Page 57 of Ciao, Amore

Milan was a shock to the senses after the lazy, quiet days in Naples and Posillipo, the cosmopolitan energy reminding her very much of New York, even compared to Rome. Steffi indeed was a huge help at the police station and the post office in the neighborhood she’d be residing in. After Steffi made a call to Nonno’s government friend who’d been at the dinner party, she was able to skip ahead in the line of tired applicants and was told her paperwork was all but approved. All she had to do now was wait.

“Let’s go see your new place,” Steffi said with enthusiasm while Brizio followed, silent and giving Dani glances every now and then. He was the most serious she’d seen him since they’d met.

It was a tiny, cramped apartment in a part of town that was a bit run down. With surprise, Dani and Steffi exchanged glances but were polite when the girl introduced them to another roommate no one had mentioned, a dude who slept on the couch. He stared at Steffi’s and Dani’s tits and asses the whole time they were there, despite the glare Fabrizio gave him. The girl was from a small country town outside the city but declared she knew everything about Milan and would show Dani all the best spots to go clubbing and meet the right people.

“Maybe. Anyway, I’ll be back in about two weeks,” Dani said, looking around at the dark bedroom that would be hers.

It was even smaller than her bedroom at home, with a twin cot in the corner and a window that faced a neighboring apartment building. There was no way her clothes and shoes were fitting in here, which would explain why there were packed clothing racks in the living room.

As Dani surveyed the rest of the tiny apartment, her spirits sank further. Everything smelled overwhelmingly of ginger, garlic, and dank cigarette smoke with all the windows shut tight. The sink was full of dishes crusted with food.

When they left, gasping for fresh air outside, Steffi and Dani collapsed in horrified laughter. Brizio looked disturbed and kept brushing off his clothes with twitchy movements.

“There were bugs in there.Disgustoso,” he said, pulling on his shirt with agitation.

Steffi agreed. “That apartment is shit. And that guy looked sleazy. Dani, you can’t stay here.”

“I don’t have a choice. I was lucky my new office manager arranged this for me,” Dani said. “It’s not a seaside villa, but I’ll get something better when I get on my feet.”

God, she was trying to be brave, but even she had to check her clothes for critters. After only fifteen minutes in there, her blouse had picked up the scent of that sour smoke.

“How long have you been planning this? If Nico is coming to Parma, why will you be here?” Steffi asked.

Brizio looked at the well-dressed Milanese walking up and down the street, his handsome face still drawn with unease. He was not at all the obnoxious man he’d presented himself as at the party.

It was a warm day, and Steffi led them to a cart selling chilled lemon granitas, originally a Sicilian treat. Fabrizio bought one for each of them. Steffi scooped the pulverized flavored ice into her mouth as they sat near a bubbling fountain with a statute at its center. The sun bounced off her hair, highlighting a natural array of copper and blue highlights.

“Well,” Dani began after a spoonful of granita, “we’re still new. I thought it would be better if I had my own place until we’re sure where it’s headed, and this was the nearest office for my job transfer.”

She’d already told this lie a few times, but it didn’t make her feel any better telling it again. Dani tried hard not to think about the look on Nico’s face when he’d asked her to make all of this real. Tried not to remember his disappointment in her when she’d pretended not to understand.

“He is definitely coming? Because Nonno seems sure about that, but Nico doesn’t. Dani…can we be honest?”

The chill of the icy treat worked down Dani’s spine at the question, at the way both siblings were looking at her.

“Okay.”

This was it. This was where Steffi revealed she wanted Nico after all. Or where Brizio did a villain reveal of his own, declaring his plan to be the next head of the company and telling her that Nico had better go back to New York, or else.

“Nico is like a brother to us,” Steffi began. “When I heard he’d brought a woman with him for the first time, I was curious to meet you. I thought I’d see you. Spend a little time with you to make sure he was with someone who really cared about him. I can see that you do. But you should know…”

“Know what?” Dani asked, clutching the cold cup in her hand. “Let me guess. Nonni has always wanted you and Nico to be together. She asked you to scare me off.”

“She did do that, yes.” Steffi’s chocolate-syrup gaze was direct. “I love Nonni, but she has this wrong idea about me and Nico. She won’t let it go. And she was wrong to ask me to interfere. But it was Tommy who asked Brizio to come, to, um…come si dice? Tempt? To tempt you, if he could.”

They might as well have picked her up and tossed her in the cold waters of that fountain. Dani sat with her mouth open for a full minute while the siblings looked at her. The blond man’s face went a deeper shade of tan, with what looked like shame etched into his features.

“I am so sorry, Daniela,” Brizio said gruffly. The vivid blue eyes trained on her were sincere. “I did not realize…you and Nico…I don’t like him very much sometimes, but he is my brother. Tommy told me you were only a friend to Nico. But when I saw his reaction to what I did, I realized I wounded him. And I took from you what you didn’t want to give. I can say it was because I was drunk, but I am sorry. It should not have happened.”

“Why? Why would Tommy do that?” Dani breathed. “Was he testing me to see if I’d be loyal to his brother?”

Brizio scowled, tossing his empty cup in the trash can next to the bench. “Okay. We already told her that much, Steffi. Tell her aboutla scommessa.”

“What’s that?” Dani asked, her frame shaking with the thundering beats of her heart.

Steffi said, “Dani…it’s a bet. They are betting on you. And some of them are betting against.”

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