CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
RAINA
We pull into a parking lot and I gasp.
“No fucking way.”
Kage glances at me with a smirk on his lips.
“Yes fucking way.”
I open the door and jump out before he turns the car off, and get scolded immediately.
“You had to wait thirty seconds. In the future, you’ll wait for me to open your door.”
I whine like a two year-old, “But it’s the World of Flowers, Lorenzo. The World of Flowers!”
It’s the largest flower showcase in the world. You can buy fresh flowers, or you can get seeds to plant your own, and this place has been a dream of mine, but my father never let me go.
‘I’m not sending a driver all the way out there, when we have flowers here, Raina.’
“How did you know?”
Lorenzo walks over to me and wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me in close to him.
“I didn’t. Bella told me about your garden at your father’s house, but I didn’t know about this place. Athena found it on google.”
“I’m so excited,” I squeal, probably sounding like a pig, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He kisses me on the cheek, and we start walking to the entrance.
We walk under the huge sign above our heads, and I try to take off to look at all the flowers, but he pulls my hand back. “You’ll stay with me so I know you’re safe, Raina. Not only do you come from the family you came from, you’re with a Bonetti now. That means danger. I promise we’ll see everything there is to see.”
I look up at him and nod.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
We walk through the rows and rows of flowers, and he whispers in my ear when he catches me staring at my favorite flower.
“Get whatever seeds you want for your own garden at home.”
I first started gardening when I was eleven years old as an escape. We all have our way of getting through things. Some people read, others listen to music, but gardening was my out. I would spend hours in the garden, making everything perfect. It wasn’t just the flowers though, it was the sun, the open space. At least until my father started to bring women to the basement to torture them. He always had some reason for it, but really I think he was just a violent man getting his rocks off. I was twelve the first time I saw him raping a woman. That’s an image that imprints on your soul.
“Firecracker?”
I shake my head, clearing my thoughts, and glance up into Lorenzo’s waiting gaze.
“Sorry. What?”
“What’s going on?” He asks, his eyes narrowing at me with concern.
“Nothing. I was just thinking about my father, and when I started gardening. I’m okay.”
He kisses me on the forehead, as the lady selling the flowers squeals, saying something about young love.
“I was saying, you can have a garden at home. We have tons of land, and space will not be an issue. Whatever you want to plant, get the seeds, and you can plant them.”
“Thank you.”
I pick up four packets of seeds for roses, because they’re my favorite, and Kage wanders off a few feet from me, and stares at a flower in awe. Moving over to him, as he talks to the lady behind the table, I listen as she explains the flower to him.
“These are imported from Oregon. They are a member of the Asparagus family. The flowers hang in clusters, giving off the appearance of a firecracker.”
“Fascinating,” he says, and I try to hide my laughter.
“I’ll take a dozen. No, make that two dozen.”
She hands him the flowers, and he turns to me with a grin.
“Hmm, Lorenzo Bonetti, a flower guy? I didn’t see it.”
“It’s called a firecracker, it had to happen.”
We walk through this place, as Lorenzo carries my now three bags, and the two dozen flowers he just had to have, and it puts a strange feeling in my chest. This tough mafia guy is doing all these things for me. I smile like an idiot, and notice him staring at me.
“What?”
He shakes his head.
“Nothing. I’m realizing that Reaper was right. Seeing you happy is everything.”
He takes my hand in his, we walk to the car, and he chuckles.
“Your phone keeps going off.”
I slide into the car and grab my phone, knowing it’s my group chat with the girls. Lorenzo gets in the car and starts driving.
Athena: Well, is it everything?
Me: More.
Bella: Did you get flowers?
Me: So many. And he found firecrackers and bought two dozen.
Athena: Firecrackers? The flower? How sweet is that?
Bella: I expect pictures.
Athena: Are you even going to tell her the news, Bella?
Me: What news?
Bella: We set a date for the wedding. I hope you don’t have plans next weekend.
Me: What? I’m invited?
Bella: I’m literally rolling my eyes at you. Obviously.
I glance at Kage and ask, “Did you know Bella and Reaper are getting married next weekend?”
He laughs as he merges onto the highway.
“He’s my brother. Of course I knew.”
I scowl at him for not telling me, but he quickly diffuses it.
“Bella wanted to tell you, so I was strictly forbidden from saying anything.”
Me: I’m so excited! Thank you for including me.
Bella: Rolling my eyes again. I would’ve been more likely to include you than Kage.
I giggle louder than I meant to, and he looks at me with curiosity.
“She likes me better than you.”
He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles softly.
“Of course she does. Anybody would.”
“Where are we going now?”
“Another surprise, Firecracker.”