Page 47 of The Bonventi Secret
I nod, and he helps push my chair in and then takes his seat to my left. We're in silence for a few moments until Antonio leaves.
"So," I say, taking a sip of water, "how was your day?"
He waves his hand in the air. "My day? Boring. Full of meetings and making sure people do their jobs. Sometimes," he says and takes a sip of his wine, "I feel like a damn babysitter."
I offer up a genuine laugh for the first time.
"I want to hear about your day. What Victorian wonders did Livia uncover today?"
I lean over and feel as if I'm about to pour myself into his question, but then I stop. No, this is what I always do, and what always happens. He deflects, asks about me, and dammit, I like talking about me and my research, so he wins. Never having to share anything about himself, all the while learning more about me.
"No. Look, Enzo. Can I just be upfront and honest with you?"
His face morphs into something resembling confusion and surprise. "Livia, I'm shocked. Did you just ask if you can unleash your fiery spirit on me?"
I smile.
Shit, I guess I did.
I take that as a yes.
"Okay, here's the thing. I don't understand you. One minute you're all stoic, man of few words, then the next you're relaxed, seductive, flat-out sexy. You go from cold to leaving a poetry book on my nightstand. I just don't get it."
Enzo laughs, "Wait, you think I'm sexy?"
"That. That is what I'm talking about. I either get that Enzo or the," I stiffen up in a poor attempt to act macho, "I'm Enzo. Fire hot. Ice cold."
Enzo sighs and relaxes in his chair. I can see I've struck something.
"When I first got here, I hated you, the situation, everything, but as time's gone on, what you've done for me, getting to know you, it's scrambled my brain. I don't know which way is up or down right now."
"It has been an adjustment."
"Good, yes. That's the kind of shit I want to know. Want to talk about. If you want this to work. And I don't know if it will or what will happen between us, but if this—you and me—is supposed to be, then we have to do it as one. It can't be you knowing everything about me, and I know fuck all about you. Look, I know you're in the mob. I know some of the shit you've done—my brother's Gabriel, remember? I don't need you to tell me what crazy illegal crap you're doing, but when I ask about you, your family, your past—you need to fucking tell me."
I stop to breathe and notice my hands are trembling on the table. I take a sip of water and spill some on the table. Enzo quickly takes his napkin and wipes it.
"You know," he says and takes a pause before speaking again, "I don't think anyone has ever spoken to me the way you just have, outside of maybe my brothers."
"Well, I'm not like anyone, I'm me. And all this—the fancy house, the cars, servants, money, blah blah blah—I don't care about any of it if when it comes time for dinner, the one I'm sitting next to, I barely know," I say and take a drink of water, my mouth feeling dry. "I may be able to reason with the circumstances of how I got here, shit, maybe it's fate, I don't know, but I will not, will not, be involved in a loveless marriage with a stranger."
"Christ, Livia," Enzo says and loosens his tie, "you sure know how to put the squeeze on someone."
I stare at him, not giving him anything. Letting him sit in my words.
He takes a deep breath and leans forward, nodding for a few seconds before speaking. "You're right. Everything you said. When I'm not with you, I think about you and how I should act and what I should do, but then when you're here, in front of me, old Enzo takes over. The truth is," he says and leans back, "I don't know how to be vulnerable. That was never taught in my family. So in turn, I don't know how to be vulnerable with you."
"Well," I say, followed by a long pause. "I did not expect you to say that."
We both break out laughing.
"Let's make a deal. I will continue to try as long as you continue to try. We take one step together. So, since I've worn this and talked about nothing but myself for the past however many weeks, you answer some of the questions I have about you." I say with a warm and gentle voice.
"Okay. It's a deal," Enzo says with a smile, “Remember I may answer questions but if you get a little too out of line, you might need to be punished."
I blush and raise my glass for Enzo to cheers it. He does, and we both take a drink.
"What do you want to know?" he asks as Antonio brings our dinner plates to the table. Out of courtesy, I want to wait until we're alone again.
