Protected by His Shadow

By MJ Cortese

A year ago Izabella Van Strauss (Bella) thought her life was perfect, ambitious and energetic; living carefree from the ties of a husband or significant other to bind her of her single life. As she glances over the dining room table, she sees him; Nicholas De Basilone (Niko) and wonders how he changed it all. The power he enforced upon her was stronger than anything she had ever encountered. He offered her everything she needed but didnt want. He gave himself solely to her as his confidence told him that she was definitely the one. She was an old girlfriend from his past, she has become his present and now he will have to secure her emotions to keep her in his future. He is very careful not to do anything that might endanger their new life. Their time together is valuable and she is very precious to him. There is a calmness about her that settles him into her sweet serenity. All the years before him seem to fade into a distant memory of someone elses past. The tenderness of this new life with him annihilated her control.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Oct 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504341417

MJ Cortese

MJ has always enjoyed her creative visual ventures. While writing personal messages to the man she loves it gave her the inspiration to write this book. MJ has a love for nature as well as the mountains and lives in western Canada with her husband and three children.

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Copyright © 2015 M J Cortese.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

ISBN: 978-1-5043-4140-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5043-4141-7 (e)

Balboa Press rev. date: 10/5/2015

Contents

Dedication

A Message To My Readers:

Introduction

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Epilogue

DEDICATION

I would like to dedicate this story in loving memory of my daughter Tatiana Caterina. All of my children; Christopher, Chelsea and Michael as well as the love of my life, Giovanni have inspired me to write and encouraged me to finish this story. Thank you all for believing in me and for putting up with the late nights of processing my thoughts onto paper.

I love you guys with all my heart; xoxoxo … mom

A MESSAGE TO MY READERS:

L ife’s sure moments bring us our memories and hopes that we will be all that we can be; however, our birthdays mark a milestone of experience and journeys that we have endured over the past year of our existence. Enjoy every birthday as I hope that everything is well in your life and that you are living out your dreams and finding peace in your inner self every day.

MJ

INTRODUCTION

A year ago Izabella Van Strauss (Bella) thought her life was perfect, ambitious and energetic; living carefree from the ties of a husband or significant other to bind her of her single life. As she glances over the dining room table, she sees him; Nicholas De Basilone (Niko) and wonders how he changed it all. The power he enforced upon her was stronger than anything she had ever encountered. He offered her everything she needed but didn’t want. He gave himself solely to her as his confidence told him that she was definitely the one. She was an old girlfriend from his past, she has become his present and now he will have to secure her emotions to keep her in his future. He is very careful not to do anything that might endanger their new life. Their time together is valuable and she is very precious to him. There is a calmness about her that settles him into her sweet serenity. All the years before him seem to fade into a distant memory of someone else’s past. The tenderness of this new life with him annihilated her control.

PROLOGUE

I zabella Van Strauss finds herself walking along a dimly lit cobblestone path; she passes by the trees that are caressed with leaves in the light breeze. She looks up and finds the soft subtle glow from the moon that lingers above her and compliments the stars. Her thoughts are soft and delicate. As she explores her surroundings she finds herself once again searching for him. She continues to walk through her familiar surroundings day after day in hopes that their paths would eventually cross ….

As she peered across the river in a small town just north of here she saw him, Nicholas De Basilone; standing there waiting for her. She slowly walked toward him and smiled; only to hold him in her heart and caress him with her mind while still nervous and unsure of his thoughts towards her. Later that same day she found herself walking beside him, as his voice turned soft he spoke to her in words that one could only lose themselves in. As he stood in front of her, he could see the soft orange glow shadowing her silhouette; the warm heat made it possible to withhold the cool night air. The glistening blanket that hovered above them made it relaxing to embrace the moment and hold on to one another. He gently brushed her hair from her face to gain a better look at her for the first time. He coddled her in his arms and whispered in her ear ….

As their surroundings slightly altered; his soft lips slowly caressed her neck then across her face; intimately longing for another touch she anticipated his next move. But he continued to move very slowly, he made sure he handled her delicately. He carefully caressed her feet then passionately moved upward, grazing her long legs and tender thighs; caressing the small of her back and generating soft moans which pierced through her wet lips as he continued each stroke over her sensual body. The subtle tone of her voice gently softened as she called out his name. Her breath transformed as her mood slowly increased and elucidated her pleasures, she embraced him and stammered into the ambiance of their romantic encounter. They were both lost, in a world far different than the one they once knew; its new existence only seen and felt by the two of them. As they entangle themselves in one another they continued exploring the physical being that was somehow placed right in front of them ….

She comforts his ear through the warmth of her tongue, the touch of her fingers gliding through his hair as she presses against the back of his neck only to hold him a little closer. She begins to feel his sexual tension as he covers her body with his own; his fingers are like mild drops of rain that are cascading over her silky, shaky limbs. She longs for him, to feel his next touch, to taste his next kiss, and in return he longs for her in the same way ….

She briefly pauses and waits, in hopes that she will meet him once again, maybe end up at the same place, at the same time and continue their delightful ventures together. She wants so much but expects so little of him. In the mean time she wishes to leave him with a simple poem, while ensuring their time together could still remain uncomplicated and unplanned yet sensual and reassuring ….

For Him …..

He creates a world she never knew existed

something she never thought possible

He makes her feel special like

no man has ever done

He takes her breath away and restores her faith

and touches her beyond her soul

He captures her heart and makes life seem easier

and for that she will always feel love

….. For Him

After the intrepid moments shared with him, she realizes that he is a different person than she once knew and she was anticipating the adventure of getting to know this new personality that was painted with such a familiar face.

As she silently reminisced their past she thought about how they first met and what brought them together. She was fifteen and out for a walk with a friend, caught up in their giggles as they talked about boys and who they would like to hang out with that weekend.

He was seventeen and too cute for his own good. Without a care in the world while enjoying the warm summer air that surrounded him, he was riding his bike as he headed for home. He turned up a steep part of a bike path and started to swerve around her and her friend when something out of nowhere made him stop. He turned around to face her; there she was right in front of him for the very first time. She was still laughing at a comment her friend made when she gazed up at him and focused on his smile as he said Hello!

After she returned the same gesture and continued to engage in a little small talk he asked her to join him for a walk and she gladly accepted. She said good bye to her friend whose mother was waiting in a nearby parking lot and that she would call her the next day. She then put all her trust in him and in the direction in which he wanted to lead her. She felt safe and hopeful for this would be the beginning of a new and exciting courtship for her ….

The sun was just starting to settle behind the mountains and the clouds were soft and lightly drifting above them. The warm air began to cool which created a nice balance in order for them to enjoy their walk after such a scourging hot day. As they were walking past a park he asked her to join him on the bench and sat down for awhile. They became very comfortable with each other and talked for hours.

They started hanging out with each other all the time and began talking on the phone every night until one or the other would fall asleep and wake up to a busy signal from the phone being off the hook for so long. They really tuned into each other’s needs and were there for each other whenever the other was sad or upset or just wanted to talk or needed to laugh.

They briefly dated but soon realized that they were better suited as friends. Over the next few years they found that they were from the same large circle of friends but somehow it wasn’t their time yet to meet. While dating other people they continued their friendship into adulthood and even counted on each other for advice within their own personal relationships.

After attending his wedding and assuming he was settled down for life she resumed in a long term relationship that she had engaged in with a man for more than ten years at that time. A few years later he and his wife attended her wedding and knew that she was content, in love and on her way to her happily ever after. Then suddenly a distance swelled between them and as they still respected each other they quickly grew apart; even the phone calls managed to slow down until one day they too finally stopped. With family and friends and careers that took precedence over everything else as well as the creativity of reality; their lives became separated. They no longer geared to each other for advice or attempted to make time for one another. He had his life, his new circle of friends and was happy within his own surroundings. She had her life, her career, her new circle of friends and was engaged in exploring new avenues in her life.

Even through mutual friends they only ever saw each other for brief moments with years in between but that was alright because life changes your path and not all of us are meant to cross paths more than once or twice in a life time. The few times she had seen him though, she knew that he had changed; he had become bitter and unlikable and not easy to talk to. She knew that the friendship they once created and shared for so long was now just their own memories in how they each perceived it. She was sad for him as she thought that happiness had found him and that he was content in his life and with the path that he had chosen; however, he was clearly distraught and uncaring of her existence as well as his own surroundings. She wanted to debrief him and was wondering how he ended up in such a dark place but knew that she no longer had any right to ask about his life or his wellbeing. It became very inappropriate to even converse anything outside of hello to one another.

After several more years had befallen he was completely transformed and finally ready to leave his dark past. He became the person he had once envied and was proud of himself for walking away from the people and places that no longer mattered to him. He was comfortable and enjoyed being a bachelor once again. The things that did matter to him however were still held very close to his heart. His family and a few close friends were all that mattered enough to continue being part of his life. He became a successful business man and was settled in his busy career. The only thing missing was her; the woman that would make him a better man and someone to spend his life with. He decided to take his chances on a dating site and see where that would lead him….

Exhausted from a long week of strenuous work he decided to have a glass of wine and relax in front of the computer. As he turned his computer on, the dating site icon caught his attention. In need of some long overdue humor he decided to scroll through his matches. After a long while of clicking through several pages of his so called matched mates there was a picture at the bottom of his screen that caught his eye. There she was, a woman who he hadn’t thought about in years. Someone he was convinced he would never see or talk to again. He decided to click on her picture in order to blow it up in size so that he could get a better look at her. He pondered over the idea of contacting her but didn’t know just what to say.

He went into the kitchen to refill his glass and started elapsing to visions of his past that once included her. He shook his head in hopes to shake off the memories and yet they continued to stow upon him. Her familiar smile got his attention once he sat back down in front of his computer. He clicked on the Message Me box and decided to send her a message. He sat there staring at a blank screen for some time as he wasn’t sure what to write. After a few pressing moments he begins to type…. Hey don’t I know you?

After a mutual separation that followed in divorce she found that for the first time she was truly happy in her life and content with being single. She felt free from her past and was finally able to move forward with no guilt and no regrets. She began feeling younger and more energetic. She started hanging out with old friends and attending Girls Night Out again. Her longtime friend who had also been recently divorced had encouraged her to sign up for a dating sight. She was a little reluctant but then decided what the hell; what do I have to lose….

She met some interesting people and even went on a few dates but was still not able to find that one person that would truly gain her attention. After being on the dating site for several months she decided to stay single for a while, enjoy her new found freedom and not become involved in a serious committed relationship. She enjoyed her nights out with her friends. Dancing and meeting new people was enough to keep her life content and uncomplicated.

After a long workout on a Saturday morning she showered and prepared a fresh cup of tea. She strolled into her brightly lit living room and turned on her laptop while getting comfortable relaxing on her couch. She took a few minutes and glanced over her work emails to better acquaint herself with next week’s schedule. She logged into the dating sight and went back to the kitchen to make some toast while giving her computer a chance to load.

Just as she sat back down on the coach a new message popped up asking if she wanted to live chat. As usual she ignored the live chat and clicked on her in-box to find a few new messages as well as some old ones that she was not interested in replying to. Each message preceded a profile picture of those who were trying to get in touch with her. As she looked down the list she saw a familiar picture and thought it looked a lot like someone she once knew. She dragged her mouse over the image and enlarged it so that she could get a closer look. As the picture became clearer she was surprised to see that it was him staring back at her.

He looked good again, like his old self. He was taking care of himself and showed life in the portrait staring back at her. Once she got over the initial shock she realized there was a message attached. She clicked the message box to reveal the few words from a very long unspoken past…. Hey don’t I know you?

With several thoughts straining her once settled brain she clicked into his profile to gain a better perspective as to what he was up to in life. She was happy to discover that he was also divorced and now living as a happy bachelor. She was confused and unsure of his intentions but she decided to reply with a few simple words…Yeah, I think you do!

A few months passed by as she was sitting in her living room admiring her Christmas decorations. It was well after midnight and she was tired as she had to get up early for work the next day. She ended her night with a simple post on her social network…The tree is up and decorating is finally done!

A few minutes later her cell phone binged. As she suspected someone had seen her post and commented on it. She opened up the comment and it read…You’re up late! It was from him. She had not heard anything else since the initial message from the dating sight that she had signed up for. She decided not to respond and shut off the lights surrounding her living room and outlining her tree and went to bed.

Several weeks later he commented on another one of her posts. This time she replied and began a conversation with a familiar stranger. Once she agreed to give him her cell phone number they continued their conversation through text messages. After about an hour he asked her to call him as he was tired of texting and was anticipating the sound of her voice after so many years. She broke down the wall that he made her build years before as she wanted to be the bigger person; she agreed to go ahead and call him. They talked for hours and agreed to meet up that weekend…

It was Friday night and he knocked on her front door at seven pm as planned. She wasn’t quite ready so she threw on a pair of plaid pajama bottoms and went downstairs to let him in. He entered the doorway and turned around her to allow her enough room to close the door behind him. He took one look at her with one simple word that escaped his lips. WOW!

She started to giggle and smiled at him. Is something wrong?

Not at all, you look great! It’s good to finally get a chance to see you again. He moved closer and put his arms around her in a long awaited hug. Through a deep sigh he expressed his once hidden compassion for her. Seeing her again somehow closed the gap of distance they once had between them. He surrendered himself to her and endured the sweetness that emanated from her.

It’s nice seeing you again as well. You look great too. I’m