You can’t hide anything from me!

Danielle 

I open and close my mouth repeatedly before finding the right words. “I’ve been having quite a few arguments with my mom. And Giulio got out of prison just a few weeks ago. It’s always a bit tense when he is around.” 

I take a deep breath before waving a hand in front of me dismissively. “But it’s nothing I can’t handle. Really!” 

Giovanni draws his brows together while listening to me and pushes out a deep sigh as I finish. 

“Your father was a good man! He was one of the few who taught me everything I know. I hate to see his wife treat his daughter like this. You were his jewel, you know that right?!” 

I scrunch my nose and shake my head. “Yeah… I also remember the big rose-red diamond I had to give back to the policemen who searched our house.” 

Giovanni laughs out loud, and I’m shocked. It’s been years that I’ve seen him smile, and I can’t even remember that I ever saw him laugh. 

I take in every note of it, not knowing when I’ll hear it again. 

We quiet down, and after a few moments of silence, he meets my gaze. 

“You would tell me if you are in trouble. If you need help, right?” His husky whisper sends a shiver down my spine, and I nod silently, being taken aback by him acting this caring. 

“Good. In a few days, I’ll ask you again. Prepare yourself to tell me the truth by then. I want more than some half-assed set phrases.” 

Without waiting for my answers, he puts the gear into drive and gets us back on the street.

 ***

I wake up feeling reborn, having slept like a happy baby. 

It didn‘t matter if it was pain, fear or just crippling anxiety, there was always something that kept me from sleeping at home. I was always thankful to Loredana or Angelica for having me sleep over for a day or two to regain some sleep. 

I blink at Loredana sleeping soundly next to me and nudge her softly. „Hey, Lore.“ 

She groans and I nudge her again „Loooooreeee.“ 

As she apparently has gone into a coma, I get up and start making breakfast from what I find in the fridge. In Loredana‘s apartment, I‘m practically at home by now. Just as I‘m about to make a coffee, Loredana enters the living room and I can see her stretching herself by the open kitchen. “Hmm, what is that heavenly smell?”

“Pancakes. And here is your coffee.” She nears the kitchen island with sparkling eyes. 

“Uuuuh, you are an angel!” Taking a sip of her cup she hums happily. 

My phone chimes announcing an incoming text and I nearly faint at seeing a name I would have never dreamed to see on my phone.

Gio: Tell me when you‘re up. I‘ll send Francesco to bring you the car back.

His timing is impeccable. 

Wait, is he watching us? 

I lift my head to look for any cameras and laugh at my stupidity internally. 

Dani: We just got up. Thank you so much.

Setting the phone back on the cold granite, I finally take a big sip of my coffee too. 

I would need a camomile though. 

As the phone chimes again I push down the urge to grab it hastily and try to keep my cool. Also because Loredana is looking at me questioningly. “Has your brother tried to contact you again? I nod silently, moving my index finger nervously against my cup, the ring on it making a clinking noise. „Have you found out what he wants?“ 

I shake my head. “I didn‘t pick up and he doesn‘t write messages.” 

I take another sip, feeling the air sizzling around the phone. As Loredana starts to dig in, I casually take the phone checking the message.

Gio: You‘re welcome.

I sigh deeply, feeling ridiculous at having been nervous to check such a message. 

“Everything alright?” Loredana tears me out of my thoughts. 

“Yes, I‘m just anxious. I fear the moment I‘ll go home tomorrow.” 

Loredana looks at me worried. “Maybe take someone with you.” 

I laugh dryly “Who, Loredana? Who should I take with me?” 

My brain responds to this question by flashing me an image of Giovanni and I gulp. 

I couldn‘t really ask him, right?!

Loredana plays with the spoon in her cup, shrugging “I‘m so sorry, Dani, but you’ll get through it. You’ll see.” 

Just as she is about to lay her hand on mine, we jump at the ringing doorbell. She looks at me wide-eyed and gets up to open it. 

“Franci, hi, what are you doing here?” I can’t make out what he is responding to her, and just hear Loredana thanking him before she closes the door. 

She stomps back into the living room holding up her car keys. “How come Francesco has my keys?” 

I shrug, feigning ignorance. “Didn’t you ask him?” 

Her eyes widen as she stares at me and I can’t keep the grin from forming on my face. 

Snickering into my cup, I finally release her from her perplexity. “Gio brought us home yesterday. He had Franci pick up your car. Apparently, we were too drunk for him.” 

Pointing her finger at me, her jaw drops as she walks back towards me. “Is that why the colour left your face a few moments ago?” She gasps overdramatically as she keeps assembling the pieces. “Did he text you?” „

“Oh, drop the act!” I groan, rolling my eyes.  

She giggles, taking her seat to continue eating. “Finally, my prayers have been heard. I give you 5 days to finally get over whatever is between you and finally take it off!” I sigh exhaustedly, as she adds. “You probably just need a good hate-fuck to get it all out of your systems and you two will be living happily ever after before you can scream ‘spank me harder’.”

I gasp, throwing a napkin at her that she catches effortlessly. “You pervert!” 

She nearly falls from her bar stool as she cracks up, “Oh, come on, mon amour. You have been in love with that guy for so long, and you have worked so hard to come this far. You deserve a happy ending. Both of you!” 

 “We already fucked, remember? Didn’t go as planned. At least not as I had planned.” 

I play with my cup as Loredana proceeds to hold a motivational speech, about how I just have to believe in myself. 

Yeah, sure.

She gets interrupted by the phone chiming again and we both stare at it. “A text?” 

I nod once, making her gulp. “Your brother doesn’t text.” 

I nod again, confirming her observation. “Maybe it’s Ale?” 

“It’s surely Ale,” I scrunch up my nose, waving dismissively.

Taking my phone with my heart beating in my throat, I take the phone, trying to convince myself that I wouldn’t be crushed if the text message was really from Alessandra.

Gio: When do you get out of uni on Monday? 

A strange sound leaves my lips. 

Something between a squeal and a mewl makes Loredana look at me, seemingly about to explode. 

I hold up a finger, signalling her to wait before I get to write my answer. 

Dani: About four p.m. Why?

My heart is beating painfully, making it hard to breathe.

Gio: I‘ll pick you up. Prepare yourself.

I need to sit down. 

My brain releases an internal siren, alarming my nerves about the surge of emotions that is about to flood my body, and I cringe as I realize that I‘m already sitting.

Oh God.

I show the texts to Loredana, handing her my phone and trying to force down a piece of pancake. 

Loredana gasps loudly as I wash the bite down with another sip of coffee. 

“Prepare yourself? What the-?” 

I giggle nervously. “I lied to him yesterday, and he told me to be prepared to tell him the truth.” 

She looks at me, startled for a second, before her expression shifts, causing her to look at me like I told her she won the lottery. 

“This is awesome,” she squeals, making me shake my head.

“How is this awesome?” I grimace, laughing awkwardly. 

She does a little dance, making me take back my phone with a blush. “Stop it!” 

We finish eating and settle into the living room to watch our favourite telenovela. 

She never stops making silly remarks about my apparently hot romance, not even when we start to get ready for the evening. 

I feel nervous but as soon as we get into the limousine that picks us up to get us to the elegant venue, I drown a glass of champagne to soothe my nerves and try to concentrate on the few information Loredana can get me about the job. 

I shoot a text to Giovanni before we get in and join two other women already waiting at the bar.

Dani: I‘ll be ready.

Maybe I can make my life a bit easier when I take up on his offer for help.