Page 11 of Under Her Skin
No.He just wouldn’t tell her what he knew; that was best for now. If his plan to seduce her worked, then he would let her tell him in her owntime.
He closed his eyes. The thought of Hero, lying in the wreck of a car, screaming for her lost husband, her darling daughter, made his chesthurt.
She looks so much like Flavia…is that the reason?He shook his head, sighing, and closed the laptop. Comparing the two women would not helpmatters.
He went to bed, hoping to get a couple of hours of sleep before he had to go to work, but his dreams were troubled with an image of Flavia’s dead body floating away from him, and his Hero, his lovely Hero, being stabbed to death in front of him by Flavia’skiller.
In a foul moodbecause of his nightmares, Arturo went into his office, stalking down the hallway right past his assistant’s desk without sayinganything.
“Peter called.” Marcella followed him into his office, used to ignoring his moods. “He says he’s found a few promising options for the new hotel. He wants to know if you just want to put the Patrizzi apartments straight back on the market as is or go ahead with therefurbishments.”
Arturo sat down heavily in his chair. “Tell Pete to call me, please. I want to refurb the whole place. Might as well make some profit offit.”
“Thank you. By the way…goodmorning.”
Arturo did smile then. “Good morning,Marcella.”
“Grouch.”
“You’refired.”
Marcella grinned. “Wantcoffee?”
“Yes,please.”
“Well, you know where the coffee potis.”
Arturo laughed. American-born Marcella had worked with him for years and had been his confidante and his friend—almost his sister. When he got too arrogant, she would just stare at him, do the pencil-tapping thing, until he backed down. She told him to fuck off to his face when he was rude to her; she brought him hot tea and pastries when he wasdown.
“Marcie…can I ask yousomething?”
Marcella, who was halfway out of the door, stopped and studied him. “Work orpleasure?”
“Pleasure.”
“Ooh, gossip. Ask away.” She flopped into the chair opposite him and crossed her longlegs.
Arturo cleared his throat. “I metsomeone.”
Marcella’s eyes opened wide. “No.Way.”
Arturo held up his hands to forestall her excitement. “It’scomplicated.”
Marcella sighed. “When isn’t it with you? Did you fuck heryet?”
Arturo looked awaysheepishly.
“Turo.” Marcella stretched out his name, berating him. “Woo a girl first. I know that monster in your pants has a mind of its own, but jeez…” She laughed but then looked at him, her eyes serious. “Do you likeher?”
“I do. But I don’t even know her—rather, she doesn’t want me to know anything. I…might have gleaned some facts on myown.”
“Stalker.”
“I don’t want to invade her privacy or overstep her boundaries. But I did find out something pretty major about her. Should I tell her that Iknow?”
Marcella shook her head. “No. That would freak her out, believe me. We women live in a world where any…invasion…however well-meaning or sweet…could mean something bad. Something like violence. So, no, Arturo, don’t tell her. If she wants you to know, she’ll tellyou.”
“Thanks,Marcie.”
