Page 348 of Valentino

“Of course it was.” She smiles sarcastically as she scribbles something down. “I know all about the ruthless love you have for this man.”

“Ruthless?” I frown. “I’m sorry, you’ve lost me.”

“What the hell do you mean by ruthless love?” Valentino snaps. “Stop wasting our time and get to the fucking point.”

“Ruthless love is when you put someone else’s needs above all else,” she continues, “Above anyone else, above the law, it’s merciless and unstable.” Her eyes hold mine. “A toxic kind of obsession. Do you have that for Mr. Leone, Anna?”

I listen intently. “Well, in that case, yes. Yes I do.”

“Explain that to me,” she replies.

“If Carlo Bernetti turns up here, I would have no problem in doing whatever I needed to do in order to protect my family.”

“Whatever?”

“That’s right,” I reply calmly. “Whatever it takes.”

I glance over to Valentino, his eyes are dark, and he’s giving me the best come-fuck-me look of all time.

The air swirls between us.

“What does that mean?” She narrows her eyes. “Explain that to me, Anna.”

“Carlo Bernetti tried to kill me once before. He wants my fiancé dead, he murdered my father in law, he’s a murdering criminal and while ever you’re sitting here and wasting our time with stupid questions about what type of love we share, you are not finding him to put him back in prison. This is my warning to you, Detective Armes. If Carlo Bernetti ever turns up here…. I will shoot him dead.”

Her jaw tilts to the sky.

“Do your damn job and find him so that never has to happen,” I snap as I stand.

“We’re not finished,” she replies.

“Yes we are.” I gesture to the door. “Please leave.”

White flowers line the aisle, and Lake Como dances in the backdrop of the afternoon sunlight. I’m wearing a lace wedding gown and veil, my hair is up, and this is the wedding of my dreams.

At the end a man is waiting for me, but not just any man, he’s the love of my life.

Valentino Leone.

Wearing a black dinner suit, he’s facing the front, and waiting for my arrival.

The music starts and he turns toward me, his big eyes hold mine and he breaks into a broad beautiful smile.

“Are you ready, darling?” my father asks from my side.

“I am.”

Francesca arranges my veil down over my face and passes me a bouquet of flowers. As a string quartet sings its love melody, I step toward the end of the aisle that leads to him.

We stare at each other, love bouncing between us, and this moment is so monumental in my life.

In our lives.

We went through hell and back to get here.

Yes…. My love for him is ruthless.

I would do anything. Be anything.