Page 47 of Alessia
She raises her brow in question, breaks the seal on the box and opens it.
Within seconds she’s on the phone with Elio.
“Get up here now!” She yells to him.
“What’s going on?” I ask her.
Elio walks out of the elevator and he and Alessia get in a hushed conversation. I walk over to the box and open the lid. Inside are pictures of me, all with red dots on my head. I pick up one of the photos to take a closer look and see that those dots aren’t made with markers. They were actually on my head when these photos where taken. I look back inside the box and see there’s a bullet on the bottom. Around it is a little red ribbon with a little card attached to it. I turn over the card and read.
You belong to me, she has no claim on you.
Say your goodbyes before I do.
I let out a gasp and my hand flies to my mouth in shock.
“WHO IS THIS FROM?” I yell to Alessia and Elio.
Alessia’s head whips around to me, so deep in conversation with Elio that it seems like she forgot I was here.
“It’s from Gianni…”
“WHO THE FUCK IS THAT? These are pictures of ME! This bullet is meant for ME! Whoever he is wants me dead Alessia! DEAD!”
I start to cry hysterically. I sink to the floor, pull my knees to my chest and bury my face in my hands.
Alessia sits down beside me and pulls me into her lap. Elio walks over to the windows while talking to somebody on the phone.
“It will be okay, I won’t let him touch you. I promise.”
“You can’t promise that! He already had the sniper dot on my head multiple times.”
“I know.” She rubs soothing circles on my back.
“I need to go home.”
“No.”
“Yes, I do. If I stay here, stay with you, I’ll die.”
“Elio is already upping the security at the house and the coronation venue. You’ll get more bodyguards when you’re out of the house alone.”
“I don’t want to live in a protective bubble for the rest of my life, Alessia. That is no way to live.”
“Elio has our best digital detective, Luca, searching for him. Now that we know he took pictures of you it means he’s close by. We will find him; this will not be your life.”
Carmen walks over to the coffee table and sets down two steaming bowls of soup with a basket of bread rolls.
“Comebaby, we need to eat something and then I’ll tell you everything.”
Alessia
How can a day as perfect as today turn as black as night within an hour? I was so caught up in our perfect bubble that I totally forgot my morbid anniversary. He knows what Harper means to me; he knows how to find her. My mind races as we silently eat the soup Carmen made for us. I can hear Harper crying softly beside me. Little sobs break the silence. I wish I could do something other than waiting around to hear back from Luca. Harper finishes her dinner and stands.
“I’m going to bed.” She states.
“I thought we we’re going to talk about Gianni?” I ask surprised by the change of plans.
Harper shakes her head, her eyes red and swollen.
