I love the feedback the good and the bad. I understand the comments about more focus on Marcello and Rain. However, Jazz and Connor are an intricate part of their story. This story is a spin off story for Marcello off of Smooth Jazz. That being said, Connor and Jazz are a big piece of their lives and I think their scenes are relevant to the overall story. Overall, Rain and Marcello’s development is essential to me as well and ultimately will be the end all be all but this is a story and it will be multifaceted. I like the different character perspectives and I think all the characters have something to offer. That being said, I will make sure to include more Marcello and Rain focused scenes moving forward! We’ll be wrapping this story up fairly soon! A special shout out to those who comment and give me feedback! I love that you’ve grown to love and be as invested in the story just as much as me! I can’t please everyone but I do take the feedback seriously! As always with love…- Dlovely

*****

A FEW MORE WEEKS LATER AND HE HAD MADE UP HIS MIND. He wanted to take her. Marcello and Connor had been running ragged trying to put pieces together. He knew they were both on edge.

Jessica was nowhere to be found and Bert, who they suspected was her accomplice, was in jail for breaking into the office. They found obvious traces of trashed evidence. However, Connor and Marcello knew that one could erase documents but money could always be traced.

They planned to follow the money. The next steps involved finding out what connection Jessica had to Ellen as well as where Jessie had gone. He had fell off the face of the earth. Neither Jessica nor Jessie had made an appearance within the last month. Marcello and Connor knew that things were just too quiet.

He knew everyone was on edge. Jazz and Rain had been acting strange. Marcello and Connor noticed that they weren’t speaking. When they questioned each one of the girls they had nothing to say. They both claimed nothing was wrong but they were definitely avoiding each other. Marcello and Connor decided to let them work it out in their own time.

Marcello knew her and Rain were close. Connor and him were brothers and still had their share of fights. It was natural and Rain was finding her place within their family. She was finding her place in his heart as well. He knew what he had planned today was the right thing.

He knew if he was truly serious about being with Rain then he needed to open up to her. He needed to bare all and to show her a side of him that people only closest to him were allowed to see.

He didn’t know how she would react or let alone how he would react, but this was the best way he knew to show her he was serious about them. He loved Rain. He didn’t know how it happened but somewhere along the way he fell for her.

He needed to show her. He couldn’t just say it. Marcello sat on the bed and ran fingers through his dark mane. His green eyes rested on his beautiful woman. Marcello watched in quiet appreciation as she slipped a pair of skinny jeans over her firm bottom.

He looked away to control his urge to ravish her. If he kept watching they wouldn’t make it out the house. As of late, he couldn’t keep his hands off of her. Every second of the day he wanted her and when away he imagined the different ways he could have her.

“I wish you would tell me where we’re going.” Rain poked out her sexy pink lips and Marcello gave a deep chuckle.

“It’s a surprise. It’s nowhere exciting.” His voice got lower and she crossed the room and lifted his head to her. Rain was starting to get concerned about him. She had notice that lately he had been in his head a lot.

She knew that there was a lot worrying him. She felt bad because she knew it was partly her drama. Marcello had taken on her storm and decided to weather through it with her. She didn’t think she could ever repay him for keeping her safe.

Rain knew she needed to disclose the truth. She didn’t like what Jazz had to say but she knew that she was right. He deserved to know and she was being hypocritical. She missed Jazz. She didn’t think after the way she had left her sobbing that she would want to reconcile. She felt like she had burned her bridge with Jazz and it was killing her. There were so many things she wanted to share.

Jazz was just as distant. They rarely spoke. She didn’t think they could be so prideful. She promised herself that when she got the courage she would reach out. She knew she was running out of time. She didn’t want to lose Jazz as a friend. Jazz was the first person she ever let hold her secrets. Rain couldn’t help but acknowledge that even in their turmoil she held her tongue. Rain was grateful.

“Is there something I need to know?” She looked into his eyes as the sunlight shined across her face illuminating the golden rim around her eyes as they connected with his. He pulled her into his lap and hid his face inside her neck. She quivered at his touch.

She couldn’t help but think about the gaziantep escort love she had for this man. She had fallen for him and she was scared. She was scared because she thought she loved Jessie but what she felt for Marcello was a dry passion. It was dry as in she felt dry and deserted without him.

He was like water. She had begun to ask herself how she ever was living without him. He was like the rain that would come down when she healed.

“Today is important. I’ll explain when we get there.” He looked up into her eyes. Marcello held her gaze and watched as her eyes wavered and gave into his silence.

“Okay, but everything’s going to be fine whatever it is.” She rubbed his head and his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Where else could he find such comfort but in her? She had come into his life and changed his way of thinking.

She didn’t want to give up on him. She never did even when he tried to push her away. She came to him wanting to help him and she had. She had come in and helped him in every way it seemed she could.

She ran errands for him that required strain on his leg and had taken care of his military paperwork that she knew made him depressed to go through. He had never laughed or smiled so much in his life as he did now that he had her.

“I’m hoping baby. Let’s go.” She got to her feet since they didn’t touch the ground when she was in his lap seeing as she was only a mere 5’6 or 5’7 on a good day. He grabbed her jacket as it was cool outside and might rain. He slipped one on himself and grabbed her hand as they headed out the door.

Marcello knew it was hard for Rain to come clean about her story with Jessie. It was time for him to come clean with his. He didn’t want there to be any more secrets between them. He had pressed Rain but she claimed there was nothing more to tell. He trusted her and he hoped his trust wouldn’t be in vain.

*

JAZZ NERVOUSLY SMOOTHED OUT HER JEANS AND BUTTON DOWN SHIRT. Donny was hanging out with Grandpa for today and Connor was busy keeping her out of the loop. She knew there was something that happened at work that Connor wasn’t telling her. She wouldn’t stress over it soon she would prove herself more than valuable.

Jazz had finally texted William back and let him know she would meet him. She was hesitant about doing such alone but she didn’t have a choice. Rain had bailed out on her. She sighed just thinking about their spat.

Jazz couldn’t believe that they weren’t speaking. She couldn’t lie it hurt her. Her and Rain were just starting to get close. She didn’t want to bring James into it either afraid that she would lose him as well. She just needed to handle it on her own and then she would show them all.

As if things with her and Rain going to hell wasn’t bad enough, her and Connor weren’t on the best terms either. Her phone was constantly going off with changes from William. She knew Connor was becoming suspicious. A lot of the times she left the room to answer calls. He never said anything but she knew he was watching her.

Jazz put her curls up in a neat bun and snapped on some pearls into her ears. She kept it light. Her face was void of any foundation. She chose mascara and cat eyes for today’s look. She didn’t want to appear as if she was trying to look good for him.

She kept it business casual in a long sleeve pinstripe shirt, skinny jeans, and some open toe black boots. Her beauty was undeniable but she was more low key than usual. She wanted to keep it strictly professional. Although, she did hope the closure would allow her to face her insecurities and move on.

It was fall season so it was a little chilly out. She grabbed her beige trench coat and a handbag to match and made her way out the door. She failed to notice Connor pulling up as she pulled out the driveway and down the street expecting him to still be at work.

CONNOR FOUND IT STRANGE THAT SHE WAS LEAVING THE HOUSE. This morning she had claimed she was piled up in work. He decided to make amends for his macho behavior by bringing her lunch.

Yet, when he texted her earlier she claimed she was ordering in with James. There was something itching at him as he started to turn his car back around to go to work. Jazz had just been acting so strange lately. It was everything from weird phone calls she refused to answer in front of him, her cold shoulder, and her sudden lack of need to be involved.

The nagging feeling wouldn’t leave him alone and instead he let her get a head start and then started following at a distance close behind her.

*

MARCELLO DROVE THE CAR AND DIDN’T TALK AT ALL. His mind was too clouded with his own thoughts. His mind was spinning like a wheel nonstop about the approaching destination.

He couldn’t hold on to the grief anymore. He couldn’t love Rain completely as she deserved unless he let go of all of his anger and pain. He had to be a better man if he wanted to take her as his forever. konya escort

Marcello had been having visions like no other before. He had dreams and visions of his Rain in white walking towards him down the aisle. He imagined that she would stand before him in all her beauty, confess her love for him, and say she was his forever.

There was a fire that burned inside of him when he thought of losing her. He knew he was getting better and soon her services wouldn’t be needed. Did that mean she would go back to her own life and he to his? Would she forget about all the passion they shared?

His eyes grew dark. He couldn’t imagine it. He made sure that each time they made love that he stroked in her so deeply as to imprint his soul into her. He wanted his love to be so thorough that long after he left her that she desired him that much more. He had never wanted to be as welcomed by a woman as he wanted to be by her.

His love for her was as natural as her beauty. There was an instinctive drive to want to protect her from every possible harm. He knew for this very reason he wanted to marry her and start a family. He could even see himself working long term with Connor. He doubted he would ever be completely healed enough to return to service.

He looked over at Rain as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.

“What’s on your mind?” She asked as she linked their fingers together.

“Remember when I told you I wasn’t such a good guy back in the day?” He had stopped the car in a parking lot two blocks from their destination. He let go of her hand and he hopped out the car to her side trying not to let his struggle show.

He helped her out the passenger side and locked the door. He grabbed her once more and started them on their walk.

“Yes I remember” She eyed him patiently.

“Well, I wasn’t kidding. When I was growing up, I didn’t have a plan. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew I didn’t want to struggle like my parents did. I resented them for not being able to make ends meet sometimes, and we had to get by on bread and water basically.”

“I understand your anger and you were young Marcello.” He gave a weak smile as she attempted to validate his emotions.

“I blamed them and I was angry because I didn’t understand Rain. I didn’t understand how much they tried. I didn’t appreciate them or my family. Soon I picked up two jobs to help out and fought my way through school. Anybody who talked about my clothes or picked on my brother or sister I whooped their ass. I was so angry and I held it inside. I didn’t talk much. All I did was save money, but then I started spending it. I started getting high and drinking a lot.”

“For the pain.” Rain commented softly. She could imagine him a poor soul. She knew very well that poverty was deeper than materialistic things. She remembered how it tarnished the soul and stepped on one’s worth and value.

“I would lock myself in my room and get high all day. Soon I forgot I just blocked out the world. I thought not caring about anything or anyone and keeping my shit inside would help.”

“But you still weren’t happy.” She seemed to be thinking aloud but he nodded because it was the truth.

“Nope I felt hopeless and I never had a plan. Before I knew it, it was the end of my senior year. My grades were down the toilet and not enough money in the world could improve my grades or make a college accept me. I rebelled even more and started selling here and there. I started buying myself decent clothes. I wasn’t half-bad looking well-dressed so I was able to get all the girls I wanted.”

“You were so much more than that I’m sure…but hopelessness can block our true potential.”

“Yeah, I could have been more but instead I was a jerk. My other siblings evolved. My sister Gabriella, she started taking Ballet. Don use to record her competitions, because he was a genius with film. Everybody had a gift but me and I was bitter. One night Gabriella came to my room she wanted me to come to her competition. I slammed the door in her face.” Marcello paused at a small store venue and came back out with flowers.

“Gabriella was the youngest?”

“Yeah, she looked up to me. She should have looked up to Don. Sure I had beat people up for her but I was too wrapped up in my own shit to really care. I loved her and Don but I was in too fucked up a space to let them in…I wanted to go to her recital…it was strange how I just didn’t feel welcomed.”

“Did you ever go?”

“No, they left the house without me-” He stared off into the distance and Rain felt a feeling of grief wash over her.

“They died that night.” Her voice was quiet and laced with sadness for him and his lost family.

“They died that night today and I never got a chance to say goodbye. I never got a chance to really tell them how much I loved them. Marcel wasn’t even my real father. He came into me and my mother’s life they had Don and Gabriella kayseri escort but he treated me as his own. I still felt the absence of my father.”

“I’m sure they loved you as much as they loved Gabriella and Don.”

“That’s the sad thing. They did, but I couldn’t accept that. I was in so much pain. I was angry at the world because I never felt good enough.”

She grabbed the roses from his hand before he crushed them and put a hand to his face looking at him.

“You don’t have to do this.” She seemed to have an idea where they were going.

“Yes we do.”

He started walking again and she followed right next to him. They walked into the graveyard their feet seemed heavy against the soft grass glistening with morning dew from the rain that fell last night. Marcello put his hands in his pockets and guided them past various graves.

RAIN LOOKED ON THE GROUND CAREFUL NOT TO STEP ON THE HEADSTONES. The sky seemed to blacken over as she digested his words. He had carried around so much for so many years.

She figured the army was his release. A place where he could take out his anger by training and risking his life. He was left with no one when they died. It hurt her to imagine him, a young man filled with regret and blame. He stopped and so did she as they reached four graves adorned with their names.

He knelt to the ground and she started to step away to give him privacy when he reached out for her hand and pulled her down with him. He grabbed her hand as they kneeled in front of the graves.

“Why did you bring me here baby? I know this has to be hard for you Marcello, you didn’t-”

“I did. I never got to say I was sorry, and I took them all for granted. But I wanted to show you that I’ve come a long way from who I use to be, but you deserve to know the result of my carelessness. A family ruined, maybe a curse, to show me what I really had and I blew it. If I could go back -” His voice cracked and she saw the tears come down his eyes.

She released his hand and sat on the ground next to him and brought his head to her chest and stroked his cheek tears streaming down her own eyes. She ached for him and the hurt she knew was like a ball tumbling through him.

“You still have a chance Marcello. You still can say goodbye. You still can say sorry baby. You can say it right now and they will forgive you. They’re looking down on you now. They see the man you’ve become and they’re so proud of you. I’m proud of you. You’ve shown me so many new things and whether you believe it or not, you’re a damn good man. You hear me?”

Her voice was shaky with tears. “Tell them they’re watching you. Tell them baby” She encouraged him.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything. I took you all for granted. I loved you all but didn’t know how to show it. I loved you so damn much! But God I felt like an intruder like I didn’t fit. But I’m better now. I’m a man and I’m sorry. I’ve forgiven myself. To you Mom you gave me life and I am forever grateful and that’s why I always watered your plants and let Don take the credit for it but I love you.” He leaned against his mother’s headstone and Rain laid down a flower.

“Go ahead.” She rubbed his back as they looked to Marcel’s.

“You are my father. You took care of me and I love you for that even though I didn’t show it. I appreciate everything you did for me.”

Rain continued putting the roses down and clearing off the graves as they went.

Marcello continued “Gabriela I’m sorry. You thought I didn’t care about your ballet. Secretly I watched every video Don brought home. You were my little ballerina and I love you. And Don I use to cry in anger for you after I cleaned your wounds. I love you too.”

“They heard you baby and they forgive you. You can let it go and keep making them proud.”

He turned to Rain and kissed her all of the grief passing between them. She was touched that he would share this moment with her. She imagined them smiling down on him. She hoped her ancestors were right and they could hear him, feel his love, but as the sky cleared she knew they could.

“And to you Rain.” He grabbed her hands as he helped them both to their feet. “I’m sorry for the way that I treated you in the beginning and how I acted. You’ve shown me what true kindness and compassion is. I love you…”

“Marcello …” She was speechless as he held her tight and kissed the top of her head. The wind rippled passed them and her hair danced around their faces until Marcello tucked it behind her ears.

He grabbed her hand and they started to leave. She couldn’t believe she still hadn’t said anything. Of course she loved Marcello but she wasn’t being completely honest with him. Here he had laid all his demons in front of her, even his love for her, and she was still holding back. The question was would he love her the same once he knew the truth?

*

JAZZ PULLED UP TO A NICE APARTMENT COMPLEX. She grew nervous. She had told him she wanted to meet with him in public. She started to turn around when she noticed him coming outside to greet her.

He was dressed in jogging pants and a crew neck white shirt. He was still handsome. He still carried his brown skin, crisp fade, and dark eyes well. He had kept himself up and still held an athletic frame. However, he looked different to her.