I wake up to Enzo watching me. He's standing by the door. I rub my eyes and pull the covers up to shield my chest from him. When did I fall asleep? What time is it now? How long has he been standing there like some creep? "What do you want?" I ask. He responds, "It isn't safe for you here during the day anymore, not without someone around you to protect you. Aurelio has things to do. I'm taking you someplace else."I sit up. If he even thinks of taking me back to Giotto, I won't go. I'd rather stay here and risk getting killed. "I thought you said there wasn't anywhere else safe. Where do you plan on taking me?"He pushes himself off the doorframe and turns his back to me. "Just get dressed."I take my time. I'm in no hurry. I take a shower, detangle my hair, then pick out a comfortable outfit. Sweatpants, tennis shoes, an oversized pale pink hoodie I found lying at the bottom of the suitcase. I don't remember seeing it that day, but those assistants at that store must've added it.
I'm waiting by his car. He's taking an eternity in there. Maybe he's with Flavia, laughing about how much of a fool I am. I am a fool. After everything I've been through, all the horrors I've faced, I'm bothered because Enzo said he would discard me. But isn't that what I want? I want him to leave me alone. I wish I had never met him. So why am I offended? Why did that insignificant word cut me in half? Although I feel sorry for Flavia, it isn't because Enzo doesn't love her back. It's evident that he doesn't. It's because she's crazy in love with him, but she's making excuses about her family name. Maybe that's what her brothers are fighting for, but not her. She wants his love and affection. She wanted to buy me a ticket out of this mess so she wouldn't have any competition. She can rest assured. I'm not competition. As soon as it's convenient to him, he'll leave me. Discard. I scoff. It seems he treats every woman in his life like trash, especially the ones he has no affection
He comes into the room to give me an ice pack. I stare at it in his hand. "But the doctor didn't say anything about ice."Enzo makes an impatient sound at the back of his throat. "It's for the bruise on your cheek. I don't care what they say. Ice helps, I've been using it for years."I take it from him and press it to my cheek. I didn't even know I had a bruise there. I'm much calmer now that all of that mess is behind us. Sometimes, though, when I think about how close they got to abducting me, chills race down my spine. Nowhere is safe, and this has fueled my paranoia. Thinking about who might have sent those men is pointless. I can't imagine myself walking through the streets without looking over my shoulder, or even leading a normal life. Will I always be persecuted by Mafias and old family feuds? All I've ever wanted was a peaceful life. "How are you feeling?" he asks. I shrug. "I'm tired of this. It's exasperating.""We don't know who those men were. I'd stay there to questio
I've been in and out of consciousness for a few days.Enzo refused to take me to a hospital, because he doesn't believe it's safe. Whoever tried to kidnap me could still be out there, and that person is probably the same person who sent that young man to kill him. Well, that's what he thinks. So there's been a doctor coming to see me, and I feel much better today. The wound on my neck got infected, but it's all been taken care of. I'm recovering.As for the issue between Enzo and I, we haven't talked about it.I get uncomfortable every time he comes into the room. I haven't looked him in the eyes in days. He's looking for confirmation in mine and I can't give that to him. I can't love him. I can't bring myself to love him. It's just the way it is. Enzo enters the room carrying a bowl of soup. I take it from him and mutter a 'thank you'. It's rich and delicious. I have one spoonful after the other. He's still in the room watching me, and I don't know what to make of it, so I keep my e
Enzo will be arriving tomorrow.That's what Aurelio told me when I walked into the kitchen. He was looking at me to try to see my reaction, but I offered none. He turned back to the stove and flipped the omelet. I sat down at the kitchen counter after pouring myself some coffee. I've had a few days to think about everything, and I'm sticking firm to my decision. The truth is, I don't know what I feel for Enzo, but I do feel something. I'll acknowledge that, at least. Is it enough to surpass everything he's done and said to me? No, absolutely not. So is it significant? Also not. If Enzo decides to come back from wherever he is and keep adding pressure, I'll just tell him how I feel about this whole situation. We're in no position to develop any sort of feeling for each other. The sooner he resolves his issue with Giotto, by killing him I mean, we can get out of each other's lives. We won't ever have to see each other again and we'll forget this ever happened. Am I afraid of going o
I wake up with someone tapping my arm. I scrunch my eyes before opening them, and I find Enzo staring at me. What is he doing in my room so early in the morning? I was glad that he hadn't mentioned anything, please don't tell me he wants to talk about it now. "Enzo?" "Aurelio left. You're stuck with me for the rest of the day."I suppress a groan. Not again. "Can't I stay behind?" I promised myself that he'd have to drag me out of this apartment if he ever intended on making me spend the day with him, but I've realized that it isn't worth the effort. I don't want to have to fight him. In about a week, I'll be free of him anyway. "You know that isn't an option. Come on, get dressed. I'm already late." Late for what? He leaves me alone and I shower quickly, then dress up. I tie my hair in a bun and meet him in the living room. I ask, "Where are we going?" "To pick up some things." We leave the apartment, but this time Enzo doesn't give the men in the lobby a day off. He tells them
He parks the car in front of a restaurant.I raise a brow. "Are you meeting someone here?""I know that you haven't had breakfast. I can't drive you around on an empty stomach. Come on, let's go inside."I don't know what to make of this. My fingers tremble slightly as I open my door and climb out. He's concerned about my well-being? Since when? He's really starting to freak me out. We both enter the restaurant and my mouth waters instantly. It smells like a piece of heaven in here. This place isn't as chic as that bar we went to last time. There's a homey feel to it, like I'm sitting right in my mother's kitchen. From the dark wooden tables to the small metal chairs, everything about it screams rustic, comfort food. There are some framed Polaroids of smiling families. I'm at ease here. A waitress walks over to us and hands us the menu. Everything looks delicious, I don't know what to order. I look up and he appears to be equally as torn as I am. I ask, "Have you been here before?"
We're out of the house at eight AM sharp. Once we're in the car—a brand new Lexus, not the car we drove in yesterday—he says, "I have to meet some guys today. We'll be discussing the grand day." He likes to call it that. I hope he's right. I hope it'll be the day all of our suffering ends. I ask, "Won't Aurelio be there?" "No, he's busy with something else."He stops by a nearby bar and buys coffee and pastries for breakfast. It's all so delicious that I moan as I take a bite. I thought I wouldn't have an appetite after yesterday. I was dead wrong. The drive isn't long. I still have my cup of coffee when we park in front of a hotel. "You're meeting in a public place?" He says, "It isn't a problem. Giotto doesn't have eyes everywhere."The interior looks like every other hotel I've ever been to. Dark wooden reception, red carpeted floor, a small lobby. Enzo turns to me and says, "Wait here. I'll give the guys a call."I nod and he walks away. The lobby is practically empty, so I
I put my favorite pearl earrings on. What I love most about them? They go well with everything. I bought them when I visited Paris. I fell in love with the pair as soon as I set my eyes on them. They reminded me of a pair my mother had but never wore. They sat at the bottom of her jewellery box, but sometimes I'd catch her staring at them. I never gave it a second thought; I never thought that they were valuable. Where would she even get the money to buy a real pair of pearl and diamond earrings? Now, I figured that they were probably gifted to her by my father. So much has happened since I left Italy. I settled down in Lisbon, until I decided I could no longer stay. It was a beautiful city, and I loved the food more than anything. But there was something missing, and that was something Lisbon had in common with every city I traveled to. They were marvelous in all aspects, but they just didn't feel like home. That all changed when I met Eric.He was an American living in Vienna. We
I glance at the time on my phone. It's almost time for me to embark. I'm nervous and excited at the same time. I can't believe I'm finally doing this. The last couple of weeks have been absolutely horrible for me, with everything that happened the night Enzo died.He was dead before the paramedics arrived. If they'd been even a minute later, he wouldn't have been able to make it. They reanimated him with a defibrillator. I watched in shock as his body lurched. It was the worst ten seconds of my entire life. I couldn't go with him to the hospital. I had to explain to the authorities why there were three dead bodies in my front yard. I went with the obvious explanation; I didn't know who they were. I said Enzo was my boyfriend, and we were going to spend a few days here, but when they showed up, he had no choice but to shoot them. I never fired my gun, only he did. I remember these officers. They'd stop by sometimes for coffee and cake whenever they were in the neighborhood. I went to
She fires the first shot. I realize that this is the second time in a matter of hours that someone has tried to kill me. Only, something isn't right. She isn't looking at me, in fact it's almost as if I'm not even here. She's staring at the person behind me, Enzo, and I realize that her gun is pointed at him.She's trying to kill Enzo. But why? No, that's a stupid question. It isn't hard to imagine why. The way I feel about him is the same way she must be feeling, only ten times worse because she knew about what he did all along, and I didn't. I fell in love with him before that, and my love for him cushioned the blow of his betrayal. "No, stop!" I exclaim. She isn't listening to me. She fires another shot, and he falls to the ground. For a breathless second, I thing that maybe she hit him, that he's going to bleed to death on this patio. But he wasn't shot, he's fumbling with his own weapon. Her gun is poised, she's ready to fire another shot. Each step she takes brings her close
I can't bring myself to walk inside just yet. The last time I was here, I was dragged out by Enzo himself. He's standing by the entrance and is watching me as if he knows what I'm thinking. I'm too deflated to be angry, all I can do is look around. My mother's garden is destroyed. Weeds and birds got to it. There are still some flowers I recognize here and there. My hands are itching to fix them, to restore this garden, but I know that that won't ever happen. It won't be the same without her. She spent years and so much effort on this small piece of land, but that has all gone to waste. I settle my eyes on the front door again. Enzo has the keys with him. I don't ask him how he has them. It doesn't matter at this point. He probably got them from one of his men, after they finished the job. "Aren't you going to come in?" he asks me. I shake my head. "Why did you bring me here?" "This is your home," he says. "I thought you'd want to spend the night here instead of some motel."He
I look at Enzo.He's breathing heavily. His eyes search my face and body to make sure I'm safe, that no bullet hit me. We both look at Gustavo, who's lying on the ground. Dead. I place my hand over my mouth. I can't believe that has happened. I can't believe that he was going to kill me, after everything we've been through. This night has turned out to be a nightmare. An absolute nightmare."We need to go," he says to me, as if he didn't just kill his own brother. I'm being unfair, I know that. He was going to kill one of us, and all Enzo did was try to keep us both safe.But he's dead.Enzo lifts me off the ground when I refuse to move. He shoves me inside the vehicle and slams the door in my face. I stare at Gustavo’s body through the window, at the pool of blood around his torso. I'm seeing it, but I can't quite believe my eyes. He gets inside the driver's seat and starts the car.We speed away from the bloody scene. I wonder briefly if anyone will ever find these people. This cab
Gustavo is furious.I don't think I've ever seen him like this. I barely recognize him. Why is he holding that gun? And why does it seem like Enzo expected this? I feel like an outsider once again. I have no idea of what's happening right now.He says, "Come with me, Chiara. You," he points at Enzo with the gun. "You stay the hell away from her."Enzo stands up. "You don't tell her what to do. And who do you think you're talking to?" Gustavo ignores him. He turns to me. His brow is furrowed and his lips are in a snarl. For the first time since I met him, I'm afraid of him. I've never seen him like this. He says, "Come, Chiara. You have no business being here with him. I'm going to take you back home, someplace safe." I don't like his tone at all. He's been using it on me for some time now. I'm not a child, yet he keeps treating me like one. "You didn't keep her safe to begin with," Enzo interjects. "You can't keep her safe. She would've been killed tonight, if it weren't for me."En
Flavia finally stands and faces him. "What are you—" He pulls out his gun and shoots her right there. I gasp and watch as her body falls with a thud. I look at him, he's looking at me. I can't believe that this has happened. Flavia de Luca is dead? He just shot her. Right in front of me. A few more men enter the room. I only recognize Vito amongst them. Enzo tucks his gun back in his coat and says, "Untie her. Make sure you don't hurt her. One yelp and you'll meet your maker." He doesn't look at me as he gives those orders which I'm partly thankful for. I'm shocked that he's here, but I push that to the back of my mind. For now. They cut at the ropes and tape, a little too carefully, and I'm freed. Finally. I sit up and my head spins. When I open my eyes, Enzo is no longer in the room. Vito is helping me to my feet. Someone shoves a bottle of water at me. I fumble with the lid, but I manage to open it. "Easy, miss," one of them says. "Take slow sips."I do as I'm told, because my
They tied me down with ropes, like an animal awaiting slaughter.I knew that this would happen, yet I don't regret my decision. I wasn't going to give up without trying, even if that attempt got me here. I'm so thirsty it's like I swallowed a mouthful of sand. With all the dust here, maybe I have. I just need a sip of water, but I guess there isn't any point in wasting water on a dead person. How long will I have to wait? Not being able to move is torturous. I don't know at this point if I should hope for the best or just give up. I've been here for a long time, if anyone had to find me, they would've already. I'm at the mercy of Flora and her brother, and once again this is all Enzo’s fault. It's getting darker because the room is pitch black at this point. Maybe one of them will light this kerosene lamp. My head is starting to hurt, either from dehydration or this stressful situation. I need to sleep, but at the same time, I can't close my eyes while I'm surrounded by people who m
I'm filled to the brim with a feeling of utter despair. I try to move my hands and feet, but they've been bound with rope and duct tape. I'm in a dark, cramped space. Moving car? Again?I’m overwhelmed with the strong sense of deja vu. This cannot be happening to me. I thought I was finally free. I wasn’t expecting something this absurd to happen to me. What am I going to do? How will I escape? Is this punishment for not caring about Russo’s death as I should or the price I'm paying for getting involved with Enzo? Caio is going to use me to get to him, to hurt him. He doesn't know how he's wasting his time. Enzo won't care about that. All he wanted was revenge, and now that he has it, he doesn't need anything else. He won’t care about me. He won’t sacrifices his new wins and achievements because of me. Let them have me. He disposed of me along ago. He won’t care now, that I know. How long have I been here? What I can't believe is that after everything I've been through, I'm back to