The Twelve Tables Ch. 30

"Dante?" she reached up and stroked his cheek. His eyes were closed and he stood under the full forces of the hot water. "Talk to me," she said softly.

His eyes blinked open slowly. He didn't want to talk. He didn't want to think about losing his parents or how it had felt to believe he had lost Josh. He just wanted to lose himself in her at that moment. He caught her up in his arms, holding her tightly against his body and kissing her with a ferocity that took her by surprise. His hands went to her breasts, and he kneaded them roughly, and she could feel his hard cock pressing against her belly. She moaned softly as she felt his need override the dark thoughts from today, and she melded into that need with him.

He pushed her back against the wall devouring her mouth hungrily, as everything, but the feel of her left his mind. He felt her leg wrap around his hip, and he bent his legs positioning himself awkwardly and thrust up into her savouring her cry of pleasure and groaning deeply. He pinned her hands to the wall beside her head, and he fucked her then. There was nothing gentle about his fucking, he lost himself in her completely.

The whole time he had searched for Josh, because that was what he had to do, for her and for the family, he had prayed that the people looking after her would keep her safe. He knew he couldn't return to her or even call before he had found Josh and the total despair that had seized him after hearing the crash from Josh's phone had consumed him for hours.

She was his world and his life and the thought of finding her buried under a pile of rubble as his parents had been too hard to bear. He felt her body tremble under his onslaught, and he revelled in the pleasure she gave him. She may allow him to dominate her sexually but in every other way, he was hers to command. There wasn't anything she could ask of him that he wouldn't do for her.

"Fuck," he roared as he felt her cunt clench and spasm around his cock as he came. Thrusting into her hard and deep he came with her and collapsed to the shower floor dragging her down with him. "I love you," he growled kissing her as he held her shaking body to him.

"I love you too," Peri whispered. "We can survive anything after today, as long as we have each other." Dante looked down into her eyes and felt all of the despair and sadness of the day rise to mix with the joy and pleasure of having her here with him, mix to overwhelm him and he began to cry. Peri said nothing but held him close, her arms sliding around his torso as he held her tightly and sobbed into her hair, letting go of all of the pent up emotions he held so tightly under control.

She cried too, softly without the heart-wrenching sadness that gripped the man she loved. She cried for Joseph and Antonia, for Marisol and Andreas who had died during surgery. She cried in relief that both Josh and Dante were safe, and she cried for Ben and his heartbreak. He was the one who needed looking after now, and she would ask Romey tomorrow to bring Carmen home if she wasn't already on the way. Her wisdom and experience were needed now more than ever, particularly with Ben's children. Poor Carmen she must be beside herself if she has heard what happened, Peri thought, and a fresh wave of tears came to her eyes. They sat there wrapped in each other's arms for a long time before Dante finally moved to stand and help her to her feet.

"We best get some rest," Dante said quietly as they towelled off.

"I have too much to organise, but I'll stay with you if you don't mind a small light on," Peri murmured.

"I have a lot to do as well," he said not arguing with her about the need for rest. "Well, I guess we should leave sleeping beauty alone to rest properly then." He went to a drawer and pulled out a small tube with a wide cap and smiled. "Doc Pete's energy bombs," he shook the container. "Let's go you can tell me about your plans for the day, and I'll tell what I know about what our plans are."

After checking on Josh, they went back to the kitchen warmed by the smell of freshly baked bread. Peri saw her team sitting there. Not only Zara, Rae and Jackson but also Phillipe and Gerrard turned almost as one to look at her.

"These people saved my sanity today, all of them. They are the most amazing people I could ever hope to have on my team," Peri smiled widely at them as she spoke to Dante. "You all deserve a huge bonus, anything you want just ask and I will do my best to make it happen."

"You're already building me my kitchen garden," Zara pointed at the window. "Well the children and gardeners will tomorrow, but you already organised it for me."

"I've got my epic tree-fort underway and a heap of little helpers who will be out there building with me tomorrow, even some extra's you brought in," Jackson chuckled, "So I'm good."

"Epic tree fort?" Phillipe raised an eyebrow. "If you could stay out of trouble for a day I wouldn't mind giving Jack a hand with that, Mrs. Donati," he mused.

"I'm in, we can tag team throughout the day," Gerrard said to Phillipe with a grin, "Have you got the plans handy?" he asked Jackson.

"Rae?" she asked.

"Are you kidding? Today's going to be so much fun with all of the extra people to look after. What more could I possibly want?" She laughed. "Let the holiday adventures begin! The children deserve it after being so good about being locked in the cellar yesterday."

"Well that was easy," Dante shrugged, "And my pockets don't feel any lighter at all," he chuckled. "I want to hear more about this epic tree fort, though, go get the plans Jackson and let's see just how epic it is."

"We built a tree fort for Josh when he was little," Ben said walking into the kitchen.

"Ben you're here," Peri went to embrace him.

"Josh said he needs me, where else would I be?" Ben said sadly.

"We all need you," Peri said sincerely.

"Obviously, if your planning on building a tree fort," Ben gave a soft chuckle. Peri could tell it was a front but didn't push him on it.

"Not just any tree fort," Jackson said coming back with the plans. "The most epic tree fort ever." He spread the plans out of the table and the men gathered around them talking animatedly.

"They never truly grow up do they," Zara smiled and went back to her baking.

"So I guess if you're happy I couldn't tempt you with maybe a sturdy line strung up somewhere and a heavy duty rug beater for when they all leave next week?" Peri laughed remembering what Rae had said about moving to the country house.

"Jackson's already organised it," she grinned. "He is honestly in heaven with the family back here and so many children around. I think he's been a little bored without anyone here to look after. I can see why Josh made him a steward."

Dawn lightened the sky and as each of the men came down to the kitchen looking for coffee they were drawn into the tree fort project. With a unanimous decision to wait until Josh was awake and ready to talk about the fallout from yesterday, the men and the oldest of the children walked out to start the day's work on the tree fort in the old orchard. The younger children were left with their mothers and the gardeners to begin building the new kitchen garden. Which Peri thought, had been designed to look more like a fairy garden or something found in a Beatrix Potter book than a vegetable patch.

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Dante had stayed with Josh answering calls and talking to the other chairs and their families as condolences came in. The twelve and the remaining predecessors all met for a long lunch meeting. The funeral for all four of the deceased would be held in ten days' time. The Families would arrive over the weekend, and the official service would be held on the Monday. That would give Josh time to heal and appear strong and ready to lead the family as well as for the sitting of the Twelve next week to punish the killers.

The evidence was being gathered by the Battaglia and assembled for presentation at the sitting. Only the Farnese and Battaglia knew the extent of the betrayal by the Pellegrini family. It would fall to Jules and Constantine to present the evidence to the ultimate head of their family in Italy and then for a sitting to be called there to decide the fate of Giovanni Pellegrini and his sons.

The homes and business of the Donati men were being assessed and reports were coming in during the day. It seemed that the only real damage had happened at The Farm, Josh's printing firm and the house of Lorraine and its warehouses. The damage to the penthouse had been minimal, and there had been no casualties. To have made their story of Ben's death believable they would have had to have him situated on the farm. It was the only place to have sustained a loss of lives. Many of the staff had died in the explosions and resulting fires as well as the owners of the house and land.

There was little any of them could do now but wait; wait for the insurance assessors and all clear to return to their homes; wait for the sitting of the Chairs and the outcome there; Wait for the decisions from Italy; Wait to bury their loved ones. They all had tasks to complete, and work to be done but on that first day, they celebrated their family by playing and laughing together in the summer sun.

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Authors Note: This is the end of this series. While I understand that not every thread was wrapped up into a neat little bow for you all. I feel that I have left enough answers for you all to make educated guesses about eh future of the Donati Family. As always with me his doesn't mean I won't revisit this story in the future and add another series about the Donati Brothers or the Donati Women. I hope you have enjoyed reading this series and will continue to read my other stories. ~ellie

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