Romero sank back down. The bathroom was past a corner, closer to the door than our table. I slipped out of the restaurant, took flats from my purse and put them on. Then I hurried toward the address. It would take at least five minutes before Romero would venture toward the bathroom and hopefully even longer before he’d barge in to check on me.
When I arrived in front of the brownstone building, I hesitated. It didn’t have a reception, only a narrow corridor and a steep staircase. Then I took a deep breath and entered. The key said the apartment was on the third floor. I took the elevator hidden in a dark corner behind the stairs. During the ride up, doubt overcame me. Maybe I shouldn’t have listened to the letter. The elevator came to a halt and the door rattled open. My eyes darted to the button that would take me back to the ground floor but instead I stepped out and found the apartment door. It wasn’t completely shut.
My heart fluttered with fear. This seemed like a really bad idea, but curiosity was stronger than worry. I pushed the door open and peered in. The living room was dark and empty, but light was coming from somewhere else. I rested my hand on the gun in my purse, then crept further in, but froze when I heard a woman cry out. “Yes! Harder!”
Dread settled in me as I followed the voice. I had heard it before. The light was spilling out of an open door. I stopped in front of it, hesitating. I could still turn around and pretend I’d never received the letter. Another moan drifted out of the room and I peaked inside. Heat rushed up my face, then seemed to drain out of my body completely. Grace Parker was on her knees and forearms on the bed while Luca fucked her from behind. The slaps of his body hitting her ass filled the silence, only occasionally disrupted by her encouraging cries and moans. Luca’s eyes were closed as his fingers dug into her hips and he rammed into her over and over again. Grace turned her head to meet my eyes, and smiled triumphantly. Bile traveled up my throat. So this was what Luca had been up to the last two nights.
For a crazy moment, I considered taking the gun out and throwing it at her head. I wouldn’t shoot her, even if I wanted to. I wasn’t a mobster. I wasn’t Luca. My shoulders slumped and I took a step back. I needed to get away. Luca’s eyes shot open, hand reaching for a gun on the bed beside him but then he found me. He jerked, then froze.
“What’s the matter, Luca?” Grace asked, wiggling her ass against him. He was still buried inside her. Luca and I stared at each other and I could feel tears gathering in my eyes.
I whirled around and ran. I needed to get away. Just away. The moment I stepped out of the elevator on the first floor, I began shaking but I didn’t stop. I rushed outside almost bumping into Romero who must have followed my phone’s GPS. He stumbled back, looked at my face, then at the building and his eyes widened. He knew. Everyone seemed to know, except for stupid me.
I stormed away, running faster than I’d ever run in my life. When I crossed the street toward the underground station, I caught a glimpse of Luca in an unbuttoned shirt and pants staggering out of the door. Romero was already chasing me.
But I was fast. Years of working out on the treadmill finally paid off. I practically flew down the steps, fumbled for the Metro card my sisters and I had purchased before the wedding after we’d forced Umberto to show us the subway. I managed to squeeze into the already closing doors of a subway wagon. I wasn’t even sure where it was going. But as I saw Luca and Romero heading for the tracks, all that mattered was that it was taking me away. Away from the triumphant smile Grace had given me, from the sound of Luca’s body pounding her ass, from his betrayal.
On our wedding night I’d told Luca I didn’t hate him. I wished he’d ask me again today. I sank down on a free seat, but I was still shaking. Where was I going?
I couldn’t run away. Luca was probably already sending every soldier after me. I let out a choked laugh and got a few strange looks from other passengers. What did they know? They were free.
I grabbed my mobile and called Gianna. She answered at the second ring. “Aria?”
“I caught Luca in bed with Grace.” More people looked my way. What did it even matter? They didn’t know who I was. The wedding announcements in the newspaper had never included a photo of me. I really didn’t need any more attention.
“Holy fuck.”
“Yeah.” I got out at the next station as I began telling the whole story to Gianna. I quickly moved away from the underground because that would be the place they’d look first. Eventually I landed in a loud and dark place where burgers and beer were sold. I ordered a coke and a burger, though I had no intention of drinking or eating.
“Where are you now?” Gianna asked.
“Somewhere. I don’t even know. In a restaurant, sort of.”
“Be careful.” I didn’t say anything. “Are you crying?”
I was. Again I stayed silent.
“Don’t. Not when I’m not around to console you and kick Luca’s fucking ass. I knew he was an asshole. Fucking bastard. You haven’t slept with him yet, right?”
“No, I haven’t. That’s probably why he’s off cheating on me.”
“Don’t you dare blaming yourself, Aria. Any decent man would have kept his dick in his pants or used his hand.”
The burger and a coke arrived, and I thanked the waitress who lingered beside my table for a couple of seconds, her gaze lingering on my tears. I gave her a smile and she finally took the hint and left.