“Wow.” I smile, impressed.
“How could someone this beautiful have brains as well?” Anna teases.
“I know,” I agree.
The girls and I continue to talk and from my peripheral vision I see that Valentino texts someone and Carlo takes out his phone and does too.
“Didn’t you say that Giuliano was coming?” Anna asks.
“He couldn’t make it.” Valentino says as his eyes find mine across the table, he subtly raises his eyebrow.
He knows.
Shit.
I pick up my glass and take a huge gulp.
Carlo is sitting back in his chair, his arm casually draped across the back of Anna’s, his fingers dust across her skin as he talks. He’s completely smitten with her, it’s as clear as day. Anna is glowing, I watch as they exchange looks and laugh and chat. It makes me nervous, I mean, I’m happy that she’s happy and that he seems happy…but I do worry about her. Up until now she has been completely shielded from the kind of man that Carlo is.
I know his type, I’ve lived his type through my father and grandfather…perhaps even Giuliano, I worry that by the time she realizes that this isn’t the life she wants, she will already be in love with him and it will be too late to escape. That’s if it isn’t already.
I want her to run far, far away while she still can. Before she ends up messed up like me.
“Francesca,” Carlo says across the table. “Tell us, what did you do today?”
It’s like he’s goading me.
I sucked your best friend’s dick.
“Not much.” I fake a smile. “Shopping, boring things.”
Val clinks his wineglass with mine. “Thank God you saved the day by coming out with us then.”
“I know.” Anna laughs. “Let’s get some cocktails.”
*
I walk into my apartment just on twelve, while I wanted to rush home to Giuliano, I also wanted to stay out to give him time to be alone and think.
Perhaps he’s having second thoughts about us already?
I walk through the darkened apartment, lit up only by the lamps.
Is he still here?
I put my purse down and take the stairs up to my bedroom as a sense of urgency runs through me. Please still be here.
I open the bedroom door to find him fast asleep and my shoulders slump in relief.
Thank God.
I watch him in the moonlight for a while, a moment in time of perfect stillness.
Uninterrupted viewing of the man I love so desperately.
To everyone he’s a killer, a drug lord…my brother.
To me, he’s the world, the love of my life.
He’s lying on his back; his broad chest rises and falls as he breathes. His dark hair falls messily over his forehead. The white blanket pools over his groin covering his most private parts.
It’s not often I get to see him like this, completely relaxed and calm.
Vulnerable.
I know why he couldn’t go tonight, I get it.
I take my makeup off and shower and then I climb in under the covers and cuddle his back, he stirs. “Hmm,” he whispers sleepily as he turns and kisses my arm. “What time is it?”
“Midnight,” I whisper.
“Hmm.” His eyes stay closed, his regulated breathing tells me he’s drifted back off to sleep and I smile against his back.
Coming home to him will never get old. “I love you,” I whisper as I kiss the back of his shoulder.
He sleeps on and I smile.
I love this.
I wake to the feeling of my back arching off the bed as I shudder.
What the hell?
I feel a tongue between my legs, and strong hands spreading my thighs wide apart.
“Oh….” I blink as I try to focus my eyes and I pull back the blankets to find Giuliano in all his glory between my legs.
“Morning,” he whispers darkly, his lips glisten with my arousal.
I smile broadly. “Why yes…yes, it is.”
14
Giuliano
I stare at the spreadsheets on my computer screen, these figures aren’t adding up, Lorenzo and I have been working on them all morning. There’s a few hundred thousand dollars missing. “There has to be a miscalculation somewhere.”
Lorenzo lets out a deep sigh. “Fuck knows, it can’t be out by that much.”
“It’s okay, I’ll find it. You go do what you have to,” I say.
Alex puts his head around the door. “I’m going to get some lunch, you coming?”
“No. I’m good.”
“What are you having?” Lorenzo asks.
“Apollo’s.”
“Yeah, I’ll come. I’m out of the office this afternoon, I’ll catch you tomorrow.”
My eyes stay glued to the screen. “Bye.”
Lorenzo stands and they disappear out through reception together.
Mario walks past my office. “Hey.” He stops at my door.
“Hi.”
“I saw a photograph of your old man last night.”
I glance up from what I’m doing. “Really, where at?”
“At the public library.”
“Yeah?”
“My son had a school art show and they had an archived photograph section from past years’ donated art.”
“Hmm.” I nod as I turn back to my computer. “What was the photo of?”
“Him and your mother.”
I smile.
“I noticed it because his wife, Bianca, was also in the photo, she was pregnant.”
I look up from what I’m doing. “What?” I frown. “What do you mean his wife was in the photo? My mother would never go somewhere with him and his wife.”
“That’s what made me notice it, I thought it was weird too.”
I stare at him, confused. “You say his wife was pregnant and my mother was there?”
“Uh-huh.” He nods. “Lorenzo was in the photo too.”
I spin my chair toward him, my interest piqued. “Lorenzo?”
“Yeah.”
“Our Lorenzo?’
“Uh-huh.”
My mind begins to race. “Where was the photo?”
“It was on a display board as you walked into the room at the art display.”
“You sure it was them?”
“Positive. Your dad had his arm around your mother’s waist.”
What?
With his pregnant wife there?
“Milan library?” I confirm.
“Yes.”
I fake a smile. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll check it out next time I’m there.”
“No worries.” He walks casually down the hall and I turn back to my computer.
What the fuck?
My mother and Bianca at a function together, it doesn’t make any sense.
His two women hated each other…didn’t they?
I grab my keys and head for the door, I need to see this fucking photo.
Francesca
My phone vibrates on the table and I pick it up to see the name Dominic light up the screen, “Hello, Dominic.”
“Hi, Francesca. I was wondering when you’ll be in Milan next?”
I frown, does he already know that I’m here? “I’m actually already in Milan.”
“Good, I have some things I need to go over with you. I’ve been going through the plans and the tile choice for the bathrooms on level four is off.”
“What’s wrong with them?”
“I’m not happy with the way they correlate with the other floors.”
“Oh.” Shit. “Let me try and reshuffle my appointments for this afternoon and I’ll try and fit you in for a meeting.”
“Thank you, that would be appreciated.”
“Where are your offices here in Milan?”