Gulping, I look down at our hands thinking about meeting Gavino’s wife. I’ve thought about what kind of woman she was since I met him the first time three years ago. What kind of woman could love and be married to a man like him? But then again, he gave me my freedom. So, perhaps he’s not as bad as I think he is, as bad as he seems.
Lenora’s phone rings and she smiles. “It’s Arlo, he’s probably home and wondering where I am. The nanny has no doubt left for the day. He’s kind of hopeless at being alone with Simonetta, our baby girl.”
“Go home and be with her,” I say, giving her a smile as I imagine her little blonde beauty. “Why don’t you bring her tomorrow.”
“Do you mean that? I mean, I have a nanny to watch her while I’m down at the shop, she can watch her tomorrow too.”
Shaking my head, I squeeze her fingers. “Bring her,” I say, meaning every word.
“Okay, I will. I’ll see you tomorrow, I can’t wait.” Releasing her hands, I slide out of the SUV.
Enrico is standing at the door, all of my bags just inside of the hallway. Lifting my hand, I wave to both of the women who look at me with huge smiles on their faces. Turning toward the opened door, I stop just short of Enrico.
“Thank you for today,” I offer.
He dips his chin, his gaze focusing on mine for a brief moment. “You’re welcome, cara. I will be here tomorrow around nine in the morning. Be ready,” he rumbles before he turns and walks back to the car.
Slipping inside of the hall, I tug the door closed, making sure that it latches before I turn toward my bags and gather them in each of my hands. Walking down the long hall, each step that I take, I wish that I wouldn’t have bought heavy jeans and boxes of shoes.
When I reach the door of the small apartment where I’m staying, I turn the knob, kind of surprised to find it unlocked. Slipping inside, I hear it click closed. I reach for a deadbolt, but I don’t find one.
Biting the corner of my bottom lip, I wonder how I was locked in here last night and if I’ll be locked in again tonight. I wish that I had Mia’s number to call and ask her, but I don’t.
Taking all of my clothes into the small bedroom, I close the door behind me and let out a sigh of relief to find that the door has a lock. Flipping the lock, I feel all of my anxiety leave my body, knowing that I’ll at least be locked inside of the bedroom when I’m asleep tonight.
Slipping my hand into my back pocket, I take out my phone and walk over to the bed. Sinking down on the edge of the mattress, I scroll through the numbers on my phone until I find Rosana’s.
It only rings twice and then I hear her voice. “Where are you?” she practically screams.
“I’m safe,” I say.
“Where?”
Closing my eyes, I decide that I can’t lie to her, but I also cannot tell her the truth. “I’m going to get married,” I whisper.
I hear her scream, then she asks me a million questions at hyper-speed. I don’t lie about any of them, I also don’t go into detail or tell her the entire truth of the matter.
“So, will you meet me in the East Village tomorrow at the shop?” I ask.
“We’ll be there,” she says.
I want to tell her not to bring Aunt Irene, but I know that she doesn’t have a choice. If she wants to go at all, Irene has to take her. Before I can say anything else, I hear fabric and rustling around.
“What the hell is going on?” Irene snaps.
Clearing my throat, I pinch my eyes closed. “I’m getting married in two weeks. Tomorrow, I’m going dress shopping and I would love to have my sister with me.” My last words are said on a whisper.
Irene lets out a bark of laughter. “Oh, we’ll be there. I can’t wait to hear the rest of this story.”
Before I can say anything else, she ends the call. I text my sister the address of the dress store before I forget. I spend the rest of the evening unpacking my bags, organizing everything in the empty dresser drawers and closet, then I take a long hot bath before I climb into the bed before I promptly pass out cold.
MASSIMO
Pippa Mazzilli.
Just hearing her name makes my cock twitch. Thinking about her makes my cock hard. The thought of having her as my wife, well that fucking hurts as my dick presses against the zipper of my slacks.
“Are you fucking with me?” I ask Gavino.
I watch as my boss throws back his head in laughter. “Not even I could ever be that fucking cruel, cugino,” he says between his laughs.
“Explain,” I demand.
Arlo snorts. Gavino shifts his gaze from mine, turning his head slightly to look up at Arlo. “Go ahead, Arlo. Tell him what happened.”
I watch as Arlo presses his lips together, then he shrugs a shoulder. “She came to me last night. She came with nothing but the clothes on her back and a proposition. Apparently, Irene kicked her out.”
“What was her proposition?” I grind out.
“One that you would beat the shit out of me for had I accepted, judging by your reaction.”
Arching my brow, I grind my teeth together and wait for him to answer. I can’t speak, a million different scenarios are running through my head and none of them I like. In fact, they
