Page 33 of Under Her Skin
Peter frowned. “No, it was your dream, Turo. Your business. But anyway, it doesn’t matter now. Did you tell her the name of the newhotel?”
“No, that’s a surprise for another day. I took her to VillaClaudia.”
“Marcella told me. She said she’d never strung so many Christmas lights at onetime.”
Arturo laughed. “Marcie is a wonder. She’ll see my thanks in her paycheck. It looked amazing and the whole night was…unforgettable.”
Peter smiled. “I’ve never seen you this besotted. Not even with…Flavia.”
Arturo looked down at his coffee for a long moment. “If it’s possible, I love Hero even more. They could be sisters in looks, but they are a million miles apart in character. Hero is goofy and funny, Flavia was more serious and…” He trailedoff.
“Self-involved.” Peter’s voice was harsh. “Time for the truth about Flavia, Arturo. We already know she was cheating onyou.”
Arturo nodded, reluctantly accepting what he’d always dodged in his memories. “Flav used her looks to get whatever she wanted. Hero’s not like that. Not even slightly. She doesn’t use people for anyreason.”
Peter studied his friend. “But Flav’s killer is now targeting Hero. Which leads me to ask…why didn’t he kill her at the Patrizzi? He had her alone and vulnerable and,Jesus, the girl’stiny.”
“I don’t know.Unless…”
“Unlesswhat?”
“No. Never mind.” Arturo sighed. “Look, I have to go pick her up…she’ll be moving into my place as soon as she’s ready. Which I hope is now, but I’m trying to holdback.”
Peter didn’t smile. “Sure, I could tell with this whole ‘we’re husband and wife’thing.”
“Unofficially,” but Arturo grinned. “I cannot wait until wedomake itofficial.”
“Turo.”
Arturo shrugged. “I’m in love, brother. I’m not apologizing forthat.”
Hero was stuffingthe last of her clothes into her case while Fliss sat on the guest bed, pouting. “I’m going to miss having youhere.”
“I won’t be far, and I’ll still come help out in the store. If Arturo thinks I’m going to be a stay-at-home wifey, he’ll have another thing coming. And hey, when we start on Villa Claudia, I’ll need your artisticskills.”
Her cell phone rang, and Fliss hopped off the bed. “I’ll give you someprivacy.”
Hero was smiling when she answered the phone, not even checking who was calling. “Hello?”
“HeroDonati?”
“That’sme.”
A low chuckle. Immediately Hero’s hackles went up. “Can I helpyou?”
“Can you help me? Well, let’s see,beautiful.”
OceanofPDF.com
She frowned, not placing the voice or even the accent. It was being disguised somehow. “Who areyou?”
Another laugh. “Your killer, Hero. The person who’s going to gutyou.”
Her blood froze. “Why are you doingthis?”
“Doing what? Calling you? I wanted to hear your lovely voice, of course. And to tell you in exquisite detail how I’m going to end your life. I’m so looking forward toit.”
Hero got angry. “You son-of-a-bitch! Do you honestly think I’m going to sit backand—”
