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Today, I’m wearing a deep-red summer dress with ballerina shoes.
“Where is the brunch today?” My stomach growls, and I rub my belly again as the baby flutters. Corrado will be thrilled the baby is moving so much. He’s obsessive about listening to its heartbeat every morning at the crack of dawn. Since Corrado is up before sunrise most days, I vaguely recall the cold feel of the stethoscope as he places it against my belly.
“The Belvedere,” Ingrid answers.
“Do you know if my mom landed yet?” My mom is living her best New York life in an apartment that Corrado bought her. She’s holding a job, has a steady relationship, and she’s been sober ever since she left rehab. It has everything to do with the fact my brother is roaming the world a free man now.
She’s able to live her own life now, even if Gordon is at large with nobody knowing his whereabouts. More than a few times, I’ve asked Corrado and Severio about Gordon, but they both say it’s best if I don’t know where he is. Once, when I was particularly upset, Corrado let me talk to Gordon on the phone.
Hearing his voice made me so happy. I hope one day, I get to see him. Until then, I’m content with knowing he’s well.
Since our bedroom is located in the cupula of what used to be a thirteenth-century cathedral, it takes me a while to descend the many wide steps while also taking care where I walk and holding the iron railing.
The four men in my detail follow me while the students running up and down stairs make me wish I had the knees of a nineteen-year-old girl again.
When I reach the bottom floor, the bell rings and the students clear out, making the noise die down as I exit the cathedral and enter the gardens.
The smell of blossoming flowers and the perfectly cut greenery around me make me smile. I walk down the path, then take off my shoes and carry them as I cross the soft grass toward the Belvedere, situated near the water, under a giant oak tree. I already see Severio sitting at one end of the table with Paulina on his left.
Over on the right, Corrado is tossing a tennis ball at the male Doberman he rescued from the junkyard the day we went to retrieve my car. The dog, who bit him at first, now dislikes everyone except Corrado and always sits by his side.
Corrado loves the animal, which has become his loyal companion. He even refuses to travel without Duke. Since we travel on family planes and stay either on our own estates or at places owned by people Corrado bends to his will, the dog lodging with us rarely presents a problem.
Corrado waves when he sees me arriving.
I wave back and continue toward the table.
A man walks out from behind the oak tree.
Tall, wide in the shoulders, tattooed arms.
Oh God. I stop and cover my mouth with a shaking hand at the same time that Gordon takes off his baseball cap. Mischief dances in his dark brown eyes.
“Surprise,” he says in his deep voice.
Releasing a scream, I rush at him, and throw myself at my brother, whose body is like that of a big bear when he hugs me and buries his face in my neck.
“I missed you. How I missed you,” he says.
“I missed you too.”
We stay that way for a while, and when I collect myself a little, he puts me down.
I crane my neck to see up to his six-foot-seven height. With big brown eyes and long eyelashes, a straight nose and full lips, my brother is a beautiful man. I touch the top of his head. “Keeping the prison cut, huh?”
He used to have long hair.
He runs a hand over his cropped hair. “Yeah. No fuss this way.” He steps back. “Let me look at you.” His gaze finds my pregnant belly. “Knocked up by the billionaire, huh?”
Nodding, I blush as his raw words.
“Is he treating you well?”
Always looking out for me. “Yes, he is. What’ve you been up to?”
“Nothing much. Gonna see about this Order business. They want me in and wearing a suit.”
“And?”
