Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 142640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 713(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 475(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 142640 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 713(@200wpm)___ 571(@250wpm)___ 475(@300wpm)
“I’m not asking for your opinion.” I whisper infuriated.
Valentino’s girlfriend comes back to the table and sits down, she’s so nice and friendly. She smiles warmly over at me, “It’s so lovely to meet you.”
“You too.” I fake a smile. I take a big gulp of my wine, hurry up and get here Francesca.
Francesca
The restaurant is a hive of activity and I smile as I make my way through to the table. Milan…is there a more vibrant city in the world? No, there isn’t. I know that for certain.
I see Anna and Carlo sitting at the table with another couple and I smile and wave, my stomach drops a little. Great, a double date…and me.
Damn it, why didn’t he come?
“Hello.” I smile as I arrive, Anna stands and kisses my cheek. “Hey, thank God you’re here, I thought you were going to bail on us?”
I really wish I did.
“No.” I smile.
Anna turns to the others. “You remember Carlo, and this is Val and his girlfriend, Giovanna.”
My eyes flick around the table. “Hello.” They all smile.
I awkwardly sit down into my seat.
Damn, Valentino turned into one hot man. I remembered that he was good looking as a teenager, but now he’s….
“It’s so lovely to meet you,” Giovanna says from her seat beside me. “Anna tells me you’re an interior designer?” She fills my glass with wine and passes it to me, with long dark hair and a figure to die for, she’s super glamorous.
“The best in Italy,” Anna interrupts, she holds her wineglass up in a toast symbol.
I roll my eyes. “Hardly, do you work?” I ask her.
“Yes, I’m a doctor, I work at the Memorial Hospital in pediatrics.”
“Wow.” I smile, impressed.
“How could someone this beautiful have brains as well?” Anna teases.
“I know,” I agree.
The girls and I continue to talk and from my peripheral vision I see that Valentino texts someone and Carlo takes out his phone and does too.
“Didn’t you say that Giuliano was coming?” Anna asks.
“He couldn’t make it.” Valentino says as his eyes find mine across the table, he subtly raises his eyebrow.
He knows.
Shit.
I pick up my glass and take a huge gulp.
Carlo is sitting back in his chair, his arm casually draped across the back of Anna’s, his fingers dust across her skin as he talks. He’s completely smitten with her, it’s as clear as day. Anna is glowing, I watch as they exchange looks and laugh and chat. It makes me nervous, I mean, I’m happy that she’s happy and that he seems happy…but I do worry about her. Up until now she has been completely shielded from the kind of man that Carlo is.
I know his type, I’ve lived his type through my father and grandfather…perhaps even Giuliano, I worry that by the time she realizes that this isn’t the life she wants, she will already be in love with him and it will be too late to escape. That’s if it isn’t already.
I want her to run far, far away while she still can. Before she ends up messed up like me.
“Francesca,” Carlo says across the table. “Tell us, what did you do today?”
It’s like he’s goading me.
I sucked your best friend’s dick.
“Not much.” I fake a smile. “Shopping, boring things.”
Val clinks his wineglass with mine. “Thank God you saved the day by coming out with us then.”
“I know.” Anna laughs. “Let’s get some cocktails.”
* * *
I walk into my apartment just on twelve, while I wanted to rush home to Giuliano, I also wanted to stay out to give him time to be alone and think.
Perhaps he’s having second thoughts about us already?
I walk through the darkened apartment, lit up only by the lamps.
Is he still here?
I put my purse down and take the stairs up to my bedroom as a sense of urgency runs through me. Please still be here.
I open the bedroom door to find him fast asleep and my shoulders slump in relief.
Thank God.
I watch him in the moonlight for a while, a moment in time of perfect stillness.
Uninterrupted viewing of the man I love so desperately.
To everyone he’s a killer, a drug lord…my brother.
To me, he’s the world, the love of my life.
He’s lying on his back; his broad chest rises and falls as he breathes. His dark hair falls messily over his forehead. The white blanket pools over his groin covering his most private parts.
It’s not often I get to see him like this, completely relaxed and calm.
Vulnerable.
I know why he couldn’t go tonight, I get it.
I take my makeup off and shower and then I climb in under the covers and cuddle his back, he stirs. “Hmm,” he whispers sleepily as he turns and kisses my arm. “What time is it?”
“Midnight,” I whisper.
“Hmm.” His eyes stay closed, his regulated breathing tells me he’s drifted back off to sleep and I smile against his back.