Chapter 33 Contessa #2
“How did Sera land this gig?” Bambi asks in a voice full of wonder.
“I never asked,” I reply, “but I expect Cristiano had something to do with it.”
Just as we reach the doors, a flurry of dark auburn hair rushes toward us. I recognize Sera immediately and she barrels straight into me and Bambi for a hug.
“It’s so good to see you all,” she squeals. “I can’t wait to show you around. Trilby and Cristiano got here an hour ago…”
My chest tightens again. “Where are they?”
“They were in the lounge last time I looked but they might be in their cottage unpacking.”
“Cottage?” My eyes pop.
Sera beams proudly. “Yeah, we have four cottages on the grounds as well as all the suites in the main house. It’s perfect for their wedding night.”
Bambi’s nose scrunches. “Isn’t it bad luck to see the bride though, on the day or even the night before?”
Sera turns and guides us inside to where Papa and Allegra have already sunk into deep chairs in the reception area. “Cristiano will be staying in Benito’s room the night before…”
My lungs constrict and suddenly I’m finding it hard to breathe.
“Besides,” Sera continues, “we’ll be rooming in a suite with Trilby for two nights. Bride’s request.”
I thump a fist against my chest in the hopes it will kickstart my lungs’ ability to operate.
“You okay?” Sera shoots me a concerned glance.
“Yeah,” I squeeze out. “Just… swallowed a bug I think.”
“What?” She looks horrified. “There shouldn’t be bugs in here! Wait here and Sergei will get you all checked in. I’ll meet you on the veranda for lunch in thirty minutes.”
Bambi and I watch Sera scurry away to locate some no doubt toxic chemical to eradicate the place of non-existent insects and wander out onto the patio.
“Wow…” Bambi twirls around, taking in the immaculate white building with its sash windows and manicured foliage. “I feel like we could be in England.”
I resist the pull to open my heart to the place. As gorgeous as it is, I dare not let my guard down. It’s challenge enough taming the butterflies coursing around my belly—they don’t understand that the man I’m so nervous about seeing is no good for me.
She takes out her phone and starts snapping photos while I wander off the patio to the lawns. Two of the cottages are set to the side—beautiful miniature versions of the big white country house, surrounded by small picket fences and flowers. Trilby will be in heaven.
I sit on a bench beside the lawn and listen to the waves in the distance. In seconds I’m lying on the hood of my car by the ocean looking into Bernadi’s glittering bronze eyes before he throws my legs apart.
Heat spirals down to my core knocking me off my axis and whipping away my breath.
The view ahead of me spins and suddenly I feel completely out of control. I have no agency over my visions and emotions. How am I going to get through the next few days if I can’t even get him out of my head, let alone my direct eyeline?
My heart sinks as I realize the only way I can stay afloat is to go back home. My heart sinks even further knowing Papa would have an aneurism if I even suggested it.
I drop my face into my hands and will the time to pass quickly. Then a warmth beside me draws my gaze to the right.
“What’s wrong, Tess?”
As my eyes get used to the light again, I feel some relief to see Trilby settled on the bench.
“How long have you been sitting there?”
“Couple minutes.” She strokes a hand down my back. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“It’s nothing,” I say but a taut sigh follows the words. “Headache, that’s all.”
Her brow dips into a small frown. “Sera said you swallowed a fly back there. Are the two connected?” She arches a brow like she knows neither of those excuses are authentic.
I exhale slowly and turn to look out toward the ocean. When I don’t speak again, she continues. “You haven’t been to the house in a while. Does it have anything to do with Benny?”
A shiver curls its way down my spine and I’m sure she notices, but she doesn’t say anything.
“No. Why would it?”
She clicks her tongue. “Because he’s looked like shit for the last three weeks, which is roughly when I last saw you at Cristiano’s place.”
I turn slowly back to face her.
“Cristiano told me Benny was getting a little touchy about you. Has something been going on? I won’t judge you, Tess. I know you hated him—and for good reason—but I also know that feelings can change.”
I drop my gaze to the ground and notice my hands are shaking. Just talking about Benito has whipped me up into a frenzy.
“Has he really been looking like shit?” I ask in barely a whisper.
“Yeah. Well, as shit as someone blessed with the skin of a supermodel and the jawline of a steak knife can look, sure.”
A smile pulls at my lips but I’m too shaken to give in to it.
She breathes out and rests her hand on mine.
“You don’t have to tell me, but if you’re worried about seeing him, I can ask Cristiano to give him stuff to do that keeps him out of your way for the next few days.
Obviously, the day of the wedding won’t be easy—you’ll be in the same room all day, but—”
“He tied me up in a basement, Tril.”
Trilby sucks in a breath, removes her hand from mine and clamps it over her mouth. I don’t bother looking up. I see enough judgement in the mirror—I don’t need to see it from my sister too.
From what I can tell, she may in fact have stopped breathing, so I figure she deserves the full story.
“We’ve been having a thing since… well, since the day you gave me the music box.”
I eventually glance across to see her eyes widen further.
“But things got a little more serious when I went to Arena with my friend Paige.”
Trilby nods. So she knows about Arena.
“Benito was there. We went to a hotel, we stayed there for three days. He called me his girlfriend…”
A choke begins to work its way up my throat but I swallow it down because I refuse to cry any more tears over a man. Federico had my tears three years ago and look at what came of that…
“I was going to tell you at the lunch Cristiano hosted at his house, but…”
Trilby’s hand slides from her face and concern shrouds her features. “But what?”
“He found a note Federico had sent me. It arrived completely out of the blue and Bambi had only given it to me that day. But in it Fed talked about wanting to get his revenge on Benito for sending his family away. He said something about knowing his Achilles Heel and working with the Marchesi’s—”
“The Marchesi’s? Are you serious?” She says, a little too loudly.
“Sshhh,” I hiss, knowing the patio is filling up not far behind us.
“They’re empty threats, Trilby. I know Federico, and he isn’t like that.
The note was written a few months ago. If he was going to appear and cause trouble, I’m confident he would have done so by now.
That’s if he was going to do it, anyway, but he was always good at talking the talk—not so good at putting his words into action. ”
That seems to settle Trilby slightly, then her frown sharpens. “Why did Benny tie you up in a basement?”
I take a long breath in. “He found the letter, believed I was working with Federico to avenge what Benito did to the Falconi’s. What hurt the most was, he didn’t even question it. Despite everything that had happened between us, he couldn’t find it in himself to trust me.”
Trilby rubs her eyes in my peripheral and mutters, “What the fuck, Benny?” Then she looks up suddenly. “Did he hurt you?”
Heaviness seems to engulf me until I can barely lift my head. “No. He didn’t hurt me. Not physically anyway.”
“So, what happened? How did you get away?”
“He released me eventually. But only after Cristiano confirmed the letter was old and Bambi had only just given it to me.”
“So Cristiano knew?”
Oh shit. They’re getting married in three days and I might have just got Cristiano into a bit of hot water.
“According to Benito, yes.”
I can hear her teeth grinding beside me. After a few long moments, she huffs out a tight breath. “Well, that certainly explains why you haven’t been around to the house and I don’t blame you one little bit.”
I look up and she’s shaking her head, vehemently. When she stops, her gaze is hard. “Are you okay, Tess? Answer me honestly.”
“I’m fine, really. I just don’t want to see him. At least, I don’t think I do… It’s complicated.”
“I wish you’d told me sooner,” she says through thinned lips. “I’m so angry with both of them.”
“I wish I hadn’t told you at all,” I murmur. “This is your moment and I really don’t want to ruin it for you.”
Trilby wraps an arm around my shoulders.
“You won’t. I’m glad you told me. I’m going to be looking out for you better from now on, Tess.
I promise. I’m never going to let anything bad happen to you again, okay?
” She hugs me into her side but I don’t reply.
It’s a sweet and honorable sentiment, but contrary to most peoples’ opinions, I wasn’t born yesterday.
As much as Cristiano loves my sister, he’s still a mob man, and her influence can only stretch so far.
“Come on,” she says, pulling me to my feet. “Let’s go and get you some food.”
We turn and walk back toward the patio. From the sound and volume of voices, it seems our family and a large proportion of Cristiano’s have now arrived. We duck around some foliage framing the eating area, then my heart stops and the blood drains from the crown of my head to the tips of my toes.
Trilby is whispering something in my ear but I can’t seem to hear her.
My gaze is caught like a rabbit in a snare.
Benito Bernadi is standing at the doors to the patio and even though twenty people are chattering and moving around between us, it feels as though a tattooed calloused hand is sliding around my naked waist, hot breath coasting over my shoulder.