Chapter 18 Rory #2
“Sure, why not? Some fresh air might be just what I need.”
“Great.” Summer hopped off the bed, clearing my tray. “You get dressed, and I’ll call for a car.” She paused on the threshold of the doorway. “Oh, and we need to make one tiny pitstop first.”
“Oh yeah? Where’s that?”
“Matteo has the claim ticket for Bianca’s gift. Just need to grab it from him at the office, and we’ll be on our way!”
She was gone before I could open my mouth to protest that the offices of Bellini Real Estate were the absolute last place I wanted to be. Hell, at this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if security had my name on their list of people to deny entry to the building.
So much for a relaxing afternoon out.
Yep, this was exactly as awkward as I expected.
Camille, the brothers’ and Enzo’s executive assistant, stared daggers at me where I sat on a couch in the small reception area while Summer grabbed whatever she needed from Matteo inside his office.
And everyone else who passed by either wasn’t very well-versed in the art of whispering, or they simply didn’t care.
Simply put, everyone hated me for betraying my husband, their leader. Not that I could blame them, the evidence presented was geared to make me look bad.
Summer’s quick stop stretched on for what felt like forever, and I stood to stretch my legs. Gio’s open office door taunted me from afar, and like I was pulled by a string, I moved closer until I was standing on the threshold.
Sure enough, he was inside, hunched over his desk, poring over printed documents. As always, his sense of awareness was unparalleled, and he lifted his head when he heard my approach.
Sighing, he reclined in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. “What do you want, Rory?”
I shifted on my feet, searching for the right words to say. But instead, I settled on “I can feel his kicks from the outside now.”
“That’s nice.” Gio went back to reviewing the paperwork on his desk.
Trying again, I said, “I’ve been looking at names. How do you feel about Luca?”
“Whatever you want.” He waved a dismissive hand.
My frustration leaked over, and I cried, “I didn’t know, Gio! He purposely kept his identity a secret.”
My husband scoffed. “It doesn’t matter, Rory, because anyone willing to help you escape was my enemy. You had to know that.”
Fuck. I couldn’t argue that point.
“I’m sorry. Is that what you want to hear?” Desperation leaked into my tone.
Gio shook his head. “You can save your apologies. They won’t make a damn bit of difference now. The damage has been done.”
“So that’s it? You’re going to throw me out with the trash after I provide you with your heir?” I hated that my voice cracked, letting him know how much the mere idea affected me.
His eyes remained downcast. “You’ve done this to yourself, Rory.”
Tears burned behind my eyes, but I managed to blink them back. “Got it.”
Turning on my heel, I stopped short when I saw Summer standing in the doorway to Matteo’s office, the pity shining in her eyes revealing she’d overheard our entire exchange.
“If it’s all the same to you,” I croaked out past the lump formed in my throat. “I’d rather not talk about it.”
She nodded, stepping closer to loop an arm around my shoulder and steer me toward the elevator. “Let’s focus on baby boy today, okay?”
I pulled in a deep breath as we stepped inside the polished chrome lift. “Yeah, sounds like a good plan.”
As we descended to the ground floor, my hand found my bump.
I’m sorry I fucked everything up, sweet boy.
I was numb, practically on autopilot, while Summer bought every item in the boutique baby store on Michigan Avenue.
There wasn’t much point in having an opinion about wood finishes on furniture or a nursery theme when I wouldn’t be around to enjoy those choices every time my son required a feeding or diaper change.
After we checked out and arranged a delivery date for the purchase, Summer mentioned the need to stop off at Valentina Morello to pick up Bianca’s gift, so that’s where we headed next.
Deciding I needed the pick-me-up that browsing sparkling gemstones would provide, I accompanied Summer into the jewelry store.
Immediately, sales associates leapt to our aid, ready to earn a fat commission from our purchases. Summer produced her claim ticket, and the man assisting us ran to the back to grab her purchase.
“Was this your idea or Matteo’s?” I asked as I dragged a finger along the glass case and gazed upon the glittering display of diamonds.
Summer laughed. “Definitely mine. And he’d be the first to tell you, I go overboard at Christmas.
A therapist would probably tell you I’m overcompensating for my own crappy childhood, and the fact that I only received gifts because someone was generous enough to select my name off the donation tree in the library.
Most of what I was gifted was clothing essentials; toys were a rare treat.
So yeah, I spoil my girls. But we also take time out of the season to serve those less fortunate to keep them grounded. ”
“I don’t see anything wrong with trying to give your kids the world during the holidays.”
“Not sure Matteo saw it that way when I gave them a cat the first year. Our Cookie girl caused a lot of trouble, and I’m not sure he’s forgiven her for half of it yet.”
Mention of their pet made my heart ache for Cosmo. Winters were brutal in Colorado, and it killed me to think of him out in the cold, alone and hungry.
Annnnnnnd I was crying again. Goddammit!
“Oh, no,” Summer cooed. “Was it something I said?”
Embarrassed to high hell, I wiped at my eyes. “No, I just miss my dog, is all.”
“Ah.” Understanding filled her blue gaze. “When did they pass away?”
A fresh flood of tears blurred my vision. “I honestly don’t know if he’s dead or alive. He was left behind when Gio brought me back to Chicago.”
“I’m so sorry.” Her hand rubbed a comforting path up and down my back. “Hopefully someone took him in.”
“They’d be lucky to have him. He was such a good b-boy.” A sob burst free before I could stop it.
“Mrs. Bellini?” A voice to our right had both our heads turning to the side to find a sales associate holding out a box of tissues.
“Thank you,” I whispered, voice hoarse, as I pulled a few of the paper handkerchiefs from the slot at the top of the container.
“It’s my pleasure.” The man ducked his head. “Can I get you a glass of water?”
Giving him a watery smile, I politely declined when I saw the velvet box in his other hand—Bianca’s gift. The sooner we concluded our business here, the sooner I could go home and curl up in bed.
“Mrs. Bellini”—this time, he spoke to Summer—“I have the locket you commissioned. Would you like to take a look to make sure everything is exactly as you requested?”
“Yes, please,” Summer replied.
The box was placed atop the nearest glass case and cracked open to reveal a heart-shaped gold locket hanging on a matching chain.
Summer dragged a fingertip over the tiara engraved on the smooth surface, her lips curving into a soft smile. “Matteo calls her his princess in Italian,” she explained.
I hummed. “He started doing that the day she was born. I remember being completely floored because I could feel the love radiating from him as he stared down at his baby girl. It was such a sharp contrast to all I’d ever known of mafia men, who only cared about male heirs.
My own father hadn’t thought twice about selling me off to the Bellinis, but already I could tell Matteo would never do that to his daughter. ”
Laughter spilled from her lips as she agreed, “If his girls never marry, he’ll die a happy man.”
“Sometimes I wonder how one brother got all the compassion, while the other . . .” I sighed, not having the strength to finish that sentence.
My sister-in-law’s head dropped onto my shoulder. “I wish there was something I could do.”
“You’re already doing it, letting me use you as a sounding board. I’d go insane if I was forced to keep all these thoughts inside my head.”
“Doesn’t feel like nearly enough with all you’re going through.”
With my arm looped around her back, I gave her a gentle squeeze. “It’s more than anyone has ever done for me before.”
Peeking over at me, she frowned. “That makes me really sad, Rory.”
I shrugged. “That’s the hand life dealt me. I’m used to it.”
“Let me check one more thing on the locket before I have them box it up, and then we can get out of here.”
She went back to examining the piece of jewelry, popping the clasp and prying it open. I gasped when I saw the two photographs inside—one of Allegra, whose beauty would forever be frozen in time at the young age of twenty-four, the other of Summer.
The woman by my side remarked, “When I first came into Bianca’s life, it had been less than a year since Allegra’s passing, and our sweet girl missed her mother terribly.
But as the years roll on, she remembers less and less about her mamma.
With this gift, she can keep a piece of the woman who brought her into this world close to her heart, while being reminded that I will love her as my own until my dying day. ”
I was in complete and total awe of my sister-in-law. “She’s so lucky to have you, Summer. Serafina and Aurora too.”
Misty-eyed at the thought of her daughters, she replied, “I’m the lucky one.” Discreetly dabbing at tears glistening on her cheeks, Summer turned to the sales associate hovering nearby. “It’s perfect. We’re ready for it to be boxed up.”
“Excellent.” He closed the locket before snapping the velvet box shut. “I’ll be right back.”
Summer bumped my shoulder with a grin. “What do you say to ice cream before we head home? Allie’s got me hooked on this cute little place around the corner from the hospital where she works that has all kinds of unique flavors.”
“You know what, that actually sounds gre—”
My words were cut off by the sound of shattering glass, a split second before a forceful blast knocked me off my feet.
With the wind knocked from my lungs, I opened and closed my mouth in a futile attempt to draw in air, while my brain struggled to process the scene before me through eyes that couldn’t seem to focus.
From what I could tell, the large showroom was cast in shades of orange and black. Was that smoke? And why couldn’t I hear anything? What the hell happened?
Finally, my temporarily paralyzed chest muscles expanded, and I sucked in greedy breaths, only to cough violently as the polluted air filled my lungs.
As more of my senses came back online, I felt a searing pain in my side, along with an intense throbbing in my skull.
Though I felt the vibrations of a moan roll up my throat, the sound never reached my ears.
Disoriented and walking the line of nauseousness with the stink of what I could only describe as burnt hair filling my nostrils, I attempted to move, but my body didn’t want to cooperate.
My muted cry of frustration floated toward the high ceiling.
This is it. This is the end.
Just when I’d made peace with the fact that today would be the date marked on my headstone—if Gio even bothered with the formality, given the current state of our relationship—arms wrapped around my chest from behind and began tugging me across the floor.
The room around me was descending into darkness, so when I turned around, I was unable to catch a glimpse of my potential savior, but what I did see was the trail of blood left behind in our wake.
There was just enough time to send up a desperate prayer before unconsciousness dragged me under.
If only one of us is allowed to survive, please let it be my baby boy.