The journey continues in this sequel to (Teach Me Too Love You). Love Tested will be a testimony to the love Fitzgerald and Olivia shared as Fitz past once again becomes their present. Will our couple be able to stand and overcome the pressure that comes with Fitz past as it pushes him to Boss up once again? (FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. I DONOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO ANY SCANDAL CHARACTERS)
Love Tested Sequel (TMTLY)
Chapter 1
Previously…
Later in the day Candice noticed Liv wincing as she sipped on warm tea, so she walks over and joins her on the sofa. "Livvie are you feeling pain sweety? I see you frowning."
Liv tries to smile at her mom, but it turns into another frown. "It's fine mom."
Candace looks at her with concern "Livvie you are high risk and pain at this stage means more than you may think. It could be early stages of labor. Now again are you feeling pain?"
Liv becomes slightly embarrassed "Yeah but I think it's because Fitz and I umm…you know."
"What? Had sex?" Candace questions after reading between the lines causing Liv to drop her head "Chile, you're 37 weeks carrying twins. One thing has nothing to do with the other. If you are feeling any kind of pain in your lower pelvic or back that's most likely contractions, and from your hand placement I would say it's in your lower pelvic."
Liv looks up at her mother "You really think so mom?"
"Am I right about where the pain is?" Liv nods "Then the answer is yes and you're starting to feel contractions. Now we just need to time them so let me know when the pain returns. we'll see how long it lasts." Candace calls out to Fitz and informs him and within 10 mins the bags are in the car and everyone is ready to go. Liv contraction are 10 minutes apart so after contacting the OBGYN they head to the hospital.
Liv would be in labor for 14 hours before delivering the twin 17 minutes apart. Jeremiah Thomas Grant was born first weighing 5 pounds and was 16 inches long. Zaniah Maria Grant was born weighing 4 pounds 2 ounces and was 15 inches long. Both babies were small but healthy with thick black hair and bluish grey eyes.
The family was complete. The threat was gone. The love was present. Where Fitz once didn't really know how to love Liv without forcing his will, he now did it freely. Not only did she teach him to love her, but she gave him back his mother and two beautiful children. A boy and a girl with and extra set of parents. His new normal and he wouldn't trade it for the world.
PRESENTLY…A YEAR 1/2 LATER
Vermont was truly a place of peace. Fitz had a children's playground built on the property adjacent the indoor swimming pool with glass see through doors. The sandbox was the twins favorite place to play. It included a mini slide set, a mini swing, mini golf course, and a miniature basketball court set all made of plastic.
Zaniah was so much like her mother. No being her favorite word, feisty, impatient, and spoiled of course. Jeramiah was his dads twin, even in personality. He was observant and patient but could explode when he got irritated and very hard to calm down once he got started. Stop Niah was his most used words. He was so patient with his sister and her need to want every and anything that had his attention, but he would always give in to her and let her have whatever it was that she wanted that he had.
Working from home had become a real challenge for Liv now that the twins were walking. They pretty much kept her busy keeping up with them. They both were approaching what some call the terrible twos. Liv was now starting to understand why people called it that. She often found herself repeating instructions to them only for them not to listen to her. Fitz on the other hand had no problem getting them to obey him without any rebellion. Today was another one of those days.
Liv was now attempting to bring them inside for lunch and a nap after spending two hours outside in their mini playground with them. It became a battle of wills when both twins fell out in a temper tantrum when she told them playtime was over. Zaniah ran fell in the sand screaming and kicking her little feet as Jeramiah refused to stand up and used his legs to walk causing Liv to have to lift him by his arm before he too started crying, kicking, and screaming just as his sister.
Liv felt like crying herself and she lifted both twins and carried them inside. They continued to cry as she put them down so she could close the sliding doors almost closing Jeramiah little hand in the door as he tried to make his way back outside, but she catches his little arm in time and closes and latches the door. "No mommy!" Zaniah cried as Jeramiah crossed his arms across his chest after kicking his mom in the leg. "Hey!" A deep penetrating voice sounded out, causing all three of them to startle as Fitz walked toward them.
"What did mommy say?" He continues
"Pwaytime ober." Zaniah answers as she halts her temper tantrum
"That's right. Playtime is over." He repeats before bending down in front of Jeramiah "And you, young man, did you just kick mommy?"
"I sowwy." He states wiping his fallen tears
"Don't say it to me, say it to mommy." Fitz corrects
"I sowwy mommy."
"We don't kick or hit. So now you're on timeout go sit at the table till mommy tells you, you can get down." Fitz states standing upright and kissing Liv on the lips. "Hi pretty lady."
"Hi." She answers as she watched her son go and slowly climb upon the seat at the nook looking sad before turning her attention back on her husband. "I was about to prepare lunch but got delayed as you can see."
"I understand, our babies can be a handful." He shares as he lifts his daughter planting a kiss on her cheek causing her to giggle. Liv smiles and walks to the fridge to prepare lunch when she hears her sons sweet little voice "I sowwy mommy." Liv turns her attention to him as she closes the fridge before walking over to where he was seated. She sits down pulling him onto her lap. "Do you promise to never kick or hit mommy again?" "Yes mommy, I pwomise. I no kick you no more. I be yow big boy." Liv giggle "Okay, you can get down, cause you are mommy's big boy and you apologized. Give mommy some kisses." He smiles and gives Liv a big kiss on the check along with a tight neck hug causing Liv and Fitz's hearts to melt.
"Daddy, can I go pway with my toys?" Jeramiah asks
"How about you both go play with your toys." He turns to his daughter still in his arms "Do you want to go play with your toys with your brother?"
"Yes pwease." She answers
Fitz takes them both to their play area just off the kitchen area. Locking the child proof gates as Liv looks on from the kitchen while preparing lunch for her family before returning to her side. "Babe did you make some changes to The Fitz because the numbers look funny and are not adding up?"
"No. Which one?"
"The Paris location. The electronic log doesn't financially match up to the monthly earnings."
'The Fitz' is the new name for all of the hotels owned by Fitz and Liv. He changed the name to create his own brand to separate him totally from his past mob ties. After finding out from his mom the history of his father and grandfather and the Grantello name, he and Liv came up with the name. It also helped him legitimize all his businesses nationwide. Putting them all under one umbrella kept the IRS at bay.
"What do you mean?" His perplex expression graces his handsome face
"The numbers don't add up. Maybe It's a mistake on my part, so I'm going to go over them again, but the number of reservations and check-ins don't match money wise. If my numbers are correct over $9000 is unaccounted for."
"As in missing?" He questions with a look of surprise
"Yes, love as in missing. I've been intending to call Giulia Rossi about it, but I haven't gotten a chance to with the twins taking up most of my time. I was going to take care of it after I put them down for their nap."
"Let me know what the final findings are, you don't make those kinds of mistakes, Liv, but maybe there's a first time. Hopefully it's just a mistake. I don't play about my family or my money." Liv too prayed it was just a mistake because she truly did not want Fitz to have to return to Paris unless it was them on vacation.
Fitz returned to the play area to spend time with the twin as Liv prepared lunch. After feeding the twins and her husband, Fitz put the twins down for their nap. He was supposed to return to work but decided to see what Liv final findings would be concerning the hotel in Paris.
Liv looks up as Fitz walks into her home office. "What the verdict?" Fitz questions making his way over to her
"As you said I don't make mistakes. There's exactly $9,400 missing. I can't account for it anywhere. That's why I asked if you made any changes. I was hoping you gave a special promotion for a discount that you forgot to tell me about. Please tell me you did?"
"I did not my love. Call Giulia. Let's get to the bottom of this. I'm sure you can handle it."
Liv call Giulia several time but only get her voicemail. Fitz being a smart man lets Liv take lead and handle the situation. He will only step in if he has to. "Well, I'm going to head back to work. Let me know if you need me to have a word with Giulia." He begrudgingly states not liking what he's feeling but not wanting to make his wife feel like he thinks she can't handle things
Liv looks up at him and smile "Okay, I'll just leave her a message along with an email and let you know if she contacts me." She kisses him goodbye
Liv decides to take a deeper look at the entire year since it's only been six months since the name change of all their businesses. She did a comparison with all six hotels, and they all checked out. The numbers added up and the profit was higher than expected for each one especially after the name change.
Liv decided she needed to look into Ms. Giulia Rossi, so she makes a call "Hey Liv."
"Hey Huck." She answers switching from holding the phone, to using her shoulder to hold it in place. "Giulia Rossi employee number 45823. I need her life story, and for you to track her movements, past and present."
"Consider it handled. I'll call you back when I have everything."
"Thanks Huck."
"No problem, Liv." He ends the call
Liv decided to take a deeper dive into the Fitz Paris financials because this was a tourist hotel and with 200 rooms, 2 penthouses, and 2 presidential suites and should be pulling in more than the monthly totals.
Two hours later Liv is finally finish going over the business finances and finalizing and signing off on payroll. She spends the rest of her afternoon with the twins while waiting for her husband to return. At about 4pm she starts dinner after placing the twins into the play area where she could keep an eye on them as she prepared the meal.
Just as she receives an email alert on her phone Fitz walks in the door. He immediately goes over to the twins kissing and tickling them. Liv smiles "Hi." Fitz turns to her after placing the twins back down. "Hi pretty lady." He returns the greeting smiling as he walks toward her kissing her passionately.
Liv is once again overwhelmed with his passion leaving her listless "I…I made you dinner." She pushes out forgetting all about the text she received. Fitz smirks with a slight chuckle "Mm, you're making me want more than just food, but our children are just a few feet away, so I guess dessert will have to wait."
"You keep greeting me like that, you'll get more than you bargain for mister." She states once she regains her bearings. "Go get washed up while I settle the twins in their highchairs and fix your plate."
Fitz kisses her before heading off to change. He returns a short while later and join his family for dinner. "So did you find the source of the missing money?" Fitz questions as he takes his first bite of food.
"You're not going to like what I found, but here it is. All 200 rooms were booked all month along with both penthouses and presidential suites. Both penthouses turned over four times, and the presidential suites were booked all month. That's 1,200,000 for the rooms, 30,000 for the penthouses, and 120,000 for the presidential suites. The amenities are separate, but the final count is only 1,946,000. That leaves 9,400 missing when the hotel made on the rooms alone, 1,242,000.00. Also, I had Huck look into her and it seems she has some financial issues such as living above her means."
Fitz scoops up more food "So Giulia is stealing from us, is that what you are saying?"
Liv bends down to pick up Jeramiah's spoon from the floor after it slipped from his hand as he tried to share his food with his sister. She stands and walks to the sink to rinse it off before handing it to him.
"She's in charge of processing the payments, hotel expenses and employee timecards."
"Where you able to get her on the phone?"
"No, she didn't answer my call or email."
"Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it."
"How? Are you going to call her?"
"No. This needs to be handled face to face. That way she can't lie to me. If she's stilling from us I want to look her in the eye when she answers, and she knows I hate liars."
A little disappointed Liv ask, "When are you leaving?"
Fitz notices the change "Hey love don't do that. It will be a same day flight. In and out, but it must be done this way."
"I know it's just that Paris leaves a bad taste in my mouth." Liv states turning to look at the twins who are in their own little world, speaking their own twin language. Fitz looks over at them before turning his attention back to Liv "You know how I feel about someone stealing from me. I pay my employees a very good salary. I don't tolerate dishonesty."
"If she is stealing from you? Are you going to…" She pauses
"It depends on her answer."
"No Fitz, baby, you're not that person anymore. Just fire her or something. Make her work it off. That can't be your go to solution anymore. She doesn't pose a danger to you or us. Promise me you won't take her out."
"I can't do that Liv."
"You can't or you won't?" She snaps back
Fitz runs his hand over his face before answering "I'm going to make a call to get the jet ready." He states as he stands and walks to his home office leaving Liv to wonder. After sitting and pondering for a few minutes she cleans the table before cleaning up after the twins deciding to give them their bath.
As she sits on the side of the tub giving the twins their bath Fitz walks and stands in the doorway. "I'll be leaving shortly." Liv looks up at him as she lifts the twins out of the tub one at a time placing their hooded bath towel over their heads. She then blows out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Just fire her, but if you end her, you end this marriage. I will not stay married to a mob boss who takes human lives." She quietly states before kissing him on the lips and walking out of the bathroom holding the twin's hands. Fitz follows her into the twin's bedroom and begins helping her lotion down the twins and getting them ready for bed.
After getting the twins settled and kissing them goodnight, they both walk into their bedroom. "Liv." She turns to him as he gently places his hand on the elbow of her arm. "I won't kill her. I promise. You're right I'm not that man anymore."
She believes him sort of. The part where-as he said he won't kill her, but will he have her killed? Is he no longer that man? She believed he had changed until about an hour ago when she recognized Fitz aka the Boss reappear before her eyes.
Fitz pulls her to him and kisses her again causing her to lose her thoughts of anything but what he was doing to her. Slowly he walks her backwards towards the bed. He lays her down as his body presses against hers. He kisses her passionately on the lips, then the neck, followed by the ears, finally making his way down her stomach before landing on her honey pot. He kisses her panty cover lady parts as he raises her dress, stopping to remove it all together. "I want to taste you." He mouths
Liv is more than willing to make love to her husband before he leaves. She didn't want her man sexless in the city of love. After removing her dress Liv spreads herself open giving her husband an unobstructed view. He runs his hand along her long, toned leg lifting it in the air as he places kisses from her soft feet back to her garden before hooking his fingers along her plaid panty line pulling them off and tossing them somewhere behind him.
He stops and looks at her "What do you need Livvie?"
"Your mouth on me. You tongue tasting me."
Without another word he dives in, sucking her clit into his mouth after using his long tongue to capture her wetness that was readily spilling from within her opening causing Olivia to moan out. The passion between these two is without question. After pleasing her orally he connects their body putting his print on her once again. The love making was intense and sensual. It was their moment that always brought about the sense of oneness, connecting them physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally.
Fitz had not been back to Italy since his last meeting when he found out Tony aka Godfather was actually his uncle. He had long left behind his mob days and put all his time and energy into his new way of life. His new normal life with a wife and children. For reasons unknown to Olivia at this time, him returning to Paris brought on worry. She didn't quit know why but it was there and so was the feeling of fear. This emotion she had not felt in almost three years had returned. Her gut was churning, and she couldn't make it stop. Watching her husband pack his suitcase brought her pause. Why if he was only going to fly in and out, did he need extra clothing and other personal items? Did he plan to stay longer than he stated? Was he just being prepared in the event he needed to stay longer? Or was it something else? She couldn't quit put her finger on it, but her gut was never wrong. She decided for the first time in her life to mistrust her gut. She trusted Fitz. It was the women that would do whatever to gain his attention that worried her. Fitz was still a man after all. A man that always got what he wanted. She was the only woman for him, at least that's what she believed because that's what he has always told her.
Fitz kisses her and the twins before walking out of the door. Liv is still standing in the same spot five minutes after Fitz left until the cries of her son brings her back to the present. She turns in the direction of her children and walks over to them. "What's wrong Miah?"
With his little sniffles "N…Niah bite me on my arm."
Liv looks at Zaniah. "Niah did you bite your brother?"
She has a look of a deer in headlights on her face "H..him won't pway with me mommy."
"You don't bite people Zaniah. That's a no no. Tell your brother you're sorry right this moment." Liv sternly chastises
With sad eyes Zaniah looks at her brother "I sowwy Miah." She then fumbles as she attempts to stand falling into her brother as she attempts to give him a kiss on the cheek "I sowwy okay? Okay Miah?" He nods his head as he wipes away his tears. Liv looks over Jeramiah arm before gives his booboo a small kiss. "It's all better now Jeramiah so give your sister a hug for apologizing." He stands and does as his mother instructed.
6 hours later in Paris Italy…
Giulia walks to her sofa to enjoy a moment of peace after listening to her voicemail. She needed to figure out some way to explain to Mrs. Grant why there were discrepancies with the invoices for the monthly gross as she put it in the message in this month's totals, she turned in. Before she could sit and think her doorbell rings. She sighs as she turns in the direction of the door. Without checking she opens it. Her heart damn near jumps out of her chest. "B..boss?" She shakes the cobwebs from her brain "I mean Fitz, Mr. Grant, w…what are you doing here?"
"I take it my presence has you stuttering." He answers as he walks into the expensive high-rise condo. "Do you really not know why I'm here?" He questions
Fear has taken over Giulia's entire being. She dares not lie to him. He knew her. Not just as an employee but physically, and romantically. They have a past, a very highly intimate past, reason being she called him Fitz. Fear had her stumbling at what to refer to him as since it had been a little over 2 years since she's talked to or seen him personally even though she still worked for him.
Fitz looks around as he awaits her answer. "I…I." He turns and grabs her by the neck before she could finish. "From the loss of words and this condo, I think you know the answer. Do not lie to me Giulia!"
"I was going to put it back. I just needed a little extra for something important. I've always put it back."
Anger fills Fitz as he takes in what she is saying "You've stole from me in the past?" He yells pulling his gun from his holster with his free hand, using the hand gripping her throat to push her against the wall. "You know what happens to people who steal from me?"
"Fitz, I swear, I just borrowed it. I was going to return it as soon as I got the chance. I swear." She quickly explains as he pulls and slams her head against the wall. "Owa, Fitz please I'm sorry. I was going to return it."
Fitz turns quickly placing the guy to his side with it being in his right hand since his left one was gripping Giulia's throat when the voice of a child who looks to be about 3 years old, rang in his ears "Don't hurt my mommy." The small voice catches Fitz off guard as the child tries to rub the sleep from his eyes after being awaken by Fitz strong load voice.
"Franky baby mommy's fine go back and finish your nap. My friend and I was just playing good guy by guy, but mommy's fine baby." She looks at Fitz for the okay to go to her son. He nods the okay and she swiftly moves in his direction.
"Franky come on let mommy get you back in bed, mommy's fine. Say goodbye to my friend." "Bye." He waves as his mother lifts him and takes him back to his room. Fitz stands frozen. Not just because of the child's sudden presence, or even the fact that Giulia had a child, but because the child had eyes like his. He also reminded him of himself as a child. It couldn't be…could it? He asked himself as he looks up and sees Giulia return to where he stood. "Talk! Now! Whose son it that?" He questions without raising his voice, but the seriousness in his tone was evident. "And don't lie to me and say you were sleeping around when I was fucking you, because then you'll have been lying to me all that time. How old is he?"
The fear is written all on her face. She never before feared Fitz, but she respected him, but today fear is all she felt. "He's not your Fitz. I swear but I wasn't sleeping around either. I was only sleeping with you. I…I." She had to think fast before her answer confuses him. "He's Jake's." Fitz eyes turned to slits when he noticed wetness appearing on the gray stretch like leggings she was wearing. He knew he needed to take a step back and calm himself. He has Olivia and the past should not matter, but he hated liars and needed to get to the truth. "Jake doesn't have blue eyes." He states
"But I do. My father does too. It's genetic, Fitz."
"Then explain. How is he Jake's?"
"A couple of months before, you found Olivia and dropped Zoey. Jake showed up at the hotel one day. He was saying something about you being in love with Zoey and how you would never choose me. We were alone and knew about me borrowing money from the business and threatened to tell you. I had not choice. I didn't want him to tell you about the money. After he left. I work overtime and used my paycheck to put the money back. I didn't want him to continue to hold it over my head. If you check the records. I took some time off. I went in hiding. Once word got out that he was dead I returned to work. Only then did I find out I was pregnant."
"How old is he?"
"Huh?" She asks but the looks he gives her made her answer swiftly "He'll be 3 next month."
Fitz was very good at reading people, but Giulia's fear made her unreadable. He decided to test his theory but first he needed to talk about her stealing from him. "Is he why you were stealing from me?"
"I just needed to catch up on a few things and pay for his medical bills. He has Spinal Bifita. He had to wear a brace as soon as he was able to sit up. His spine is strait now, but he still has to go for monthly check-ups." She drops her head before continuing." Fitz didn't say a word because he already knew what this disorder was. His father had the same condition as a child. "You don't have an insurance policy for part-time workers, and it expensive to pay for privately. My deductible is 2,500 for the family plan. I didn't have enough with all my bills, so I borrowed it from…" "Stole." Fits interrupts "That's why I temporarily use the money from the hotel assets. I didn't think you'd miss it right away. I planned on putting it back before it was noticed" She finished refusing to look at what she did as stealing. "I was keeping up but, it just got a bit harder."
"You could have downsized this condo, to a regular apartment. You could have cut back on the shopping sprees, expensive purchases, or just answered the damn phone when my wife called you and I wouldn't be here." She opens her mouth to speak but then closes its. "I will be scheduling a DNA test. Make sure you answer you phone and show your ass up when and where I tell you." The look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. Now his only problem would be explaining this to his wife. No so much he may have another son, but the fact that someone else possibly had his first son, not only that but also, his first born.
Giulia leaps from the sofa "Fitz please you don't have to do that. He's not yours. I swear. I wouldn't lie to you about something like that. Please don't do this." Fitz ignores her pleas and walks out of the door.
A/N: Well guys what are your thoughts? Leave a review let me know.
Until next time...Keke