I giggle as I look around the main bedroom.
“Who in their right mind paints a bedroom canary fucking yellow?”
I laugh again. “I love this house.” I crawl up over him. “Thank you so much for buying it for us, this has always been my dream.”
“You’re my dream.”
My heart swells as I stare down at my beautiful man. “Last night was…incredible. So romantic.”
He smiles and pulls me back down onto his chest. “Only the best for my girl.”
Giuliano
I pull out of the underground parking lot on a mission, it’s Monday morning and after the best weekend of all time.
It’s back to reality.
They found our yacht, it’s one hundred kilometers off the coast. And soon … I know who took it … he will pay.
An eeriness falls over the water, a deserted vessel drifts unguided.
My superyacht.
Once lost, now found…but what did it cost me, I’m about to find out.
The sun is just setting, casting a red glow over the ocean below, and as we get closer, we all grip our guns with white-knuckle force. With no idea what we are about to be met with, we are on high alert.
Shit’s about to go down.
We pull up beside it and the sound of the water lapping on our yacht echoes.
Carlo, Val and I exchange looks, what the fuck is going on here?
“Hello,” Val calls.
Silence.
“Is anyone there?” he calls again.
Bruno throws a rope over their mast to bring us closer and we slowly come to a halt.
“I don’t fucking like this,” Carlo whispers.
“That was too easy,” Val mutters. “This is a trap.” He holds his hand up in a stop symbol. “You all stay here.” They all load onto the vessel.
“Fuck that,” I snap and with my gun drawn, I step over onto the yacht. “Surrender and you will live,” I call as I creep up the deck.
Carlo twirls his hand in the air to signal for us to spread out. We sneak along the sides of the deck and I can hear music playing in the distance. It sounds like traditional Italian accordion music.
What the fuck is going on here?
“Hello,” I call.
Val’s eyes hold mine. “Trap,” he mouths.
I nod, something is off here. I peer through the window into the cabin, it’s empty.
“Check the engine room,” I whisper.
Carlo walks past me and disappears up the stairs, Val crouches and skulks up the front. I look around as I try to work out what the fuck is going on here?
The engine is off, the yacht is just drifting along.
Is the anchor down?
There are drinks and cheese and biscuits out on the table as if people were just sitting out here on deck.
Where are they now?
I slowly walk inside the cabin and my heart drops.
Antonio is on the floor, a bullet through his head.
Dead.
I squeeze my gun harder, who the fuck did this?
“Clear,” I hear Carlo call from upstairs.
“It’s empty,” Val calls, “There’s nobody on here.”
“There is somebody,” I call back.
Carlo and Val come down and stop when they see it. “What the fuck is he doing here?” Carlo whispers.
Val bends down onto his knees and looks him over. “I think we found our traitor.”
24
Six weeks later.
Giuliano
The blood rushes to my cock as I watch the hot ass in the tight white dress and I sip my drink to hide my smile.
Francesca.
No matter how long I watch her dance, I’m always in awe.
The hottest woman in the world…is marrying me. All my Christmases have come at once.
Life is good, fucking great actually.
Francesca wanted to move into our Lake Como house while she plans the remodel, and I have to agree with her, it’s been a great decision. I’ve found a happiness in that house that I never knew existed. It doesn’t matter how dated it is, it’s our home. The one we are creating together.
Now that we’re out of the shadows, we can socialize. The seven of us are going out to restaurants and clubs every weekend, we even went away to Ibiza last weekend.
I never thought I would have this, a friend group where my wife would be an integral part of it. My social life has always been so male orientated, it’s different now, the dynamics have changed….and for the better.
Francesca and Anna have become close with Giovanna, Val’s girl. They even hang out through the week sometimes without us boys with them.
Slowly but surely, my family…is becoming her family.
Her family though…. I mean, her mother still fucking pisses me off, some things will never change.
“Another round?” Val asks.
“Yep.” I sip my scotch and he disappears to the bar.
Carlo’s phone vibrates on the table in front of him and he answers, unable to hear, he puts his hand over his ear. “What?” he says as he screws up his face. “Say that again?”
He listens and then his eyes find mine, he smiles broadly. “Are you sure?” He laughs. “Excellent, thanks.” He hangs up and clinks his glass with mine.