“Harrumph” escapes under my breath. This isn’t the way I saw this going down, but I want to keep all the things he bought me, so I go along with it.
We have a second car follow us to the airport, black like ours, and we make our way back to the jet.
I purposely behave so Dante won’t have an excuse to deny me the information about my father today. I’m excited to find out who my dad really is since it seems to be the best-kept secret, right up there with whatever happened to the missing city of Atlantis.
The entourage disappears as we take off and I’m a little disappointed to see that the Dante of yesterday has disappeared and the stranger with his cold looks and stiff posture has returned.
“So, what of my father?”
“This again,” he complains.
“Yes, this again. You promised.” It’s a test to see if he keeps his word.
He sighs heavily. “All right, but you can’t tell anyone. Telling your parents will put them in grave danger,capisci?”
“Sì.” I shrug, but I’m reserving my real response based on what he tells me.
“Only Riccardo and I know, along with your father. It’s to keep you safe, babe.” His voice softens, and I begin to fall under the spell of his deep, hypnotic voice again.
“Go on.”
“Your father is a rival don and my family’s nemesis. We are enemies. His name is Gio Conti and he’s not to be taken lightly. He’s very dangerous and I’m negotiating your safety in exchange for him to uphold an agreement we made years ago about a business deal.”
“Will I see him?”
“Probably. He wants to meet you. But he’s not trustworthy, so we need to be careful.” He brushes my arm with his slender, tanned fingers, as if lost in thought.
“You will keep the promise of silence, Juliet?”
“Yes,” I reply briefly, and right now, I will because it’s in my best interests for the time being. In the long run, well, I’ll have to cross that bridge when I get to it.
I ask the question that has been bothering me as much as the one about my father’s identity. “Why did he give me up?”
“I don’t know, but your mother was one of his mistresses. He probably couldn’t afford to divorce his wife as it was an arranged marriage. Plus, in my world, women and children are liabilities.”
“I get that,” I agree, and it crosses my mind I’m a liability to both Conti and Dante. It explains the somber faces and quiet voices on the plane.
“What happens next? I need to get back to school.”
“I know. We’re going to meet Conti, but I warn you, he’s not a nice man. You may be too young to understand fully what he is, but I will keep you safe. This I promise you.”
A chill runs up my spine. He’s speaking so cryptically. I’m swimming around in his words and vocal cues, trying to decipher if he thinks the meet will go well or badly for us.
“I see why you’re stressed. Meanwhile, I’m your leverage over him, to line your pockets with more profits. But what will become of me?”
“I don’t know,” he says simply, and when he looks at me, his eyes are soft and sincere. I could almost believe that he cares, but I’m not sure that he’s capable of that emotion. He’s walled off to everything and everyone from what I can see, and aside from touching me very briefly, he doesn’t seem interested.
I can’t breathe. The mingling of his citrusy cologne mixed with an ocean breeze surround me. Combine that with this black suit, his slicked back hair—and it’s enough to make any woman cream in her pants, and I’m not far from it. God, if he keeps this up, I’m going to need a new vibrator.
17
Dante
Ichecked on Juliet before Riccardo and I met with the mayor of Milan. It turned out his campaign for re-election needed an infusion of cash after all. I was more than happy to oblige. One never knows when having a direct line to someone who owes me will prove to be useful.
I can’t take my eyes off Juliet when I find her ready to go to dinner, nor at the restaurant. But I can’t make a move on her as doing so might mean death to her or to me. I’m more worried for her. I don’t know which emotion runs stronger in Conti—the desire to protect her, like when he gave her up to be raised in anonymity, which took considerable fortitude and money, or his evil side, where he’d just as soon kill her as look at her, a sobering reminder of his infidelity that he would probably rather forget.
We had two morefamigliadeaths just north of Rome and I’m waiting for the local police to give me more details. I can’t tell if they are another message sent by Conti or just a coincidence. Either way, it’s better that I tighten my security now, so I have Riccardo take care of that before dinner.