Page 35 of Rome for the Holidays
Vincenzo looked up at Carlo, “Is everything ready for her arrival?”
Carlo nodded his head, “It is.”
Vincenzo straightened, “Bring her to me.”
Carlo inclined his head, “Is this really the best move for our family though?”
Vincenzo lifted an eyebrow, “You question me? Do you recall the last meeting with another family? Or do I need to remind you?”
Carlo shook his head, “I just know what your father wanted for you.”
“My father wanted to marry me off to a stranger and expected me to rejoice in that. He wanted to expand our family, by bringing in that stranger, and it ended up killing him. I say, if we are to stay strong, we keep the family how it is, and expand in other ways. Not with marriage. I refuse to have this discussion again. Harper is my choice. Has always been my choice. And will always be my choice. I will put her first and the family comes after. If that makes me a selfish don, then so be it. I will be selfish. It that puts a target on my back, then so be it. I chose it. I will not bring strangers into my midst again, only to be burned later. We don’t need the other families to be strong. We are strong without them. And I will keep my wife safe through this all. She will make me stronger because I will burn the world down to keep her safe.”
Carlo lifted an eyebrow, “I like that. Will she be a good queen?”
Vincenzo nodded, “I know she has kept things from me, things that make her stronger than any of us. And because of her inner strength, she will make the perfect queen.”
Carlo nodded, “I will not question you again Don.”
“Good. If I want your opinion, I will ask it. This matter doesn’t require anyone’s opinions or questions. The only person who needs to worry about this, is Harper.”
Carlo walked out the door without another glance, and Vincenzo sat behind the desk, anxiously waiting for Harper to get there.
* * *
He didn’t have to wait long, as he heard a woman exclaim, “Wait, this isn’t my hotel. Please, you took me to the wrong place. I think this is someone’s home.”
Her Italian was good, if a little stilted from not speaking it regularly.
Carlo said nothing to her, and Vincenzo watched on the cameras as she looked around in awe.
She lagged behind as she looked at a painting his mother picked out and she rushed to catch up with Carlo, “Please. You have made a mistake. This isn’t my hotel.”
Carlo made it to his office, and Vincenzo stood, walking around his desk as Carlo opened the door.
Harper looked around the hallway at first, no doubt searching for an exit.
When they turned his way, she looked at him, then away and then back and her eyes went wide.
“Ciaopiccola.”
“Vincenzo? Is it really you?”
He lifted an eyebrow, and spread his arms wide, “In the flesh.”
She took a step forward, then shook her head, stepping back, “No. No. This can’t be. No.”
Vincenzo stepped toward her, lifting his chin to Carlo to make himself scarce and Harper held out her hand, making him stop.
“Piccola, you are safe here. I will not harm you.”
Harper shook her head again, “No, but your wife certainly will.”
Vincenzo threw his head back, laughing. “Piccola, I have no wife. At least not yet.”
Harper put her hands on her hips, “Y-yes you do. I haven’t h-heard from you in months. Why e-else wouldn’t I have heard from you?”
Vincenzo stepped toward her again, noting how she didn’t even come up to his shoulder. She was smaller than he realized.
