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“You must be hungry. Simone, bring us our meal,” Bruno orders.
"You speak good English. Do others at the villa?" I ask.
He smirks at me. "Don Conte's men speak English as a matter of doing business. But at the villa? Most who work there only have very basic English language they learned in school. I suspect you will be getting a crash course in Italian. It’s a beautiful language, is it not? They say French is the language of love. But we all know it's Italian."
Even though we're on a small airplane whirling over the Atlantic Ocean, Simone serves us a traditional Italian dinner starting with fresh figs and salami. Next, she serves herbed chicken with vegetables, and of course, bread. We finish with an Italian ice and espresso, although I ask for decaf. I want to sleep on the plane. By my calculation, it will be two in the morning for me when we land in Rome, eight a.m. there. I want to be well rested when I see Luca.
I imagine first walking into Luca’s villa, and a little sliver of nerves slides through me. But it's quickly quashed as I imagine him greeting me and embracing me, welcoming me to his home. I picture us continuing our long talks, maybe walking along the coast. I imagine him finally kissing me, and even taking me to his bed to claim me, and then waking up the next morning beside him.
By the time I drift to sleep on the plane, I'm eager to finally get to Luca and start living my happily ever after.
4
LUCA
"Lei è sull'aereo e noi stiamo arrivando.” Bruno’s words offer me relief and excitement. Aria is on the plane and they’re on their way. I imagine any moment, I'll be getting a call from Niko, but I have no concerns. Aria is coming to me of her own free will, and while Niko won't like it, there's very little he can do about it short of coming to Italy. If he does come, he won't get anywhere near her if he intends on dragging her back.
I check my watch again and do the time calculations. They will land in Rome around eight a.m. and arrive here close to ten.
I close down my computer and head upstairs to get some rest before Aria arrives. I drop my lounge pants and robe at the end of the bed, climbing in naked as I usually sleep. I’m generally a good sleeper, and I drift off easily.
My phone wakes me from a deep sleep. I look over at it expecting to see Niko's number, but I'm surprised to see Lucia’s. I consider ignoring it, except that I like Lucia.
Her father in many ways was like Enzo Sabini, focused only on money and power at the expense of his daughters. Fortunately for Lucia, or Lucy, as everyone seems to call her now, when my father bought her from her father, he was looking for a nursemaid and companionship, not a wife. She was very good to my father, and for that reason I’m in her debt, but only to a point. After all, I repaid the debt by allowing her to stay in the United States to be with Donovan Ricci and take over her father's business.
I pick up the phone. "Pronto."
"Luca, do you know where Aria might be?"
I suppose technically, I do. She’s somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. "I am in Italy, Lucia." It's not a lie, but not an answer, either.
"Have you heard from her?"
"I have not spoken to Aria for nearly two weeks." That's true, too, isn't it? Sure, we passed notes, but we didn't speak in the normal sense of the word.
She's quiet on the other line, and I wait for what she might say next. Lucia is a kind woman, but she's not one to mince words and isn't afraid of me or anyone, as far as I know.
"What the hell, Luca?"
"What do you mean?"
"I know you're in love with her. The fact that you are not showing any concern about the fact that no one knows where she is tells me you know something."
Merda, I inwardly swear. Leave it to Lucia to be so astute. "You didn't say she was missing. You asked me where she was."
"Why in hell do you think I'd be calling you asking if you knew where she was if she wasn’t missing?"
"Have you contacted your Bratva friends? I know Aria is quite fond of his wife or girlfriend or whatever she is."
"If find out you have something to do with this?—"
"Careful of your next words, Lucia.” I’m normally an easygoing, quiet sort of man, but I don’t take threats well. “We are family. Do not make us enemies."
The line is silent for a moment. "If you do hear from her, tell her to call Niko. He's a fucking basket case that he can't find her."
"Buona notte, Lucia." I press the button to end the call.
I don't like being in conflict with Lucia, but I must say there's satisfaction in knowing that Niko is losing his mind over his sister. I suppose that's mean because he could be imagining that she's dead. But it won't be long before that fear will be put to rest. Will he be grateful that she's only here with me? I doubt it.
