Mafia Romance Series Read online

  BWWM Mafia Romance Series

  Romantic Suspense Story

  Smanta Howard

  Copyright 2015

  All Right 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.

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  Innocent Love (BWWM Mafia Romance Book 1)

  Chapter 1

  Ashley Lane was excited. Today she was finally going to graduate college and received her degree in Interior Design. She couldn’t wait to get out in the real world and actually earn money doing something she loves. Looking back over the last four years, life had been tough. She was the typical college student, eating Ramen noodles and wearing the same outfit twice in one week. She had picked up some work along the way, but things had been really tight. After today she would have the credentials she needs to actually go out and seek legitimate jobs.

  The grand hall of Northern Chicago University was filled with families who were attending the graduation ceremonies. Ashley knew that somewhere in that crowd of people were her parents, Jim and Judith Lane. She searched the throng of faces, but she knew that it was useless. There were just too many people in attendance to locate her parents. Oh well, she knew they were there, and she knew that she would meet up with them at her apartment later that afternoon.

  The music started and the students started marching in. One by one, over 500 students filed down the aisle toward the seats that were reserved for them in the front of the hall. Ashley knew that the ceremony would be lengthy. After all, presenting over 500 diplomas would take some time. There were only five other students who would be receiving their degree in interior design, and Ashley was familiar with every one of them. She looked over at Kate Windsor and winked while giving her the thumbs up. Kate smiled back, acknowledging Ashley’s gesture.

  Finally, Ashley heard her name called. She literally bounded up the stairs to receive her degree. She held it up in the air and smiled at the crowd as she exited the other side of the stage.

  Once the ceremony came to an end, the entire hall was pandemonium. There were people everywhere, looking for their particular graduate. Ashley was having a difficult time getting to the exit door when she felt somebody tap her on the shoulder. She turned to find her parents had actually found her. She threw her arms around her mom’s neck.

  “I can’t believe you found me in this mob,” Ashley said. “I was planning on meeting up with the two of you at my apartment shortly.”

  “Well, we spotted you and decided to try and catch you before you left here,” June said. “We are so proud of you. We want to take you to lunch.”

  “That would be great. I am famished now that this is over,” Ashley said. “Let me run to the apartment and change. You can pick me up there in about 20 minutes.”

  ***

  Davio Prochelli had attended his brother’s graduation at Northern Chicago University. He had thought the ceremony would go on forever. The hall was packed with people and he was restless. He hated such functions, but he knew that family was important and today was important for his brother. He had been thoroughly bored when the Dean called off one name after another. He happened to look up when Ashley Lane was conferred her degree in interior design.

  Ashley was beautiful. He remembered how she turned to the crowd and smiled after getting her degree. Her smile had captivated him. Her blonde hair bounced on her shoulders when she almost danced off the stage. He wanted to meet this girl. He started devising a plan. He had recently moved into a large house of his own, but decorating was not important to him. He was a bachelor and such things as curtains and fancy furniture seemed so boring. That was until he laid his eyes on Ashley Lane.

  Davio knew several of the staff members of Northern Chicago University. His family donated a large sum of money over the past four years while his brother studied there. Perhaps one of the staff members would be willing to tell him how to contact Ashley Lane, especially if he expressed an interest in hiring her. He would make it a point to pay the school a visit on Monday and see what he could find out about this Ashley Lane.

  ***

  Ashely enjoyed a great lunch with her parents. They had been hoping that she would consider moving home for a while after graduation, but Ashley really wanted to keep her apartment for as long as possible. She loved her parents, but she was ready to live her life on her terms. She knew that money would be tight for a while, but she planned to start seeking work on Monday. With any luck, she could pick up a few jobs and get herself established in the market.

  “Well at the very least, you can allow me to take you shopping for some new clothes this afternoon,” June said. “You need some nice clothes for interviews. Just consider it a graduation gift from me and your father.”

  Ashley agreed to go shopping with her mother, but she made June promise to not go overboard. Her parents had been generous with her while she was in college, and she was grateful, but now it was time she started earning her own way. She knew how to scrimp and save. She had learned that lesson well over the past four years. She had no social life because she had spent so much time studying. She had a few friends and acquaintances, but she never got out and did anything with them. She figured there would be plenty of time for socializing after she got her feet on the ground.

  Chapter 2

  Ashley was startled on Monday morning when her phone rang. She should have been up hours ago. It was time to look for work and she had slept in. She answered the phone, not recognizing the number in her caller ID.

  “Is this Ashley Lane,” a deep voice asked.

  “Yes, this is Ashley.”

  “My name is Davio Porchelli, and I am interested in seeking your services. You see, I have recently bought a home of my own and I fear that I am a dreadful decorator. Would you be interested in taking a look at my place and maybe helping me bring my house into this century?”

  Ashley was stunned. She hadn’t even gotten out of bed yet, and somebody had actually called her to inquire about her services. She tried to not sound too excited when she said she would be glad to take a look at his place. She jotted down the address while she made plans to be there the following morning.

  Ashley hung up the phone and pondered the Porchelli name. She recognized the name as being one of the more prominent names in Chicago. It was rumored they made their living in the mafia. Ashley was not familiar with Davio. She guessed he must be a son. How in the world had he found her?

  There was much to do before meeting with Davio on Tuesday. For their first meeting she would not need much. She would take a note pad and jot down her ideas for each room. What she needed more than anything was confidence. If Davio was indeed one of the Porchellis, she would need all of her wits about her. She was glad that her mother had insisted on the shopping trip. She would need something nice when she met with Davio. She decided on the navy suit with a green blouse. The green was very complimentary to her blue eyes and the suit was professional enough to wear on an interview.

  For the remainder of the day Ashley practiced meeting Davio. She had no idea what he looked like, or how old he was. He had not mentioned a wife, so she assumed he was not married. Perhaps he was decorating the house because he was planning on getting married. But if that was the case, surely he would want his girlfriend or fiancé to have a hand in the decorating.
Oh well, there would be time enough tomorrow to get the answers to all of her questions. She made a mental note to try and get to bed early this evening. She knew she would need to be completely rested and refreshed when meeting with Davio.

  Ashley was anything but rested and refreshed the following morning. She had tossed and turned all night. She was worried about her first interview, and there were dozens of things going through her mind. She peered in the mirror to discover her eyes were bloodshot and she swore there was a new wrinkle on each side of her mouth. She rambled in the vanity drawer in search of her eye drops that would get the red out. There was no way she could meet with anybody with bloodshot eyes.

  After a hot shower, Ashley felt a little better. She brewed herself a cup of coffee before she started to dry her hair. The coffee tasted good, and it helped her gain some control of her senses. She just needed to relax. This was an opportunity to put her skills to work. She had graduated with honors because she always kept her grades up. Now it was time to put all of her sacrifices to good use. She dried her hair, carefully applied her makeup, and stood back to take a look at her reflection in the mirror. The eye drops had worked. Her eyes were no longer red and her makeup hid any imperfections.

  When she was completely dressed, Ashley took a good look in the mirror. She was satisfied that she looked professional. The suit made her look older than her 22 years, but that was okay. She needed to at least look like she knew what she was doing. She wondered about this Davio. How old is he? What would he be like?

  Ashley grabbed her pad and purse and headed for the door. She dug out her car keys as she turned on the gps on her phone. She was not familiar with the address Davio had given her, but she was sure that her reliable gps would get her there. If she did manage to get lost, Davio had given her the phone number where he could be reached.

  Davio’s address was only about 20 minutes from her apartment. She was stunned when she finally found the area. These houses were not small, and they were not cheap. Many of them appeared to be more like mansions than simple houses. She estimated that the cheapest house in the neighborhood was worth at least a million. She felt out of place. This was not a place to be starting her career. Instead, she should be starting with maybe three bedrooms, two baths, and a large open living space. How was she going to impress Davio with her skills if he lived in this neighborhood?

  Ashley found the address she was looking for, but she didn’t feel any better. If anything, she was more discouraged. Davio’s house was not one of the smaller ones in the community. Instead, it sat back off the street at the end of a cul-de-sac. It looked more like a mansion with its large columns on the front porch and the winding drive that led right up to the front steps. Ashley’s first inclination was to run. She was way out of her element here. Davio must be quite wealthy. He could probably afford any interior decorator he wanted so she wondered why he had called her. She had a limited portfolio. The one good thing that she had going for her were her grades. She was silently grateful that she had worked so hard at her studies.

  Well, she was here. She might as well make the best of it. She doubted that she would get the job when Davio discovered how inexperienced she was, but at least she needed the practice of her interviewing skills. She lifted her hand to knock on the door when it suddenly opened.

  Ashley had no idea what she expected Davio Porchelli to look like, but it definitely wasn’t this ruggedly handsome man who was standing there in the doorway. He was tall, with dark hair and eyes that portrayed a bit of arrogance. He was well dressed in a crisp shirt and khaki pants. She didn’t see a hair out of place.

  “I presume that you are Ashley,” Davio said. Please, won’t you come inside?”

  Ashley stepped through the doorway, taking in all of the beauty around her. Davio didn’t need an interior designer. This place was gorgeous. She noted the winding stairway that led to the second floor, and she noticed a small sitting room to the left of the door. A dining room was located at the rear of the house, she assumed close to the kitchen. It was here that Davio suggested they sit. He pulled out the caved oak chair for her and indicated that she could use the table to make her notes.

  “Wow! Your home is beautiful,” Ashley said. “Surely you are not wanting to redecorate all of it.”

  Ashley knew that she could be talking herself out of a job, but she just could not get over this house.

  “Actually, I am wanting to redecorate all of it. I understand that many people would find this décor to be in good tastes, but it is not my tastes. I prefer something more modern. This stuff is too delicate for me. The bones of the place are good, but I want something that is more appealing for me,” Davio said.

  “So, why don’t you tell me what you have in mind? What colors appeal to you? Do you prefer carpet or hardwood flooring,” Ashley asked.

  Davio suggested they take a tour of the house so that Ashley could get a feel for how large of a job she would be undertaking. She followed him as they took in all of the rooms on the first floor. Davio then led her up the stairs where she discovered six bedrooms, all seeming much larger than any bedroom she had ever seen. He pointed out his bedroom at the end of the hall. She discovered he actually had a bedroom suite, with a sitting area and a spa-like bath attached. She wondered how she could possibly improve on this. This house could easily be on the front page of some luxury magazine.

  When they returned to the first floor, Davio took Ashley through a door that led down a flight of stairs. She had not expected to find another level of living, but the basement was completely finished and was an entirely different living space. It was more like an apartment with its own kitchen, sitting area, bathroom, and bedroom. There was even a room to the side that she discovered was fully equipped with gym equipment.

  “This is the only room I don’t need decorated. This is where I spend my time keeping myself in shape,” Davio said.

  Ashley noted a bit of arrogance in his voice when he talked about keeping in shape. Clearly, his body looked like it was sculpted, his arms so muscled they almost didn’t fit his shirt. She caught herself staring at his chest and wondering what it would look like beneath that starched shirt.

  Where did that come from? Ashley shook her head. She had never really been interested in men. Sure, she had dated a few guys in high school, but they all seemed like bumbling idiots. All they had wanted to do was brag about their accomplishments and to see how far a girl would let them go. Ashley had chosen to not be just another conquest. She figured that one day she would get married, but not until she had established herself in her business. There would be plenty of time for romance later on.

  Ashley followed Davio back upstairs to the dining room. She has seen the entire house and doubted if anything she could do would be an improvement. As much as she would love to be turned loose in this house, she had to be honest with Davio about her experience.

  “Mr. Porchelli, you have a beautiful home. But I must be honest, I only graduated from college last week and I fear this is out of my reach,” Ashley said. “Surely there are others with more experience that you could find to do the job for you.”

  “I am aware that you only recently graduated. Actually, I was at the graduation,” Davio said. “My brother graduated Saturday also. I must confess, I checked with staff members at the university, and you come with high praise. Your teachers believe that you have a bright future because of how hard you worked in class. If you would agree, I would love to have you work on this place for me. If you do a good job I will provide you with great references. I think that would kick start your career.”

  Davio was secretly hoping that Ashley would accept his offer. After seeing her up close she was more beautiful than he imagined. He didn’t give a flip about getting his house decorated, but he was determined to get Ashley in his bed. What better way to do that if she was there working every day?

  “Money is not a consideration for me,” Davio said. “I will give you a blank check for you to spend as you see fit
. I will discuss with you some of my preferences, and I trust that you will be able to deliver something that pleases me.”

  Wow! Ashley could not believe her ears. Davio Porchelli wanted her to decorate his mansion. It would be a challenge, and she knew that it would require her to spend a lot of time in his home. But she needed the money, and she needed the experience.

  “Well, if you are sure,” Ashley said. “As long as you know that I am inexperienced. I would love to accept the job. With your permission, I can start in the morning.”

  Davio extended his hand. “Then I look forward to seeing what you can do to transform this place. I have every confidence that you will do a great job,” he said.

  Ashley accepted his hand and allowed him to lead her to the front door. She was so excited. She could hardly believe her luck. Maybe she needed to pinch herself to make sure she was really awake. She had just landed a job that would take her several months to complete. Never in a million years had she expected to get so lucky. In her innocence, she had no idea what Davio really had in mind for her.

  Davio closed the door and grinned. Miss Ashley Lane didn’t know what was in store for her. She hadn’t seen the way he looked at her body while he showed her his home. He saw her lush curves, slim waist, and large breast, even if she did wear a matronly suite that hid many of her assets. He had never had trouble finding women to share his bed, but he guessed that Ashley would be a challenge. She wasn’t like other women he had bedded. There was an innocence about her that appealed to him. He guessed that she might be a virgin, but if she is then Davio was determined to be the one to introduce her to passion. Virgins did not usually appeal to him. They have too much to learn, but something about Ashley told him that she would be a quick study.