Chapter 17
seventeen
Valentina
I step through the glass door of the high-end boutique, and I’m greeted with the flowery scent of peonies.
Soft music plays in the background, and my eyes search for the person who brought me here.
Somewhere between the silk and lace gowns, I spot her; she looks like she has been drowning between them.
I take a step toward her and smile. “When I asked to spend some time together, I never had this in mind.”
Clara peeks from between two dresses, one red and one pink, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “Good, you came. I wasn’t sure you would.”
“Well, since I asked us to meet with short notice, it’s only fair to come to whatever place you're at.”
“Perfect, so what do you think? Red or pink?” She raises the two gowns. I inspect both. The red one is long, basic, and minimalistic, with straps and a deep V-neck. It has a deep leg opening, though. The pink one is short and sparkling, with sleeves and a V-neck.
“For whom?” I raise my eyebrow.
“For me.” Her lips spread into a wide smile.
“What’s the occasion?”
“I will be attending the annual gala of the Lotus Group. I will have a chance to work and not just be behind the scenes.”
I narrow my eyes. “I don’t think I understand.”
“The don holds two annual parties. One for the Lotus Group, which is where all the rich and powerful attend, and one smaller, for the heads of the family. Normally, I organize the one for the family and help with the one from the Lotus Group. This time, I had a call and was asked to find a nice dress because I will be working at the front with the organization.”
“Well, that makes sense. Go with the pink one.”
She places the red dress on the rack and keeps looking between the other dresses.
“This one will be perfect for you.” She waves a golden dress in my face, and I laugh.
“First, Clara, I don’t wear gold and sparkles. Second, if you think I will be going to a party, you're wrong. I don’t even know about the party.”
“Don’t worry, you're the wife of Gabriel Savastano; you don’t need an invitation.”
I sigh. It isn't that I don’t want to go to the party, it’s that I don’t like being invited because of a man. But I am Gabriel’s wife, and I will need to find my own way into this society without being dependent on him. I need to find my own path.
“What colors do you wear?” Clara asks. “No, don’t answer that. I have a sense of what you will say.”
I chuckle. “Oh, yeah. And what’s that?”
“Black.”
“I do wear other colors,” I argue.
“Sure you do. Fifty shades of black.” She laughs. “How about this?” She pulls a black, strapless dress from the rack.
“How long is the split?”
She looks at the dress and then at me. “Are you serious?
I cross my arms in front of me and raise my eyebrows. “So, let me get this straight. I’m now buying a dress?”
“Yes. You need a dress, and since you're here, why not get one?”
I shrug. “You're right. At least now I know there’s a party.” I turn toward the rack of dresses and pull one out before I look at Clara. “At least I know you can get me in if my husband decides I will not be attending.”
She laughs. “You mean like the other day? Sure I will.”
“Perfect,” I say as I look at the breathtaking dress.
“Why did I know you would choose that?” Clara chuckles from behind me.
“Because it’s black?”
“No. It just screams chaos.”
I laugh. “A little chaos can’t hurt anybody. Besides, elegance is just chaos on heels. I read that somewhere.”
“I’m sure you did.”
“I want to try it on.”
“Sure. Let’s go. I’ll help you, and you can help me.”
I follow her into the changing room, smiling when I realize how my heart skips a beat from the prosperity in front of me. The ability to go and shop like a normal girl with her friends.
With a smile, I change into the dress that I know not many will approve of, but the new me doesn’t care.
“This dress is too short,” Clara complains, and I smile. I know. But she will look beautiful in it.
“Let me see.” I peek from the curtains and, instead of Clara, my eyes catch a man who looks out of place in this fancy store. I saw that man just before I entered here and when I left the house. I thought it was a coincidence, but it sure doesn’t look like one now.
I turn toward Clara, who looks amazing, but not confident enough in the dress.
“Why do I feel this is too much?” She looks down at her feet.
“It isn’t. You look amazing. This dress looks like it was made just for you.” I take a step toward her and take her hand. “Spin for me.”
She exhales and turns around. I pull her in front of the mirror, not to fix her dress, but to make my next words have more effect.
“You look amazing, and this dress is going to mark your success. You will wear it with the knowledge that you’re rocking it.” My eyes hold hers in the mirror. “Do you want this dress?”
“Yes!”
“How much do you want to wear it?”
Her eyes shine in the mirror. “Very much.”
“Then what is stopping you?”
“It’s too short. What would people say?” A sad look appears on her face.
I narrow my eyes at her. “What people?”
“The wives. My parents.” Her voice wavers.
“Why would you care? There is nothing wrong with wearing whatever you want.”
“But…”
“There are no buts. Listen to your heart.”
“I wish I could be as confident as you.” Her voice wavers.
I let out a laugh. “My confidence didn’t come easy, but I was lucky enough to finally break free from what was holding me back.”
“So, there’s a price to pay for me to be confident and wear this dress?
” A sad smile appears on her face. I shrug.
“We can’t always have everything. There has to be a balance.
You wear this dress, you're happy. You succumb to others’ expectations, and they are happy, while you slowly die inside.
” Clara’s face falls. “That is the reality. You just need to pick whose happiness you want.”
A smile spreads across her face. “Fine, I’ll get it. It’s time to think of myself first.”
“Good, because we have a problem.”
“What problem?”
“I’ve been followed since I left the house, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence.”
“What are you going to do?”
I look between her and the man. “I have a plan, but I need your help.”
“Whatever you need.”
“First, let’s change and meet here.”
She looks me up and down. “Oh, what about your dress? It looks amazing on you.”
I smirk. “I’m getting this one. But I need matching underwear.” I push her forward. “Change and meet me back here.”
I quickly change and leave my dressing room, my eyes scanning the area. I spot the man lurking around the lingerie; the saleswoman is showing him pieces he doesn’t look interested in.
“So, what’s the plan?” Clara stops beside me.
“You're going to distract the woman by making something fall on the floor, while I sneak up behind the man. Leave the rest to me.”
“What are you going to do?” Clara questions.
“I’ll improvise. Go!”
Her brows knit, her eyes searching for answers, yet with steady steps, she approaches the target.
Sideways, she looks at the saleswoman and goes through the different kinds of lingerie, and just like I asked her to do, she makes a scene when she drops some things on the floor.
I use the motion and slowly approach the man who has been following me.
I pull my knife from the secret place in my jacket.
A jacket tailor-made just for me, with a secret compartment where I can hide my Tai Pan knives.
I place one of them at the man’s back, and his body stiffens.
“Don’t move, and if you don’t want my knife deep in your kidney, I suggest you walk into the changing room with me. Keep your hands where I can see them.”
“You’ve got this wrong.”
“Yeah, we’ll see how wrong I am. Walk!”
I can hear Clara apologizing to the woman, who keeps saying it’s fine, and I lead the man into the changing room.
“In here.” I push him inside and move the knife to his neck. “Now, slowly, with your hands above your head, turn around.”
“Ma’am, you’ve got this wrong. I’m…”
“Don’t talk. Slowly turn around.” He exhales and turns. I push my knife against his neck. “Why are you following me?”
“This is what I’m trying to tell you, senora.” I narrow my eyes at him.
“Diego?” Clara’s ask from behind me.
“You know him?” I ask Clara, but my eyes are on the man.
“That’s Diego. He is one of your husband’s men. And my cousin.”
I don’t let go of him; if anything, I press the knife deeper into his neck. “Why are you following me?”
“Gabriel told me to keep an eye on you.”
“Why? He didn’t tell me anything.”
“I don’t know, but there is a situation, and I was told to watch you and call him if you go out.”
“What situation?”
“I’m not sure, but it's an all-men-on-deck situation. I’m also waiting for backup. I don’t know why and what’s going on. I’m just following orders.”
I let go of him, taking a step back, and put my knife away. Now that I see him face to face, I see this is no man. Even though he is tall and broad, his face says he’s just a boy. Not even older than me, with acne on his face. I’m almost sure he is barely of legal age.
“You're just a kid.” I look at Clara. Her eyes are filled with disbelief. “How old is he?”
“He just turned eighteen. He’s supposed to be in school.”
“I’m where I need to be. I’m helping, and that’s what matters. The boss said this is the only chance he’s giving me, and I need to get this right.”
“What do you need to get right?”
“Protecting you.”
I snort. “If I could approach you and threaten you, how could you protect me?”
“I can fight. I have a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu. I wasn’t supposed to fight you or anyone else, just keep an eye on you. I heard someone has been kidnapped.” He closes his mouth at once. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
My eyes narrow. “But you did. Who has been kidnapped?”
“I don’t know.”
My voice hardens as I urge him to give me an answer. “Yes, you do. Think. and think hard, or I’ll tell Gabriel you failed in protecting me.”
“But…”
I cut him off. “Who?”
He takes a breath and looks from me to Clara. “The don’s wife.”
Isabella Catalano, whom I met on my wedding day and haven’t seen since. Not that I ever had the chance to. I don’t know what I should feel. If the don’s wife isn't safe, could we also be in danger? Has Sabatini done this?
My brows draw together. “By who?”
“I don’t know.”
I take a step back. I’m done with this questioning. I look at Clara, whose face has gone pale. “Are you okay?”
“I hope nothing happens to Isabella. She didn’t deserve this,” she barely whispers.
I place my hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure everything will be fine. Look, are you going to be all right alone? I think I should go home.”
She barely smiles. “Sure. I’m going to get the dress and go home too. I don’t think I can do anything else today.”
I turn toward Diego. “Do you have a car?”
“Yes.”
“Good. At least I don’t have to take a cab.”
I lean down and hug Clara, giving her reassurance that everything will be fine.
Not that I can grant her that. It’s false hope.
When a woman is kidnapped, no matter what the reason is, there isn't much hope that the woman is going to be found untouched.
And in our world, even more. If the motive is to hurt, she will be lucky if she gets out alive.
“I’ll call you tomorrow,” I say before I turn and, with Diego behind me, I exit the shop.
I enter the penthouse and go straight to my mission.
Entering Gabriel’s office, I open my phone and search for his location.
I don’t know the area; it’s all the same to me in this unknown city.
I just need to know where I can find him.
Hopefully, my plan doesn’t backfire. My eyes land on the painting behind me.
I know there is a safe. A safe that contains some weapons.
I type the combination I saw Gabriel enter and open it, grabbing one of the guns and a knife.
I smile as I pocket the knife, remembering how Mack’s obsession with them rubbed off on me.
He taught me all I needed to know, trained me how to use them in a fight until I sliced him.
It was an accident, but he still has a scar on his forearm as proof.
Now, I need to get rid of Diego. I exit the office and grab the keys for my bike before I hit the button that opens the door of the penthouse and hide behind the wall. Diego looks inside before, hesitantly, he takes steps inside.
“Senora Savastano?”
I roll my eyes. Really, I never thought I would be called Senora. I use his distraction and sneak out. The elevator door is about to close when he turns and sees me and calls my name. I just salute him right on time when the door closes.
I drive toward my destination; the wind calms me a little. Whatever is going on, I just need to be there and help however I can. I arrive at my destination and park my bike beside the rows of cars.
I walk up the few stairs, and I catch Gabriel shouting orders. I stop at the entrance, and for the first time, I see his face is filled with worry, making me realize how real this is. After all, Isabella is the wife of the don.
I lean on the door frame and watch as Gabriel splits his men into three groups, sending each of them in a different direction.
His eyes catch mine as soon as the men in the room split. His brows furrow, and I wait as he reaches me in two strides.
“What are you doing here?” He looks around the room. Searching for Diego, I suppose. “Did you come here alone?”
“Yes, I did. And if you're looking for Diego, he will need a while to find me.”
He shakes his head. “I knew it was a bad idea sending that kid.”
I shrug. “It’s not his fault. He’s too young and, from what I saw, inexperienced.”
His gaze sharpens. “Why did you come here? You shouldn’t have.”
I push off the door frame, ignoring his question. “How bad is it?”
“Very bad. Whoever did this didn’t leave a trace.”
“I want to help,” I say and raise my hand. “And before you disagree, I can’t sit and do nothing.”
He exhales, and his shoulder falls. “It’s not that I don’t agree; it’s just that I have no idea how we can find her.”
“Well, let’s start with a search, as you said. I will go with you. We can do this together.”
He doesn’t answer as his eyes search mine. He wraps his hand around the back of my neck and places his forehead against mine. “Promise me you will stay close and not do anything reckless.”
I bite my lip to hide my smirk and promise him, even though I know I will break that promise.