Flirting with Deception Read online

  Flirting with Deception

  Flirting with Curves (2)

  Ava Catori

  Olivia Rigal

  Lady O Publishing

  Contents

  Introduction

  Copyright

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Afterword

  About the Authors

  Introduction

  Gia’s body was soft and warm, curvy in all the right places, and padded to perfection. I loved that feminine detail, the one that spoke of her sensuality and had my body pushed to the limit with a need to devour her.

  She wrapped her legs up around me. Everything felt right. This was where I belonged. We moved in sync, a rhythmic dance taking us to the edge.

  Strong and stubborn, Gia struck out on her own. Little did she know that Ocean Crest was forbidden territory or that her harmless deception would create such chaos.

  Devoted to New Jersey and the Ocean Crest project, Hunter thought reuniting with his high school sweetheart made everything fall into place. Until he started working with Gia.

  Boundaries are tested as the story continues in Ocean Crest, New Jersey.

  Copyright © 2016 by Ava Catori & Olivia Rigal

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover Design by Jacqueline Sweet

  Special thanks to Tina’s Editing

  Created with Vellum

  1

  Hunter

  I froze. The face that popped onto the television screen at the diner was familiar. The local news show was on with the sound muted. I squinted, as if it might change my view. The resemblance was more than a coincidence. My eyes never left the screen. I cautiously prodded my co-worker and friend. “Gia, is there something you’ve been meaning to tell me?”

  “What?” She was staring at the scrambled eggs on her plate.

  I knew her mind was busy. We were wrapping up the final modification of her latest architectural plan. The Ocean Crest project was her first. It meant everything, and would allow Gia to make a name for herself in the business world. Staring at the television, it started to make sense why she wanted a different name.

  “Is it Gia or Giavana?” I looked at the woman across from me, a woman I thought I knew.

  She blanched and lifted her head in the direction of the TV. An older picture of her standing beside Sonny Traversini was splashed across the screen with the words “Lobster Mobster Bagged: Seafood Kingpin Busted.”

  From the look on her face, I got the confirmation I needed. The man arrested on corruption charges was her father. How had I never connected the dots? That was an easy question to answer. She wasn’t using his last name. I couldn’t have known. All this time, Sonny Traversini’s daughter Giavana had been here, and I’d been oblivious.

  Gia looked away and softly urged me to keep her secret. “Please, Hunter, don’t say anything.”

  I almost laughed, but she looked so scared. I fought the urge and pointed to the television. “It’s on the news. I can’t be the only one watching.”

  But I could be the only one paying enough attention to recognize her.

  Gia’s eyes opened wider as she pleaded. “Hunter, please, at least for now, just keep it between you and me. Shit, this can’t be happening. Every time I try to break away from my family, something drags me back.”

  She tipped her head down and rubbed her temples. I tried to wrap my mind around the fact that Gia Simone was actually Giavana Traversini, the infamous mobster’s daughter.

  “How did you hide this from us? Didn’t they do a background check on you before they picked you for the project?” I kept my voice low, but what I really wanted to do was scream. I felt betrayed. I put my trust in her, confided a lot of stuff I’d never told anyone. We’d become close friends. Well, I thought we were friends. Apparently, she wasn’t sharing her secrets with me. It was a one-way street.

  How foolish could I be? Did everyone else know? She looked a little different in the picture on the news, but I knew her face the instant I saw it. Her hair was lighter in the picture, but it was back to a natural hue, and she’d filled out a little more, was softer, curvier. How many others would recognize her?

  Gia’s voice grew laced with urgency. “Please, don’t blow the whistle on me. If it comes to light on its own, fine, but if there’s a chance to keep it quiet, I would rather keep this between you and me. I’m desperate to break free from my family’s name and reputation.”

  My shoulders tensed. Frustration crawled up the back of my neck. I was pissed, hell, blindsided. I wanted to argue, blow off steam, but she looked broken and something in me softened. My anger faded as quickly as it had ignited. I wanted to take her in my arms and protect her, let her know everything would be okay. I didn’t yell, nor did I hug her. I simply shrugged and reluctantly agreed. “I’ll keep quiet on one condition. You tell me everything, and I mean everything.”

  She nodded. My mind raced. If she’d told us who she was, would we have given her a chance? Eh, probably not. Her family ran a bunch of the seafood docks along the eastern seaboard. The Traversini reputation wasn’t good. The more I thought about it, I understood why she changed her name. Nobody would have given her a fair chance. I was not making excuses for her, hell no. I was still angry she didn’t trust me enough to tell me.

  “What?” She was having trouble looking me in the eye.

  I studied her face. “Come on, talk. Or is there something else you’re keeping from me?”

  Gia picked up the large, leather tote bag that rested next to her. “I can’t do this. Not now. I’ve got to get to work.”

  I sulked.

  As she stood to leave, she paused. “I promise…we’ll talk later.”

  I watched her lush figure walk away. Her gorgeous, dark hair shimmered even in the crappy fluorescent lighting of the diner. She’d become a part of my life after I returned from California. I worked with my brother and Barbara, his soon to be wife. We were chasing ambitious dreams to make a difference in Ocean Crest with our new real estate project.

  During that time, Gia and I grew close, or so I thought. Turns out, it was one-sided. Tiffany was worried about our friendship at first, but it was silly. She was the one I was with, and Gia was just a friend. I smiled thinking back on the re-kindling of our romance. Tiffany and I had dated in my younger days, until I moved out west. As soon as I came back home, we reconnected easily, almost instantly.

  Truth be told, I didn’t mind her being a little jealous. It kept her on her toes. Tiffany was a flirt with other guys, and Gia’s presence—as long as she saw her as competition—was forcing her to keep her shameless flirting at bay. It made her hold on ti
ghter to me these days.

  I frowned and shook my head. Crap, I thought I knew Gia! Her betrayal cut deeper than I wanted to admit. Working side-by-side over the last few months, I’d grown to care about her, but quite honestly, I didn’t know what the hell to think anymore.

  Suspicion cast a dark shadow over my heart. It got me thinking about Tiffany as much as Gia. While she was thrilled and planning our future, I wondered if there was something I’d overlooked just as easily. Did she have her own secrets?

  My brother Ryder said I was settling. What did he know? I loved Tiffany. Okay, so maybe the spark wasn’t as strong as it could have been, but I knew what I was getting with her. She was safe and comfortable, like an old friend.

  Maybe I rushed back into things, but they all worked out. After seeing the connection between Ryder and Barbara, I ached for something similar. I was over my partying days and ready to settle down. But that didn’t mean I was ready to settle altogether, did it?

  My thoughts drifted back and forth between my lover and my friend. I wasn’t sure I understood women at all. Was Tiffany in love with me? Was Gia really my friend? Holy shit, she was a crime boss’s daughter. Fuck.

  I waved down the waitress and got a cup of coffee to go. What else didn’t I know about Gia, and how dangerous would it be to stay friends with a woman like that? I needed to shake it off. Gia was an important part of my life, or so I thought.

  I was looking forward to seeing my girl. Tiffany had been out of town for a few days and was finally coming home. She’d be happy to be in Ocean Crest after caring for her grandmother. Balance issues were becoming a problem for the older woman, but she lived a solid two hours away. Earlier this week she’d fallen again. The good news was there were no broken bones; the bad news was that her balance wasn’t getting any better. Tiffany stayed on for a couple days to make sure her grandmother was okay on her feet.

  I smiled at the thought of her arrival. There was nothing like a good roll in bed to take our minds off our worries. Tonight, I’d let go of Gia’s latest detail and concentrate my attention on Tiffany.

  With coffee in hand, I paid the breakfast tab and went out to my truck. I had to pick up some supplies and meet Ryder at a new worksite. It was a slow rebuild in Ocean Crest, but everything we were doing was needed. Ocean Crest couldn’t grow without new blood and no one would come if there was no affordable yet decent housing. To draw in new residents, the small New Jersey town was working with us to make an impact. The more curbside appeal the worn-down neighborhoods had, the better.

  With a new call center about to open, offering 150 new jobs, it was a start. Our home flipping model was another piece of the puzzle. Invest, grow, re-invest, and make Ocean Crest a place to call home.

  I realized we couldn’t single-handedly bring Ocean Crest back to life, but each step we took would inch us closer to their goal of making the beach town relevant once again.

  * * *

  2

  Gia

  As I rushed out the diner, I frantically searched for my second phone. How long had it been since I’d turned it on - a week maybe?

  I was happy in Ocean Crest and managed to forget about my other life. On finding the phone, I turned it on and prayed it still had a charge. The device came to life and buzzed repeatedly. Once in the safety of my car, I looked at the screen. A dozen missed calls and so many text messages... I scrolled down the list. Most were from Gino, some were anonymous callers, and then there was my mother.

  Without bothering to read what they’d written, I dialed Gino back. He picked up on the first ring, “Gia, where the fuck are you? Are you okay?” he asked, his tone exacerbated and worried.

  I winced. The last thing I wanted was to make Gino mad. The man was my mother’s youngest brother and my favorite uncle. Even though he’d embraced the family lifestyle without second thoughts, and was next in line to take over the management of the family business, he understood my need for independence.

  When everyone else had frowned at me for wanting to leave the protective nest of la famiglia, he gave his blessing and secretly paid for the part of my college tuition that hadn’t been covered by my scholarship. Ever since I was a child, he’d encouraged me to go after my dream. Without him, I probably wouldn’t have become an architect.

  “Yes, yes, I’m fine,” I answered. Guilt washed over me. “I’m sorry, I was busy. I forgot to turn on my phone.”

  “For three fucking days, Gia?” Gino was mad. He usually kept his cursing in check when talking to me. “I was worried sick!”

  “I’m sorry. I promise I’m fine. What happened?” As soon as the words left my mouth, I cursed myself. I didn’t really want to know and get sucked back in.

  “The Guarnieri family, that’s what happened,” he barked. “They set your pa up and made noise about his losing close family members.”

  I silently nodded. That would explain why they panicked when I didn’t answer my phone for several days.

  “Well, no one got to me. Nobody knows who I am…” Oh, crap. “Actually, that’s not true anymore. My picture was just splashed on the news. One of the guys I work with recognized me, but he said he wouldn’t breathe a word of it.”

  “What guy, Gia? Can he be trusted?”

  I didn’t have to think about it to answer his question. Of course, Hunter could be trusted. He was hurt that I hadn’t told him who I really was, but he wouldn’t kick me to the curb based on who my father was. “Yeah, the guy’s cool. He’s a good friend. He’s not one you have to worry about.”

  The last thing I needed was Gino to go all protective on me, especially when there was nothing to protect. As far as Hunter was concerned, I was just one of the guys. He only had eyes for his bubbly Tiffany, and that blond bimbo kept him under close watch. As far as I could tell, he had nothing to worry about; he was wrapped around her perfectly manicured little finger.

  Gino sighed. His tone softened when he spoke again. “I never thought I would say this, but I’m happy you’re hiding under another name on the other side of the country.”

  I winced again. I was really no good at this lying business. No one knew I was back on the East Coast. Had the family known I was a short ride away from home, they would have taken control of my life again. Of course, there were worse fates than having to come home to one of my mama’s lasagnas every Sunday for supper, but it came with a lot of strings attached. It took me long enough to sever them that I wasn’t about to let them lasso me back into the herd.

  My silence made Gino suspicious. “Gia,” he growled. “Tell me you’re still in California.”

  I bit my lower lip trying to decide what to tell him.

  “Fuck, Gia! Where are you?” he demanded.

  I took a deep breath and came clean. “I’m back in Jersey, but I’m in a ghost town. I only see a handful of people every day, they’re good people. I promise I’m safe.”

  “Gia!” His scolding was interrupted by the beep of my dying phone battery.

  “Gino, I’m out of power. I have to recharge. I’ll call you from home in an hour.”

  “You’d better, otherwise I’m…” The line went dead, sparing me his threat.

  I dropped the phone into my handbag and pressed my head to the steering wheel. Closing my eyes, I cursed. Whatever possessed me to think I could really become Gia Simone and become a regular member of the Ocean Crest revival project? Like gravity, reality always found a way to pull me down to earth. I had to accept the fact that there was no escaping being Sonny Traversini’s daughter. I always knew at some point, I’d have to come home. I just didn’t think it would be so soon.

  I looked at my watch and decided to give myself a couple of hours of respite. I needed to get to the construction site and check the progress of the last phase. After that, I’d look for Barbara, before Hunter got to her. She knew who I was. I’d been honest with her. Before she decided to hire me, I told her that my family could be a problem. Thankfully, she’d shrugged off my concern.

  “W
e all have family issues,” she said waving away my protest with a light gesture of the hand. “For all I know, we could have the same father, so there’s no way I would hold this against you.”

  That’s when Barbara had told me about her not knowing who her father was and being the daughter of Ocean Crest’s town drunk. Like me, she had run from her hometown hoping never to return. She’d gone to college and started working at DCD Corp. They’d been good to her, she said, paid for her MBA and flown her all over the country to reorganize or close factories until one day, they sent her back to Ocean Crest to close the very factory Barbara’s mother had worked in.

  The rest of her story I gathered by bits and pieces as we grew closer. Ryder and Barbara had pretty much ignored each other when kids but had fallen really hard for each other when she came back. So much for planning never to live in the town she had fled. I guess there was something to be said for the Jersey shore.

  Driving to the site, I wondered if Ryder and Hunter would be as relaxed about it as Barbara had. One thing I knew for sure, Brad wouldn’t. The man was financing a major part of the larger construction work and on the board of directors of so many corporations, some had to be under direct S.E.C. scrutiny. If the decision was left to him, I would be out the door before the end of the project. There was no way he would take the chance of being even remotely associated with someone in my family.

  * * *

  3

  Hunter

  After breakfast, I headed to our latest job site. Ryder was already there and he didn’t look happy. He shook his head and muttered something under his breath. It was going to be a bumpy day.

  My brother groaned. “Did you hear the news? Just what we need…”