He nods. “Good idea.”
I go to walk off.
“Giuliano,” he calls.
I turn back toward him.
“Are you sure about this?” he asks.
“It’s time.”
He nods. “Yes, sir.”
I take the elevator down to my car, get into my Ferrari and pull out of the parking lot, I dial Valentino’s number as my eyes flick up to the rearview mirror and the three cars following me.
“Hey,” he answers.
“Find me Lombardi’s whereabouts.”
“Why is that?”
“I’m going to kill him.”
Silence.
“Did you hear me?”
“I’ll have someone else do it.”
“No,” I snap. “This kill is mine.”
Francesca
I lie on the couch and stare at the television, ugh, this day is long. I’ve exercised, I’ve baked a cake, I had a swim and now what?
I hear a bang outside my front door and I sit up, startled.
What’s that?
I walk over and put my ears to the double doors, is someone out there? I look out the peephole, can’t see anyone. I flick on the iPad next to the door and hit the camera.
The foyer is empty.
My shoulders slump in relief, I’m imagining things now.
I open the door and look around, my eyes widen. The door to the fire stairs is open. It’s never open.
I slam my door shut and lock it, my heart hammers in my chest.
It’s just a coincidence, I tell myself. It’s just a coincidence.
I dial Bruno’s number.
“Hello, Miss Ferrara,” he answers.
“Can you check the fire stairs please?”
“Why, what’s wrong?”
“The door on my level is open.”
“I’ll be right up.”
It’s just on six when I hear the door and I smile broadly. He’s home.
Giuliano comes into view, he’s wearing a charcoal suit and crisp white shirt. His dark hair is messed to perfection and he gives me a slow sexy smile before taking me into his arms. “Hey you,” he whispers, his voice is soft and cajoling, the one he saves just for me.
We kiss, slow and tender, and he brushes the hair back from my face as he stares down at me. “How was my girl’s day?”
“Long without you.”
He sits down onto the dining chair and pulls me onto his lap and holds me tight.
We hug, as if we haven’t seen each other in years.
The warmth from each other slowly defrosting the cold.
How is it possible to miss someone so much when they were only gone for eight hours?
“What happened with the fire stairs?” he asks.
“I don’t know, I heard a bang.”
He frowns as he listens. “What kind of bang?”
“It sounded like a door or….” I shrug. “When I checked the cameras, the room was empty so I went out there.”
“Rule number one, Francesca,” he says sternly. “Never unlock a fucking door, not for anyone other than me.”
“But the cameras….”
“Can be manipulated.”
“Anyway, it was a false alarm. The serviceman was changing the lightbulbs in the staircase, they must have left it open.”
His eyes hold mine as he runs his hand up my thigh. “The staircase is now under surveillance.”
I nod, relieved. “Why do I feel like everything is coming to a head?” I ask.
“Because it is.” He kisses me softly. “The paternity tests will be back, we can soon be publicly together and….”
“And what?”
“And other things…are being taken care of.”
“Lombardi?” I ask.
“You don’t need to worry about Lombardi.”
“He’s dying anyway, Giuliano. Let him go naturally without starting the war,” I whisper. “Don’t bring any danger to us that isn’t necessary.”
He gives me a stifled smile as he kisses my nose. “You do not need to worry about my work, sweetheart.”
I stare at him, so lost in his light, so, so in love with this beautiful man.
“If something happened to you.”
“It won’t.”
“Promise me that you won’t die.”
“If you promise to marry me.”
“I already did that.”
He gives me his best cheeky smile. “That’s right, you did.” He stands, holding me in his arms like a bride, and begins to walk to our bedroom. “It’s shower time.”
“I already showered.”
“That doesn’t count.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re about to get dirty again.”
I listen to the grand organ play its hymns and I stare into space.
The priest is delivering his sermon, and we, his faithful disciples, listen in awe.