“Really, you don’t? I thought every woman wanted their man to save them from the evils of the world.”
“One would think so, but then again, not all men are such great catches.” She pouts, but I find it enchanting. I want to hear more from her sweet lips.
“Ah, Valentina, I’m going to the bar,” Luciano says in her ear as he drops a chaste kiss on her cheek and throws me a glance before moving on.
I send him a wink, package delivered.
“Who is that?” I ask.
“My father. He made me come to this wedding,” she volunteers, then changes the subject. “I love Florence and the Uffizi. I hope I get to see it soon. Do you like art?”
“Yes, yes I do.” I smile. This is falling into place perfectly. “I have quite the house actually, you’d love it.”
“Really, is it haunted?”
“No, just the opposite, it’s filled with incredible art pieces.”
“Oh, you must tell me about it one day. What do you do for business?”
“Business,” spreading my arms, “with men that do business. What about you?”
“I’d love to work as a therapist. I have credentials from an esteemed institution, but I haven’t been able to secure a job. Papa won’t allow me to work for the government. He says they are evil but it’s the only way to ever get experience and set up my own office.”
“I see his point.”
Just as we’re getting to know each other, there is a blood curdling scream and people move away from the bar. The commotion is cause for alarm, and I protectively put one arm around Valentina.
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t like it.”
I motion with my head for Tommaso to go check. Then more women scream. I look for Dante and see his brothers and his guards form a protective circle around him.
The area between me and the bar is now clear. Luciano is on the floor. My instincts tell me he’s dead.
16
Valentina
The flight was quick and painless. We check into a suite at the same hotel as the wedding reception. Even though we can see the Arno and the Uffizi from the window. I doubt I’ll have time to visit the museum or walk the bank.
It’s cooler here this time of year and I’m wearing a dress with long sleeves and the plunging neckline is perfect for showing off my necklace. The material is heavier than normal as this is supposed to be the most prestigious event I’ve ever been to.
The necklace is the nicest piece of jewelry I own, and the only piece not given to me by my parents. There were diamond earrings for my 16thbirthday and strands of pearls for graduation because it was their way of saying ‘well done’ without a hug. Goodness no, Papa holds me at arm’s length. We don’t have the relationship he has with Giovi. I assume it’s because Giovi has to learn Papa’s business.
My time with Papa is coming to an end. I’ll be with my fiancée after this trip. He must have something very big riding on my marriage because he’s not given me one detail about my intended, and I’ve given up asking. I knew he wouldn’t cave. I’m not a child anymore who can pout until I get what I want.
When I was younger, he’d love to tease me and give me ridiculous clues about my gifts the night before Christmas.
Papa tells me to dress with care and mind my manners, leading me to wonder if my intended will be at the party. Because I’m wearing four-inch-high heels, Papa insists we take the elevator down. Ridolfo goes with us because he has been around my entire life and knows me best.
Music spills into the hallway as soon as the doors to the meeting room are opened. The fresh flower arrangements and dolphin ice sculpture are breathtaking. I’ve been to my share of mafia weddings and trust me, this is the most elaborate.
As we circle the room, my stomach is full of butterflies. Everyone looks important and for the first time in my life, Papa is just one amongst many powerful men in the room. It’s easy to pick them out by their posture and the custom cut of their suits. I spot the groom right away. He’s tall, dark and handsome. The bride has a sexy devil in her bed.
I can’t stop my instincts of identifying the undercover guards. It’s a game Laura and I played since we were kids. I’ve gotten better at reading people since I went away to college. Laura knows more about the inside workings of the mafia as she listens in on her father’s work calls and keeps track of the businesses he visits when he runs errands with her. She’s never shied away from the darker side of our world.
I accidentally bump into a handsome man; we introduce ourselves, his name is Massimo. I feel guilty about flirting with him, knowing I’m engaged, but I’m spellbound and can’t pull myself away from his eyes. I know what he feels behind his dark eyes. Something is familiar about him but I can’t place it. He’s a magnet and I’m steel. I’m drawn to him by a force I can’t control, not that I want to control it.