Page 3 of Dead Man's Wish
“I haven’t done anything,” he said innocently, raising his hands and letting the bedsheet slip off his hips. His cocky grin returned, and his tongue slid across his teeth to play with the piercing.
“That right there!” I squealed, dashing around him and the bed as I made my way to the room door. “You play dirty and you know it.”
“I’d break all the rules if it meant getting to you.” He didn’t bother fixing his cover, standing proud of his antics and himself. A hand on the door, I took one last look at him—chiseled marble in the flesh.
“Dinner?”
“Dinner,” he confirmed. I opened the door and moved down the stairs to meet Mari for breakfast on the terrace.
My flat shoes had firm soles and clacked against the tiled flooring. It wasn’t very busy, I’d noticed, around this hour. We were perfectly centered in Rome, but there wasn’t an overwhelming presence of tourism. I caught sight of Mari when I came around the corner; she leaned against the wall by an opening.
Her coiled strands were tied into a high bun at the front of her head, and a beautiful golden silk scarf was wrapped and tied around her head. It complimented her deep-blue romper that had delicate gold details. Mari was taller, even in flats that tied up her shin.
“I knew threatening his ass would get him to set you free.”
“I am not a hostage,” I replied, laughing off her faux annoyance. “Also, it almost didn’t work. I think next time, you should spell out the threat.”
She led us into the space, and we started making our plates with the breakfast provided. The terrace had a nice view, and the wind was a delicate breeze as the morning sun lit up the area. We started eating in silence, and my eyes caught on the glint of her diamond ring. Kel and Jaiden were having a boys’ day while we searched for birthday gifts and had some down time to ourselves.
We did the usual tourist thing: Quirinale Palace, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain. Today, our goal was to meanderVia dei Condottiand then meet up for a birthday dinner. Only a couple days remained before our flight home and while I looked forward to it, I knew going back into the thick of crime and psychology would quickly dissolve the veil of peace and serenity I’d put up since checking in.
“Alright, pregame.” Mari set her fork down and looked out at the horizon. “Do you know what you want to get him?”
“No.”
“Has he mentioned anything of interest?”
“Nope.”
“Does he even want anything?” I shook my head no in response as I stuffed a bite of my cream cheese with prosciutto bagel into my mouth. “Woman, what is wrong with you two?” I grinned around the bite, hiding behind my hand because I knew not having a plan irritated her more than anything.
“It’sVia dei Condotti, Mar. If one needs a gift, surely the answer is there.” I sipped my drink as she hit me with an incredulous look. Truly, the signatureWhat the Fuckclassic from Marianna Bellevue.
“Yes, because the corporate emo boy is really into Prada and Louis Vuitton.” She continued to pick at her fruit before pulling out her phone and tapping away at the screen.
“I’m not saying he’s suddenly into designer must-haves, but there’s a lot of historical and local places. I’m sure I’ll find something that speaks to me.” I took the last bite of my bagel and leaned back in the small chair. Jaiden wasn’t fond of breakfast on the terrace; he was a bit too tall to sit comfortably.
“I see your point. We should be able to shop and have lunch without any hiccups. Dinner isn’t too far away, either.” She rolled her eyes and tipped back the rest of her orange juice. “You win.” She huffed, setting the glass down.
“I always win with you standing beside me, Mar.” We cleaned our place and set out for the rest of our day.
When in Rome . . .
* * *
“Via dei Condotti,my dear,”Mari said in an impressive Italian accent as she spread her arms open. After about a six-minute walk, we found ourselves with theFontana della Barcacciaat our backs and a busy avenue of shoppers, locals and tourists alike.
“Street of the bustling, my dear.” I pushed my sunglasses through my hair to rest on my head. “So, anywhere you wanna visit first?”
“I will leave your ass here, Bexley Renee.”
I laughed and hooked my arm in hers. My original plan was to window-shop and decide interest based on energy and mood. “Dior?” I asked, nodding to the store. She looked at me and we scrunched our noses at the same time.
As we walked, more and more high-end designers passed by. Mari stepped inside a few, and after walking around on a mission, she left with a bag or two. This pattern continued until we got to an intersection.
“Do you want to stay inCondotti?”she asked, and I nodded her on. She was having a blast and I wasn’t going to be the one to pull her away from it.
“Do you think it would be easier or harder if he were into this sort of thing?”
