck-me heels. He had worried for a moment about the heels but realised that was all she wore on a day to day basis unless she was pretending to be Stevie and she was as confident in them as she would have been in her flat shoes. Noah pulled her to his side as they walked toward the two flaming torches.

"Wait you want me to wear a harness while wearing this dress?" Marcella baulked at the idea.

"You have to admit it's a fairly flimsy material that will not be hard to secure a harness over and it will only be for a little while and where no one will see us. Not a soul will come any closer than that house to us tonight," he assured her indicating the huge mansion they had driven past. "Please trust me, Honey, you will love this, I promise. If on the off chance that you don't I will have someone from the house come and pick us up, and I will take you back to StarCity immediately, but this is our one day before the shit hits the fan so to speak and you promised I could guide you through the best things about my home town."

"I guess the day has been pretty amazing so far," she gave him the credit he was due. She had already made up her mind that she would give him his home run. She wouldn't be staying once she got the evidence, she needed to ensure Olivia's safety so there would be no repeat performances, this wasn't just his one chance it was hers as well.

"Great!" Noah grinned and helped her with her harness before donning his own and attaching the straps to a wire above their heads that she had barely noticed in the dim light. Then he wrapped them in a type of sleeve zipping it up and locking it into place so that they still stood side by side. Through the whole process, Marcella said nothing but instead watched and soaked up the excitement Noah exuded. This was obviously something he enjoyed very much, and it was hard not to get caught up in his excitement.

"Ready?" Noah asked.

"As ready as I will ever be," she shrugged.

"Good now just relax I need to lift our feet from the ground but don't panic I won't let you fall. Not now, not ever," Noah promised solemnly as she tried to relax while they tilted forward in the twin sleeve and Noah secured a strap to the shoulder of his harness while reaching for a second one above them.

"Marcella?" he asked, turning his face to hers.

"Noah?" she laughed, turning her head to find their faces so close together.

"Thank you for trusting me today," he murmured as he kissed her awkward, having to stretch his neck to press his lips to hers. The moment he broke the kiss, he pulled down on the strap that had kept them in place, and the zip line took them into a mild decent as they picked up speed.

Marcella squealed as they began to move and pick up speed. The setting sun still glowed on the horizon, but the trees they flew into like birds seemed shadowy and almost menacing as they brushed their rig, like claws trying to prevent them from passing. It was like a ghost train almost, and her heart raced with the adrenalin-fuelled flight through the trees. Some parts seemed steep and rocketed them faster before using that moment to push them along flat or slightly inclined parts. She thought the journey would never stop even though it had probably only been minutes as she flew through the landscape, sometimes directly into the setting sun. It was unbelievably fantastic, and she had to admit Noah had earned the home run he wanted tonight.

Noah never took his eyes from Marcella during the trip down to their destination in a gully below. He watched the range of emotions cover her face and grinned widely whenever she looked at him. Her squeals of panic when they had first started flying had turned into squeals of joy, and he couldn't deny how turned on the sound made him. He wanted this woman like he hadn't ever wanted anything else in his life. Hope blossomed anew as he reminded himself of her conversation with Xavier and Oscar. She trusted him, and she was inclined to accept his proposal as lame as it was at the time. He would make up for that, maybe even tonight if all went well. She needed him to meet her on equal grounds, not to dominate but rather wrest control from her now and then. She needed to put up that fight and know that he was worthy of her submission to him even if it was only temporary.

As the flight came to an end, Noah undid the strap from his shoulder ready to put his feet down as the zip line slowed along the final incline to the edge of the magnificent treehouse his grandmother had designed and used as her own space for many years.

"Almost there," Noah told Marcella and slightly eased off on the strap holding their feet in place to show her that she would be back on solid ground in a minute or two.

"Oh," Marcie said, sounding disappointed. Then a vast treehouse lit up with fairy lights came into view as if something magical had transformed this part of the rainforest. This wasn't a rickety treehouse put together by kids who had scavenged bits and pieces here and there. This was a well-designed house that could sit on any street in a middle-class suburb. Her feet touched down on the wooden planks of the large deck, and she looked around eagerly, taking it all in. This was absolutely astonishing and something she never would have guessed at from their position on the hill where they had taken flight. It took only moments for Noah to remove the sleeve and harnesses so she could walk freely.

"Can I explore?" she asked tentatively.

"For a price," he chuckled and closed the distance between them pulling her to him and bending to kiss her deeply for several long slow moments. "Now, be my guest," he said after clearing his throat from the equal amount of heat Marcella had put into that kiss. He swept a hand out at their surroundings and encouraged her to explore rather than have him show her around. There were many ingenious surprised hidden around the treehouse. It had been his grandmother's favourite place to be either alone or with one or two others at most when she shared her secrets, and special stash of Halloween themed goodies all year round.

He watched as Marcella scanned the wall before her not seeing any obvious door. She went to the side where the deck curved around for a few feet and frowned even running her hand over the wall in case she just couldn't see where the join was for a door. He couldn't help his smirk as she walked to the other side of the house again seeking admittance but found nothing. She was silent in thought until she finally turned to him.

"It's a hidden door?" she asked, tilting her head.

"It is," Noah stepped forward to show her, but she held up a hand.

"Just give me a hint and see if I can work it out," she said with a curious tone in her voice.

"The entrance is not where you would expect it to be," he shrugged then smiled as she narrowed her eyes at him as if gauging his clue. She turned back to the large double-hung windows and considered the large wall that faced the decking. He leaned back again the rail, curious as to what she would do next.

There were no seams in the wall as far as she could see and she reasoned that even if there were a panel or a lever there would be at least a small seam and she had seen none. She looked up at the roof and then down at the ground. She hadn't been concentrating hard enough on the treehouse to know if there was more to it beneath and she turned to face Noah again still looking for a way down if not through.

"Keep smirking Zanetti and see how close that gets you to home base," she grumbled at him.

"You asked me not to show you the way in," he defended himself.

"Your hint sucked," she threw back at him at the same time her eyes lit on a dark seam in the rail near where he stood. Maybe he hadn't sucked with his clues she thought as she moved closer to the spot in the rail. As she got close, she could see a platform and a staircase leading down. "I bet that impresses all the girls you bring here after a perfect date." She pushed in the section of the rail, and it swung out, forming the upper part of the handrail.

"Perfect date, huh," Noah chuckled. "I wouldn't know I have never even considered bringing anyone else here. Can't say I have ever gone to this much trouble for a date either."

"Sure, whatever," she dismissed his words offhandedly as she got to the bottom of the stairs and found wide French doors. Locked wide French doors. "Do you have a key?"

"If you stop blowing off everything I say as if it's a lie or a line," he grumbled. Pulling her close, he kissed her. "Only you," he murmured, refusing to fight with her again. Then he opened a hidden panel and slid the latch up to unlock the doors.

"Welcome to Nona's treehouse," he said and let her lead the way inside.

"Wow," Marcella gasped. This was not what she had expected at all. Rough natural woods created furniture that was both stately and rustic and twisted her mind. Maybe it was the many gilt-edged frames on the walls housing photos of all of the family members that gave it that added feel of stately luxury or the fabrics used for the curtains and cushions of the sofas and chairs. The kitchen seen easily within the open-plan space was definitely a working kitchen, and she noted a bottle of champagne sitting in an ice-bucket with two crystal flutes waiting for them. "This was your Nona's house?" she asked.

"No, my Nona lived in the big house we drove past with my grandfathers," he chuckled. "This was her private space, though. When she needed time to think and manage her business dealings without interruptions or on occasion to spoil her grandchildren with tea parties and games, she came here. There are a lot of hidden wonders and surprises in these rooms."

"I can see that," Marcella still looked around in awe as she continued into the space. "And that not all of the family came here. There aren't enough seats to manage all of her children and their wives let alone the whole family."

"True this was more for special times with Nona or secret meetings with the women she trusted most," he explained. "She is missed very badly by the whole family even though Junie is pretty incredible at those sorts of special touches too. She won't use this treehouse, but I expect Emma will when the time comes. She never met Nona properly before she passed."

"So this is part of the traditional property of the Chair and Oracle?" Marcella asked. "And they let you come here to seduce a woman they barely know?"

"I wouldn't put it like that," he said with a grimace.

"How would you put it?" she asked.

"I told him I was bringing the woman I planned to marry as soon as she said yes," Noah advanced on her then, and she backed up against the wall. "I proposed, and you wear my ring. I'm your fiancé, and I like it that way."

His soft chuckle filled her ears as he bent to kiss her. Why did he have to keep talking like it was more than just a game? They both knew she couldn't stay once everything she needed to do for Olivia was done. Why did he have to keep pushing her about this stupid engagement, it was bad enough he had pushed her to use it as a crutch when talking to Xavier and Oscar. They both knew it could never work. She groaned in frustration and pushed against his chest to make some distance between their bodies.

"Why couldn't you have just stuck to the baseball metaphors. I would have given you your home run after the flight through the trees and this incredible place. Why do you always have to push me to where I don't want to go!" she hissed in frustration at him.

"Honey we agreed on a lot of things today including the metaphorical home run which I plan to claim now that you have admitted this was the perfect date," Noah said matter-of-factly. He had crowded her against the wall without quite touching her. "We can argue about our plans to get married after I make my home run," he challenged. "I know you. I have watched and wanted for long enough, and I think you have as well, don't you?"

Noah stood close enough that his breath skimmed over her skin, causing goosebumps to rise on her neck and arms and she cursed inwardly that he was right. Not about any else except that she wanted this, but it galled her to have to admit the truth of his words. She had no plans to give up any of the control he had promised her until her plan had come to fruition so if this was the issue he was going to tackle first she would give as good as he gave. She pushed him again, planning on shoving past him to create some space between them, but for the first time, he didn't give way. His taller broader frame towered over her not intimidating, but as an immovable block then he grabbed her wrists as she tried to shove him again and turned her, so she was facing the wall.

Noah crowded her space then and bent his head to nibble at her neck just behind her ear and smiled in triumph as she let out a barely perceptible moan. He pressed his hips into hers, showing her the strength of the rock-hard erection he had been sporting since their interlude on the yacht. She would be his he just had to make her see how inevitable that was for them both.

"I know you want me as much as I want you," he whispered breathlessly into her ear and revelled in the shudder of her body at his words.