Page 162 of Valentino

ANNA

The Pilates class was harder than usual, not only did I carry my body weight, I carried the weight of the world.

After Pilates, I went to my parents for a visit and then came back to the shops and had some lunch and took my time. I messaged Val to let him know I would be out all day but he hasn’t replied.

I’ve had so much on my mind that I didn’t want to go straight home, I needed time to process everything. To plan my next move, and I can’t even begin to unpack the guilt I have about lying about the phone.

I did it for him.

If Valentino knows that Carlo is still trying to contact me he will just chase him harder. Hate him harder, and no matter how much protection they both have, it isn’t going to end well for one of them and I will not be the one who’s responsible.

I’ve wiped Carlo from my memory and am now in the process of erasing any evidence of him trying to contact me. I only told Val about the phone because he needed to know that someone had access to my coat.

If I had given him that SIM, he would have just used it to incite more violence and hate. When all I want to do is forget everything and make a fresh start.

I finish my coffee and collect my bags; I’ve been shopping for a few hours now. I got a blowout, a manicure, hell, I even bought some lingerie…. I’m dragging the chain, because going home means facing Valentino.

And my lies.

Marco is trailing behind me, Benito too, in fact there are a few men with me today. More than usual. “You ready to go home, Anna?” Marco asks me.

“Yes.” I force a smile and in silence we make our way back to the parked car, Benito opens the back door for me and I climb in. As we weave through the traffic I scroll through Instagram, trying to keep up the façade that everything is well.

We get to an intersection, and we turn right instead of left toward Valentino’s house. “Where are we going?” I ask.

“Valentino told us you are staying at your house tonight.”

“Oh.” I frown, odd. He didn’t mention this before. “Is he meeting us there?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

The sun is just setting, and darkness is creeping in and we drive for another fifteen minutes before pulling into the underground parking lot.

We park the car, they get out and open my door. “We’re all going in?” I ask. “I can walk in myself from here.”

“We will come.”

“Oh.” I shrug. “Okay.”

They collect my shopping bags from the trunk. “Just leave them in the car to take back to Val’s place tomorrow.”

They exchange glances. “The car may be used for something else beforehand.”

“Okay.” I follow them across the parking lot, we get into the elevator, and I put in my security key.

The elevator stops on my floor, and I walk up the hall to see Valentino is standing at the door, he’s leaning on the doorjamb with his hands in the pockets of his navy suit.

My heart skips a beat at just the sight of him, dark hair, square jaw and damn it, we have to talk this out tonight, I can’t feel like this, I’m in absolute knots about us fighting.

“Hello.” I smile nervously.

He turns to the boys. “Grazie. That will be all for tonight.”

“Yes sir.” They get back into the elevator and the doors close.

Without a word he turns and walks through the door and into my apartment.