Page 52 of Ti Amo

Lorenzo hadn’t realized he was riding the bumper of the produce truck in front of him. He loosened his grip on the steering wheel. His head pounded; his throat was dry. Carlo believed everything would work itself out. He did not. None of it would be fine if they failed. He couldn’t help but focus on the consequences. The death of Angelo Calderone will be the death of his secrets. Papa Tomosino died because of him. One fateful night of drinking he showed weakness and that bastard Giuseppe seized on it. Now he had everything he wanted within his grasp. Giovanni would give him the triangle, respect, power. His cousin would bring him back into his inner circle, and he’d damn well deserved it. Angelo Calderone stood between him and destiny.

“What’s the plan?” Carlo asked. “Do we even know where thebocchinarois?”

“No. But I got a idea how to bring him to us.”

Carlo flicked a long ash out of the window then rolled it up. He wore an expensive gray tailored suit and platinum watch. He looked like he was heading to a wedding instead of someone’s funeral. Lorenzo shook his head at his friend’s flashy trends. He was quite handsome and many said they favored him more than he and Giovanni. Maybe that was because they understood each other in ways he and his cousin never could. Carlo opened his mouth to speak when Lorenzo’s surprise guest kicked and grunted. Carlo turned and glared at the back seat. “Who the fuck is in the boot?” he nearly snarled, referencing the trunk of the car.

“Bait. When you hunt a cocksucker you need the proper bait.”

Carlo chuckled. He relaxed in the seat and turned up the radio. Soon the cries for help were washed out by the music.

****

Mira smiled down at Eve. Her daughter slept mostly on her back with her arms flung open and legs spread. No matter how she arranged her, this was the position she found her in every morning. And after a bath and a good meal she had climbed into her lap and drifted to sleep without much protest. She seemed to be comfortable with her crib, especially when Mira added her teddy bears inside, and her light-up wand that sang ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ whenever she shook it.

The evening puppet show she and Catalina performed for Eve was a smash hit. Eve rolled on the floor laughing. She had never seen her baby girl so happy. Catalina relaxed, and they shared a bottle of wine while discussing her dilemma reasonably. They both agreed to set the argument regarding Franco’s sexuality aside. No matter how turbulent the lives of the Battaglia’s were she couldn’t deny that Eve flourished here.

The door closed.

Mira walked out of Eve’s room and into her own. She observed him. He didn’t look her way at first. He shed his sports coat and his massive shoulders and arms filled the black silk shirt he wore. The strong muscular definition of his back quickened her pulse. His stance emphasized the force of his thighs and the slimness of his hips. Giovanni’s head turned, his piercing blue eyes connected with her from over his shoulder.

“You missed dinner,” she said.

He sat on the edge of the bed and removed one shoe then the other. “Couldn’t be helped. Come here Bella. I’ve missed you today.” He had a commanding voice that made his request sound more like an order than he probably intended. Either way she resisted. Instead she crossed her arms and faced off with him. She was a bit irritated, and now she knew why. Catalina had told her that he’d taken a mistress. That she’d be some kept wife while he split his time between her bed and that of some whore. The idea of it made her sick with jealous indignation.

“Something wrong?” Giovanni gave a weary sigh.

“Yes. I said you missed dinner. I thought it was tradition that we eat together. You didn’t call or say you would be late.”

“Carrisima, I apologize. Don’t be angry. I’ve looked forward to seeing you all day.” The warmth in his smile echoed in his voice. His jaw clenched. “Now come to me.” He extended his hand.

“First, I have a question.”

Giovanni lowered his hand.

“Do you or have you ever had a kept woman, a mistress?”

His expression stilled and grew serious. His eyes were sharp and assessing as was his tone. “Where is this coming from?”

“Catalina told me that men, lots of men around here and in your family keep mistresses. Do you plan to keep one?”

A faint light of understanding twinkled in the depths of his blue eyes. He cocked his head to the right and his gaze lowered to her feet making a slow climb to her breasts. She felt an internal heat move through her body with the seductive way he swept her appearance. Was he actually turned on by the accusation? No. He couldn’t be. His gaze smoldered with desire and a sly smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “Why would I want another woman? When you give me everything I need.”

“That’s not an answer,” she swallowed down her nervousness. She walked toward him. She wore a peach sweater dress and brown camel hair ankle boots. She stopped before him, and he ran both hands around her calves forcing her to part her legs and come to him. She complied by straddling his lap as he sat on the edge of the bed with her knees pressed into the mattress. She kissed his brow and stroked the side of his jaw. His head tilted back and she kissed his nose. His face was centered at the crease of her breasts.

“My mother was a mistress. It was a miserable existence for her, and she wasn’t the only one. My father had several.Madrewas shamed to her grave to be a kept woman. His wife wouldn’t even let her sit at the front of the church at his funeral. Even I couldn’t change her suffering.”

“I’m sorry, baby,” she kissed his lips.

He dropped his face in between the cushions of her breasts and pressed his nose close to the beating of her heart. “Catalina and I are her bastards. We could not bury her next to my father. I would never take a whore. The woman in my life is going to be my wife, the mother of my children, my friend, my lover…” he rubbed his face against her breasts. “That woman is you, Bella. Only you.”

“I accept.”

“Never question my love or my commitment to you, and I will never give you a reason to question me. I swear it on our future babies, on my life.”

“I won’t.”

He slowly lowered back, and she captured his lips into a forgiving kiss. His hands roamed up and down her spine before going lower. He cupped both halves of her butt cheeks and squeezed.

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