La Sposa (55 page)

“
Hello?” she answered.

“
Are you busy?”

She yawned. “Hi sweetie. No. I was just
relaxing after work, getting ready to turn in to bed. What time is
it there?”

“
After midnight.” Dominic said,
dropping on the bed.

“
Mmm, I miss you, Domi.”

“
I miss you too. How are
things?”

“
Good. I spoke to Mira. She sounds
so happy. It’s like life is sweet for all of us now. Don’t you feel
it?”

“
Yeah. I feel it,” he
lied.

“
Domi?”

“
Yes.”

“
Mr. Tate invited me to an event.
After hours, it’s at his place with the staff. He said it’s where
the industry people come together and socialize. He wants me to
represent Mira. What do you think? Should I go?”

“
What do you think?” he asked, his
lids sagging, his thoughts fading.

“
I think I should go. I really do
believe they should see our family positively. I get the impression
from those at the office that they think we have kidnapped Mira or
something. It’s weird. We should be social.”

“
Whatever you say, babe. I trust
you,” he yawned.

“
Oh, Domi, you sound so tired. Get
some rest. Call me tomorrow. I will see you soon.
Ti
amo!
”

“
I love you, Catalina. Good
night.”

He hung up and turned over, too exhausted to
remove any of his clothes. With her voice in his head and heart he
smiled, and let sleep overtake him.

*****

“
That was weird.” Marietta said,
following Lorenzo into the room. He had been in a mood since they
left the palace that King B and his black stuck up queen ruled
over. She didn’t appreciate the nasty comment tossed at her, or
being dragged to him in the middle of the night. “Are you going to
talk to me?”

“
No. Not now. Can we just get some
sleep?”

She grabbed his hand and stopped him from
undressing. “What is it? Why does he think that Mancini paid me to
come here? The one who might be my father?”

Lorenzo took her face into his hands. “I am
going to move you to a hotel tomorrow. To stay for a night or so
until I return.”

“
Return? From what?”

“
Business. Day business. I will go
and return quickly. But you don’t have to stay here. I can check
you into a hotel and you can relax.”

“
Wait a damn minute. I’m not going
to a hotel. What’s changed between you and me that you are kicking
me out?”

“
Huh? How did you make that
leap?”

She backed away. “I want to know what it is
you are keeping from me. And don’t stand there and say it’s not my
concern. It has something to do with me. I can feel it. I saw the
way your cousin looked at me.”

Lorenzo shook his head in exasperation. “I
can’t talk about it. Not now. I’ve asked you to trust me before,
and you know I trust you, Marietta. You have the secret to my life.
Don’t you?”

She knew his reference to secrets were tied to
his dealings with that Giuseppe man who had Giovanni’s father
killed. “I would never tell anyone.”‘

“
I believe you. That’s why you and
I are a team. We believe each other. So that means you trust me
always.”

“
But…”

“
Always!”

She walked over and sat next to him. “I’m not
leaving. I’ll stay here with Carlo until you return.”

“
Not a good idea,
sweetheart.”

“
I can take care of myself. Or have
you forgotten?”

Lorenzo sighed. “I’ll call in one of my men to
stay as well. Just to be safe.”

“
If he’s that bad…”

He put a finger to her mouth silencing her.
“We are all that bad. Never forget that.
Capisce
?”

She nodded.

“
Can we get some sleep? I want to
hold you.” He rubbed her thigh. “In silence.”

“
Is that all you want?” she asked
with a sheepish smile, scooting back on the bed. He rolled on top
of her and kissed her. “Lorenzo, whatever it is, if it has
something to do with my father or mother promise me you will tell
me.”

“
I promise.” He kissed
her.

She kissed him back, melting beneath
him.

*****

Mira opened her eyes. The room smelled of his
cologne. She smiled, turning under the covers. Expecting to find
his warm body next to hers. But she was alone. Confused, she sat up
slowly and looked around the darkness. His sports coat was there
and his shirt. He had to be near.

Without delay, she left the bed. On the chaise
was her robe. Mira put it and her slippers on before checking the
bathroom and Eve’s room. He wasn’t there. When she stepped out of
their room, Leo was there. He looked up and smiled,
sleepily.

“
Where is he?”

“
I don’t know.”

“
Answer me. Where is he?
Villa
Rosso
?”

Leo shook his head.

“
What? Is he in the kitchen? I
don’t want to spend the night searching this place.”

“
I believe he went to the cellars
an hour ago.”

“
Cellars? For wine?”

“
He goes there some nights. I saw
him take his boxing gloves.”

“
Grazie
.”

“
Donna
… I’ve been told to
watch you. I can go and tell him you need to see him.” He caught up
with her.

“
No. I’ll find him
myself.”

“
I don’t think that’s a good
idea.”

Mira waved him off and kept for the stairs.
“Go to bed Leo... get some rest.”

“
I…”

“
I mean it.” She stopped. She
pointed back toward the empty hall. “Go. We all need some sleep
after the week we’ve had.” Leo typically stayed up until midnight
and then another came for him to retire. The rotation was constant,
even in their home. It was ridiculous to be under constant watch.
Giovanni slept with a gun on the nightstand. Men patrolled the
grounds, the roof, and the gates. When would it all end?

Leo gave her a wary smile. When she turned to
go down the stairs, he followed. She shook her head and ignored him
as she went down the stairs. There were two wine cellars in
Melanzana
. She prayed he was in the one closest to their
wing. When she descended the stairs she was careful of the cold
stony curves and the darkness. Leo followed so closely that if she
missed a step, he’d probably cause them both to break their necks
with some daredevil move to be helpful. Thankfully, the light to
the bottom of the stairs gave her enough luminance to manage her
way. And when she arrived below, she heard him instead.

“
Where is he?” She glanced around
the closets of wine, not sure where the grunting noise was coming
from. Leo reached for the string to the ceiling lamp. More light
filled the claustrophobic space.

There were rooms in the cellar she’d never
ventured into. Taking a chance, she tried two doors to find more
tall shelves of wine racks. The third was the big payoff. She
looked to Leo and he had already started to climb the stairs to
leave her to it. He knew this was where Giovanni was, but wouldn’t
dare tell her. Showing her kept him from his boss’s wrath, she
supposed. He had completed his mission in delivering her
safely.

Inside, Giovanni pounded a punching bag,
ruthlessly. He was shirtless, his arms working hard and fast as he
swung his left then right fist into a punching bag. He caught the
moving bag and then started to assault it again. Mira silently
closed the door behind her and turned to observe him. Giovanni kept
his head down and bobbed left and right with deadly earnest. He had
worked up a sweat. It glistened over his broad shoulders, and
muscle- packed biceps and forearms.

He stopped.

“
Why aren’t you in bed?” he panted
through hard breaths. He held the bag, waiting for her to
respond.

“
You heard me come in?”

He started throwing punches hard and fast. The
bag released a warning hiss of air and rattled on its chains. For a
minute, she worried that he’d put his fist threw it. She’d never
seen such force come from him. Each deadly blow was punctuated by
grunts from the effort.

“
Sweetheart?”

Giovanni hit the bag, harder, harder, and
harder.

“
Stop! What is wrong with
you?”

He caught the bag, panting. He held it and
went still. Mira wasn’t sure if she should approach. Anger, or what
she thought resembled something closer to fury, had charged the
air. Like a dark cloud it engulfed them both, building a force
field around him that kept her back and him from turning to face
her.

“
I was waiting for you upstairs.
Why don’t you come to bed? Sleep it off. Whatever it
is.”

Giovanni didn’t move.

“
Or we could talk,” she took a step
toward him. “Talk to me…”

“
Go to bed.”

“
Not without you…”

“
Damn it, Bella! Do as I fucking
say and go to bed!” he shouted.

Mira put a hand to her brow.

“
Stay away from me tonight. I need
to be alone. You can’t be near me now.” He wheezed, holding the bag
as if he needed it to remain standing. His head was pressed against
the cracked leather. His shoulders rose and fell with his staggered
breathing.

“
I can’t do that, sweetheart.
You’re down here like some wounded lion.” Mira forced her legs to
move. She couldn’t stop her heart from hammering hard and fast in
her chest. But she made her legs move. She stopped behind him.
Slowly, she placed her hand to his back. He stiffened. “You’re my
wounded lion. If you’re hurt, so am I. No matter what, we’re in
this together. Talk to me.”

Giovanni turned and glared at her. She reached
for his face and he dodged her touch.

“
Why can’t I touch you?”

“
Because I don’t want you to!” He
walked away from her. Hurt she blinked after him, shocked. No
matter what, he never pushed her away so abruptly. Not like this.
It felt as if his anger was directed at her.

“
What have I done?” she asked,
trying not to sound too pathetic.

He put a glove under his arm and pulled until
his hand was freed. He did the same with the other. All the while,
he kept his back to her, effectively ignoring her. He didn’t
correct her, say it was him not her, nothing. This felt different.
Her blood pounded in her temples, her face grew hot with shame. She
resisted the urge to cry over his rejection. Turning, she walked to
the door. He said nothing and that hurt even more. Mira paused, and
then marched back inside. He was seated on a bench with his face in
his hands. Mira slammed the wood door behind her, hard. The loud
smack made his face lift from his hands and his gaze level on
her.

“
I’m your wife. Your life partner.
I’m not your enemy. But if you keep this up, you’ll close doors
between us that should always be open.”

“
And what?” he shouted her down.
“What will you do, Bella? Run away? Take my
bambina
, and the
baby in your womb and hide from me? Who will it be next, Bella? Kei
isn’t here to help you this time. Who will help you
run?”

“
Why are you saying this to
me?”

“
Why!” he shouted at her. “Look at
us. You never wanted this. Not really. I forced our meeting. Our
dating, our fucking, was all forced on you by me!”

“
Stop!”

“
From day one, you didn’t want
this. You and your fancy friends, your classy life, you never
wanted to be my bride. I even forced you to introduce me to my own
fucking daughter! None of it was because you wanted…
me.”

“
Are you insane? How dare you!” she
shouted at him. “Look at me! What am I now? A woman who exists for
a family forced on me, or your friend, your lover, your wife! I’ve
given up everything for you!”

“
By force!”

“
For love! Love! Love, damn it!”
She burst into tears. “You said you forgave me.” She shook her
head, stepping back. “You never have. It’s too much, Giovanni. I
can’t keep making up for the past. I won’t do it.” She turned for
the door. “I hate you for bringing this between us
again!”

“
Run away!” he shouted after
her.

“
Fuck you!” She went for the door.
She hurried through the next to the stone stairs of the cellar when
he caught her. She tried to fight him off but he was taller,
stronger, meaner. He embraced her, hugged her so tight she had no
choice but to hold his sweaty back.

“
If I lose you, I don’t know what I
will do.” Giovanni said. “I can’t lose you again.”

“
Let me go!” she
struggled.

“
I can’t stop it. I can’t fix it.
Bella. I’ve lost. I don’t know how to fight the past when it keeps
defeating us!”