Page 43 of Unrelenting
When Damiano comes back into the room alone, he tells us Matteo is going after his wife. It’s what I’d do, what any of the men in this room would do.
Issues between a man and his woman can’t be allowed to fester. He needs to make things right with Giulia before it gets out of hand.
Damiano crosses the room and pours himself a whisky before turning to face us. He looks as weary as I feel.
“What the fuck were you thinking, Piotr? You should never get between a man and his wife.”
“I was thinking Antonio wants his brother back in the States and that if his wife was there he’d follow.”
Damiano laughs humorlessly. “You’re so full of shit. You didn’t do it to please Antonio.”
“No,” Piotr admits. “I did it as a favor to Olivia.”
“A favor in return for what?” I know he’ll expect something in return.
“Dinner.”
I doubt dinner is all he wants from her, but that’s between Piotr and Olivia. Since Antonio has given his blessing to him pursuing her, neither Damiano nor I will interfere.
“Dinner?” Olivia sounds skeptical.
“Tomorrow night,” he confirms, before turning to Damiano. “I’ll let you know where and when.”
“Fine,” Olivia agrees a little too readily. If I was Piotr, I’d expect trouble. “Dinner tomorrow.”
As Damiano shows Piotr out, Olivia sinks down onto the couch with a sigh. She looks at me and purses her lips. “You need to see a doctor.”
“No, I just need a little sleep.”
“You shouldn’t be alone, not with a head injury.”
“She’s right,” Damiano says as he comes back into the room. “Should I call Lucia?”
“No, I don’t want her to see me like this.”
“Then there’s only one option.” My brother comes and grabs my arm. He pulls me to my feet, and I stagger. “You’re coming home with us.”
As much as I’d love to argue, I don’t. My head is throbbing, and I know it will be safer for me to sleep at Damiano’s house tonight.
Hopefully, by morning the worst of this headache will have passed, and I can see Lucia again.
TWELVE
Lucia
It isn’t likeme to persist in trying to contact a man who clearly can’t be bothered to respond, but I want to know where I stand. It’s been over two days since Lorenzo abruptly left my apartment, and I haven’t heard from him since.
I’ve left dozens of voicemails and sent countless messages asking him to get in touch. I even called Casa di Lupo looking for him, but the woman I spoke to said he wasn’t there.
Daniele showed up last night after work to walk me home, but he didn’t know where Lorenzo is either. If it’s over between us, I’d like to know so I can move on with my life.
A part of me is worried that he isn’t calling me back because something has happened to him.
There’s a rumor going around, which Daniele neither confirmed nor denied, that there was a shooting at a Mafia wedding. I’m afraid Lorenzo might have been caught up in that.
People say several men were killed. There’s been nothing about it in the news, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
Plenty of crimes get covered up when families like the Volantes are involved.
