I reach out to hold her hand. “Hey, this isn’t on you. You never expected that he would storm in here with drugs and almost reach the point of violence when you threw them out. You did the right thing, but you should have called us, honey.”
“I know. I didn’t want to disturb your night out together. I mean it still is ruined and for that, God, I feel terrible! But I’m so happy that you’ve both decided to work everything out. You both earned tonight and I’m sorry it was cut short.”
“Lencia and I have all the time in the world. Please don’t drag yourself down for his idiotic games. You’re not to blame.” Giulio’s pledge is all heart. “And he’s not worth the thought either. You deserve so much better.”
“Have I told you how much I love you guys?” She glances between us with smile. “Soooo, have you two finally put the G in Giannotti? How’s the revival treating you both?”
We all laugh at how quickly she changes the subject. One minute Giulio’s grin is in sight and the next the room dramatically dims. The lights are cut and the fireplace becomes the only source of golden saturation within the room.
“What the hell! Do you think it’s because of the weather?” Helena asks.
“Could be. I’ll go out and check if the other houses have their lights on.” Giulio stands and exits into the horrid Seattle night with furiously blowing wind and rain pelting down to investigate.
His absence has me inch closer to Helena who I can just make out the silhouette of.
“Giulio and I are in a good place. It’s you I’m worried about. Are you sure Marcus didn’t hurt you?”
“He didn’t hurt me, honey. Just scared me a little when he got that knife but it was only a scare tactic. God, I can’t believe that I even….my head hurts thinking about it. I’m sorry about earlier, Lencia. I didn’t mean to push you away. I didn’t tell you about Marcus because I thought it would make things awkward; also because I’m partly ashamed it had to be him. I mean come on, he’s so different than me! I’ve been struggling through my emotions which is why I was so fired up when Bryce and Marcus appeared that night with Kayla. My mind has been an absolute mess…”
I feel for her.
Marcus’ words only had one intent—to hurt. That doesn’t sit well with me. Helena’s husband dying young was a tragedy. For years she’s battled it on her own and finally, when she was ready to take the next step, somebody dragged her down. It’s so uncalled for and so unlike the Marcus I’ve known.
“It wouldn’t have been awkward.” I pull her into a tight embrace and comfort her like she always does me. “I want to be the person you come to first. You are always there for me.”
“You’re right, I should have. You know me, I don’t get involved with men because my kids are my priority. Maybe later down the road…but right now I don’t need any man. I guess Marcus was familiar to me and a few weeks ago one thing led to another. It was only casual. Very casual. God, I hate him. I swear I would have called 911 if he woke up my kids. What an ass! It’s safe to say we’ve both been fucked over by the Giannotti’s, literally and figuratively.”
Laughter lightens the mood. “I think we’re on the verge of becoming supermoms with all this strength.”
“Speaking of which, you don’t know how excited I am about you and Giulio! I’m happy at least one Giannotti is a man of gold!”
I’m about to respond when the lights come alive. Seconds later, Giulio bolts through the door. I await a smile; instead, his face is pressed. His wet hair is violently tousled and his drenched slacks and now transparent white button down cling to his body. It’s only when he steps forward that my heart sinks at the knife gripped in his right hand.
Something’s happened.
Something bad.
“We need to call the police.”
My eyes widen in panic as I bolt up. “What happened?’
“It wasn’t the storm…It was a man…waiting by the circuit box. I fought him off until he ran. He…” Giulio’s jaw clenches in defeat and the bombshell drops. “He wanted one of us…dead.”
Every time I step inside the police precinct, the same sensation accumulates—misery. It’s the fear of the unknown that eats people alive and I am no exception to the feeling.
With Giulio’s attacker on the run, the stakes are higher than ever. When Giulio went to the circuit breaker box, he discovered an unmasked man who pulled a knife on him. He had been the one to turn off the electricity, not the weather. It was calculated. The attacker was ruthless in fighting Giulio, but luckily, he managed to steal the knife. Yet the man remains at large.
Seattle Police have managed to obtain a considerably clear visual sketch of the alleged attacker. A Caucasian man in his mid to late twenties with jet black hair, brazen eyes, a solid build, and he has a deep scar between his eyebrows. Unfortunately, the man wore gloves, so the only prints on the knife were Giulio’s.
The digital sketch of the man bombards the media. Every time I see it, it’s like a kick to the stomach. For the rest of the week, the media remains constantly in our faces, hoping for exclusive statements or pictures. I despise seeing them as much as I appreciate that they are only doing their job, knowing that our story is being flashed around Washington only welcomes stares and hushed whispers behind our backs in public.
My saving grace is my family.
Giulio and I have been showing the children our stars every night since the surprise and they adore it. My family is one of the only escapes I have. Just one glance at
