Page 234 of Marcello

Too bad I won’t be here.

“Well, I’m glad you’re at least open to the possibility,” Papa said with a smile.

I gave him a fake smile back. “Like I said, I’m really looking forward to leaving home someday.”

Like tomorrow night –

With Romeo.

And leaving Naples FOREVER.

71

Despite what I’d told Romeo during our fight on the phone, I decided to try to sneak out tonight. I just wasn’t going to let him know until I was sure it would work out.

As six o’clock got closer, I lay in wait for Eugenio outside the house. I pulled him aside as soon as he got out of his car.

“What is it now?” he asked dourly.

Eugenio had become accustomed to my gold – and even worse, entitled. As a result, he’d gone back to being a pissy little bitch even as he kept his hand stretched out for more.

“Can you sneak me out tonight?”

Eugenio did a double-take. “What?! No! You’re already scheduled for this coming Thursday!”

That was 48 hours away.

“I need to go out tonight.”

“No!” he said indignantly. “It’s impossible!”

“Call Esmeralda,” I begged. “Tell her I’ll pay her double.”

Eugenio licked his lips greedily. “And me, too – right?”

Asshole.

“Fine,” I snapped.

“I’ll call her and see what I can do.”

As he started to walk off, I grabbed his arm and said, “Now.”

“Seriously?!”

“Seriously.”

He grumbled as he pulled out his phone and made the call.

He got her voicemail. “It’s Eugenio. Call me back immediately.”

When he hung up, he asked, “Satisfied?”

No.

Not in the fucking slightest.

I checked back in with Eugenio at 8 o’clock while he was on patrol in the gardens.