Vittoria
I wake up to a breeze blowing in from the balcony doors. It takes me a moment to remember where I am. Dark curtains bellow softly as the night comes back to me. The dinner. The scene in that bathroom. Amadeo’s hands on me. Bastian’s. And me coming. Me on my knees thanking them for making me come.
Shame burns its way over my neck and face. What is wrong with me? How could I have come? I should have screamed bloody murder.
I roll onto my back and press the heels of my hands to my eyes. I remember when he’d bound me before he disappeared into the shower. I don’t remember anything after that. Did I fall asleep? Stay that way as he untied me? Did he even sleep here? I glance over at the other side of the bed to find the dip in the pillow. He did. He slept beside me, and I didn’t even stir.
Reaching over, I touch the place where his head was. It’s still warm. But it’s not that I am thinking about when I see the ring on my outstretched hand. The obscenely large engagement ring. I’d taken it off along with all the rest of the jewelry. Did he slip it back on my finger?
I remember the other ring, then. My father’s. I’m about to go to the dresser to get it when the sound of someone unlocking the bedroom door stops me. I gather the blankets around myself, confirming I’m still in my teapot tank top and shorts. I’m not sure what I’d expected.
“Good morning,” Amadeo says. He’s fully dressed in a suit minus the jacket, hair wet from a shower. “Come.”
“Where?”
“Your room.”
“I don’t have a room. This is not my house.” Not to mention I need to get my father’s ring.
“There’s coffee. Are you walking, or am I carrying you?” he asks, so I sigh and go with him. “You’re a heavy sleeper,” he says as we enter what I guess is a guest room. The balcony door is still open, deep blue curtains billowing softly in the breeze, and a mug of coffee is sitting on the nightstand.
I feel at a disadvantage. I pick up the coffee to have an excuse to look away. How the hell did I fall asleep and stay that way with this man beside me? He walks to the door.
“You’ll stay here until I’m back.”
“Back from where?”
“A meeting.”
“I need to talk to you about Emma.”
He checks his watch. “Later. I need to head out.”
“Later when?”
“I’ll be home for dinner, honey.”
I almost roll my eyes. “What about me? What do I do while you’re gone?”
“You can stay here. Enjoy the views.”
“I’m not on vacation. I want to be there when you get Emma. She’ll need me to be, or she’ll be scared.”
“That’s not going to happen. Your brother has already increased security around her, so it’ll be tough enough.”
“He did?”
Amadeo nods, sipping his coffee. “Bastian will be there with me.”
“That’s comforting.”
He chuckles.
“Can I at least call her nanny?”
“Should we just call your brother and let him know we’ll pick her up after the appointment with the shrink?”
“Don’t say it like that.”