Claudia
Not again! I hate the hospital! But my dizzy spells have me back in the hospital.
I hold a secret that can destroy my current friendship with Amando. Would he choose to accept my condition or leave alone like his predecessors? I think that we can work in the business together but with him striving to get me back in bed I do not know if we can work and be lovers. What should I do?
Amando
This woman makes me so mad. She refuses to recognize that I care for her wellbeing. Finding her passed out in her apartment after we had a sexy time in a hotel room got me so scared and annoyed.
What to do with this woman? She refuses to move out of the crime-ridden neighbourhood where she lives. I know I must make a crucial decision for both of us. The key is for us to work together not against each other.
Claudia
Not again! I hate the hospital! But my dizzy spells have me back in the hospital.
I hold a secret that can destroy my current friendship with Amando. Would he choose to accept my condition or leave alone like his predecessors? I think that we can work in the business together but with him striving to get me back in bed I do not know if we can work and be lovers. What should I do?
Amando
This woman makes me so mad. She refuses to recognize that I care for her wellbeing. Finding her passed out in her apartment after we had a sexy time in a hotel room got me so scared and annoyed.
What to do with this woman? She refuses to move out of the crime-ridden neighbourhood where she lives. I know I must make a crucial decision for both of us. The key is for us to work together not against each other.
Â
She was not afraid to return, but his attitude and temper made her think twice, causing her to say dully, âI will not go surfing until the authorities give the all-clear.âShe started to fret with herself. She wanted him, and yet she pulled away to preserve herself. But as Amando pulled her to him and passed his hands all over her, she was swamped with a fever of arousal. He was stirring up her senses, and she wrestled with the desire for him and the fear that held her in a deathly grip. She hesitantly reached for him but dropped her hands. She wanted comfort, and she saw that his eyes glittered with the same passion they had shared a few weeks ago. His eyes sought hers, begging her to make a move. Amando wanted her to initiate that crucial step, which would mean a breakthrough for both.
Diffidently Claudia leaned across the space separating them and whispered a soft kiss on his sexy lips. As her lips brushed him, he seized her bottom lip and control as his tongue swirled against hers and sucked on the tip of her tongue. The kiss sent hot pleasure through her belly to her toes. As they reveled in that heated kiss, Amando turned her onto her back to feast his darkening grey eyes on her generous naked breasts before taking them in his hands and mouth. His lips closed over her nipple, making it ruck in his mouth.
âOhâŚ.â Claudiaâs voice husked as Amandoâs mouth moved irrevocably from one nipple to the other.
His tongue licked around her areole before he nipped her lightly, making her moist and wanting. She stroked her fingertips through his semi-damp hair as he suckled on her. She felt her pulse rate skyrocket, and Amando slid his hands down to her hips before sifting and parting her pubic hair to give his seeking fingers entry. He sank one, then two into her welcoming moistness. He groaned at her readiness and dampness. This one woman had held him wanting for the last four weeks after their first sexual encounter. Especially when he had deliberately set out to find her upon receiving the information about her, yet he could not stay away from her as much as he tried. Despite business having been significantly improved and staff relations renewed with the old camaraderie, whenever Amando saw her at his restaurant or was close to her only added to his sexual frustration.
He propelled her onto her back and slid between her long shapely legs to stake his claim and right to be there. Amando probed her feminine core before he plunged into her and stroked his way further in until he felt her body accept him. As she accommodated his length and thickness, he set a rhythm as old as time and brought them to a fulfillment that satisfied them both.
âOh my God! I forgot condoms again!â he groaned against her breasts as he dropped his head to her chest.
âThat is becoming a bad habit with you now. We are not married, yet you take such liberties with me,â she said in exasperation.
âAre you questioning my integrity? I am not with any other woman. I would not even be here if I were!â he rumbled against one of her enticing globes.
âFine, I just donât want to get pregnant if you are not going to wear one. Although I am on the pill, no contraceptive is fool proof,â Claudia proclaimed tightly.
Scowling at the truth of what she said, he nodded his head and told her that he would be mindful next time. But by golly, he forgot condoms because she excited him to the brink of no return. What man would keep his head on while in a hot daze with her? It was the best sex he had had in a long time. But he had no idea why he forgot contraceptives with her.
Claudia felt lethargic and drifted off to sleep. Amando pulled her up against him, and he fell asleep. Two hours later, Amando woke up beside her, spooning her derriere. He planted a kiss on her shoulder and slid out of bed. He did not bother to throw on anything and headed straight to the kitchen to organize a snack. He was hungry and needed food. As he went through her fridge and cupboards, he observed that she barely had any food in the apartment. How was that? What did she eat? Did she not have enough money to buy food? All these thoughts swirled in his mind and made him feel responsible.
He went back to the bedroom and put on his clothes. He snatched up her house keys and departed to go to the grocery. He had no idea what she stocked, but he did assist his mother with purchasing supplies for the house. When Amando had left, Claudia was still asleep.
She woke up thirty minutes later to find herself alone in her bed. There was no sign of Amando. She slipped under the blanket and strolled towards her small compact wardrobe to locate something to wear. She needed to go shopping for some groceries. She had emptied her fridge and cupboards that morning for a breakfast order from Melinda.
In the kitchen, she started to make her list and then searched for the keys to her apartment. She scowled as she hunted all over the rooms to get it. Even Pongo scampered about with her. It then dawned on her that perhaps Amando took them up. But why would he?
She sat down and contemplated if to ring him and ask where her keys were. Just then, she heard the lock turning and the door opening. Amando came in with two large paper bags. She relieved his burden by taking one of the bags.
âThank you,â Amando said in relief because one had slipped as he struggled to unlock the door.
They both dumped the bags on the kitchen table then Amando told her, âI went to get some stuff for us. You did not have anything in the fridge.â
Claudia shrugged and told him, âI made my list a while ago. I did not know you left to get groceries.â She marveled that he would do that.
âWell, I was hungry, and I am sure you are too. So, let us organize some food,â he eagerly told her. He was ravenous!
Claudia laughed at his expression and shook her head. Together they unloaded the food items and stocked up the fridge. Claudia left some food items out to start the beginning meal. She quickly cracked six eggs and whisked them in a bowl. Throwing the bread on the heated girdle, she lightly toasted them. While the toast was going, she made two large omelets and plated them. She beckoned Amando to get his drink and to take a plate. Amando staked up several slices of bread to go with his omelet. Claudia took out the remnants of the salad she had made that morning for the breakfast order; then, as Amando gesticulated to the doughnut bags, she snatched the
bag and arranged them on another plate and pushed it towards him.
She plated some food for herself and took a seat opposite him. They ate in silence while each held their thoughts. He did not even bother with the salad. He reached out for a doughnut, took another, and professed that he was full.
Claudia mentioned that she appreciated that he got some stuff for her and asked how much she had for him. Amando shook his handsome head.
âNothing, minha linda. The pleasure was mine, and if you want to go to get more things allow me to take you,â Amando lightly stated.
Claudiaâs eyes widened at his offer, and she quickly thanked him.
âJust let me wash up before we go,â she told him.
âYou go organize yourself while I do that for you,â Amando further offered.
Claudia was shocked at his offer and kindness. He had never shown her that type of kindness before unless it came with a cost attached to it. Oh boy! What yoke of obligation would this kindness come with? she wondered. If it were to end up in bed, she did not mind but would make damn sure he wore a condom. Or was that locking up the horse after it bolted?
After making groceries together, they returned to her place and off-loaded the stuff. Amando took the opportunity to
remark on the choice of the neighborhood she was currently living in. He did not like this area and was adamant that she should find a place out of this area and fast. He even made sure that she knew what sorts of crimes were committed here since he held sensitive information as he was in the forensic department.
Astonished that he was forward with divulging criminal activities in her neighborhood, he gave her a cloaked look.
âDo not go repeating what I just told you. It is to be between us only. I work in the forensic department, and only my family knows. Now you know. I am not supposed to tell anyone because I could become a target of many groups.â
âI had no idea what you did with your time. What exactly do you do?â she asked him curiously.
âI am a forensic pathologist. I assess dead people to determine the cause of their deaths. I wonât go into gory details, but itâs what I am paid to do,â he informed her in a cagey tone.
âOh, wow, you deal with dead people. No wonder you don't know how to deal with the living!â Claudia exclaimed in vehemence. She was confident he would be different if he met more people and socialized.
âHow about we go out tonight to a club?â Claudia suggested.
âNo, I donât like that sort of life. It harbors criminals, and I prefer to stay away from that crowd. I would suggest we go
where there wonât be a crowd, and I am socializing with you,â
he emphasized.
âSo, where do you wish to go?â she asked him with a renewed perspective at him. She would not have thought he did not like crowds. Was it because of the women? Indeed, they would crowd him with his handsome good looks. She was neither keen to go clubbing. The last time she clubbed was with her ex-boyfriend a few years ago. Since then, she has ceased clubbing. That sort of life never held any appeal to her.
âWhat about that restaurant where we had dinner for the first time? You know, on Savonette Avenue near the river,â he recommended.
âOh yes, the food there was good. But we only ate a while ago!â she said, shocked that he would get hungry again.
Laughing at her expression, he pulled her to him and pressed his lips into her neck. âThe restaurant usually has live music on weekends, and I go there often, so I know what I am telling you. What do you say?â
âI will have to change into something appropriate. What about you? You canât go like that!â she exclaimed at his old worn jeans.
He laughed and promised her they could go by his home for a new set of clothes. Amando waited for her to change her clothes. After ten minutes, she came out in a soft off-white dress with a splash of blues and lilacs across the skirt. The bodice
was shaped into her bosom and waist before it flared out from her hips to the knees, with the skirt swirling into folds around her legs. The bodice was held up by thick straps encircling her shoulder, showcasing her toned arms. As Amando looked up at her, his eyes widened, and his breath caught in his throat. He coughed to cover his shock and got off the seat.
âI donât think we should bother. Let us stay in,â he said throatily to her.
âCome on now. I saw your expression just now. You think I look sexy in this. You did tell me where you were taking me, so donât go back on your word now!â she opined.
âYou canât blame a man for trying! And you look very sexy and âŚâ he whispered hotly in her ear so she would know what he was thinking.
A pink rose tint circled her cheeks as she blushed and reproved him for such thoughts. He gave her a glimmer of a devilish smile and quickly exited the apartment with her.
âAmando meu filho, you have brought Claudia! What a beautiful surprise!â Amandoâs mother, Marcela, exclaimed as Amando and Claudia strode into his parentsâ house. Amando gesticulated for Claudia to take a seat; then, he went up to his room to change out of his disreputable clothes.
âSo, how is it going, Claudia?â Alberto queried with humor in his eyes; Amandoâs father immediately saw how happy the two seemed to be after being tense around each other for the
past three weeks. He winked at his wife and asked, âWhen will it be the day?â
âWhat âŚwhat do you mean?â Claudia asked him, suddenly realizing that the old geezer was sizing her up and his son.
âYou know. When are you two going to make it official?â
âThere is no official relationship Mister Violante. I will leave the talking to Amando when he comes back. Let him explain it to all of us because I am baffled too,â Claudia posed.
It was then that Amando appeared, sporting a fresh suit of clothes. His navy-blue shirt was slightly loose, and his black dress pants fell snugly around his muscular thighs.
Amando saw right away that something was amiss, and the air was filled with doubt and anxiety, âWhatâs going on here?â he inquired.
âYour father wants to know what is going on here with us,â
Claudia slurred.
As her speech became slow and incoherent, she knew she was going to faint, and this time it was going to be not in private but in front of an audience. And within seconds, Claudia was out cold.
Amando shot out a hand and physically picked her up, and maneuvered her onto the day bed. He knew she was still grappling with the recent shock experience out at sea, and now his parents were badgering her about them. He needed to make
things right, but Amando would not be forced into any commitment until he was prepared to do so.
âAmando, you are a good son. I think you would make a wonderful husband and father one day. Donât take it the wrong way. We want to see you settle down and give us a grandchild or two,â Marcela implored her son. âShe is a bright and beautiful young lady. I admire her a lot, you know. She had a very tough life in Lagos. We encouraged her to be open with us, and she did not want to reveal much in the beginning until your father started to give her our story.â
âAnd what did she tell you?â Amando asked as he looked down at the natural beauty of Claudiaâs face. Her skin was a bit pale, and her plump peach-colored lips pouted. Her almond- shaped eyes were closed at that moment, and she looked like a sleeping beauty in the way her disarrayed h
Having read the first two books in the trilogy, I needed to know how this story would end, which is why I decided to read The Key To Violante Is Us by Saira Musa; and to be honest I wasnât sure what to expect from it.
However, I did hope for a strong ending for the trilogy⌠sadly, that was not the case. The ending was extremely predictable and a little bit boring. Throughout the story, the main characters, Claudia and Amando, didnât really change or go through a character arc, which was disappointing; especially for Amando because from the very beginning he was an unlikeable character, and he stayed that way the entire trilogy. I still do not understand why anyone would want to be in a relationship with him. Claudia deserved better.
The writing throughout the trilogy improved slightly with each instalment but it still left a lot to be desired. My two main issues with the writing were the pacing, which improved a bit from book one to book three, and the time perception in the story. It was a bit of a mess, especially in The Key To Violante Is Us. One minute the characters are having fun in bed and in the next paragraph, they are waking up after a few hours, there is no indication that they ever went to sleep, they are just suddenly waking up. Moments like this, made go back and re-read previous lines to make sure I hadnât missed anything; but no, I hadnât. Also, apparently this trilogy takes place in the span of a few months, and it isnât until it is mentioned by one of the characters (towards the end of book #3) that the reader would learn this fact. I donât know if this was a last-minute decision to accommodate a particular incident (which is a spoiler) but from the way the story is written I thought only a few weeks had passed⌠and while we are on the topic of that incident, it felt too rushed and unmerited.
Overall, The Key To Violante Is Us was a disappointing ending for the trilogy. I was expecting more, and after reading the entire trilogy, I think this could have been a single book. It does have a few areas that need to be improved upon, but if you like romance, you might enjoy this book and trilogy, but if romance isnât your thing, you might want to skip this trilogy.