Chapter 86
Awhole fleet of Mercedes left the warehouse.
Besides the three cars full of foot soldiers who came along, I drove Adriano…
Niccolo rode by himself in the backseat of another car so he could work in silence…
Massimo drove the Bugatti…
And Roberto and Mei-ling had a chauffeured Mercedes all to themselves.
Niccolo had insisted that everyone split up into separate vehicles. “We can’t take the chance of riding in one car and everyone getting killed all at once.”
It was a grim thought… but after everything that had happened at the dress shop, he was probably right to plan for the worst.
That’s why he was consigliere, after all.
The drive took an hour. Adriano mostly kept silent, which was unusual for him.
The entire way, I worried about Emilia.
Not about her safety. There was no safer place in all of Tuscany than the Rosolinis’ estate.
No…
I was nervous about what was going through her head.
She already had a massive problem with my job.
After today, I knew it would only get much, much worse…
And I was dreading it.
When we pulled up to the front drive of the mansion, all the brothers and Mei-ling got out.
I was about to drive the Mercedes over to the garage when Adriano ducked his head back inside the car and yelled, “Come on!”
I didn’t ask why. I just got out of the driver’s seat, let a new foot soldier take the wheel, and followed everyone inside.
Niccolo walked to the doors of the parlor. He carried a laptop in his left hand, and he knocked with his right.
“Come in,” Don Rosolini’s voice said.
We all entered the room.
“We’re baaa-aaaack,” Niccolo said in a sing-song voice.
Don Rosolini turned and nodded. When he made eye contact with me, he gave a dark smile. “Niccolo told me about your heroics today, Giorgio. Ottimo lavoro.”
Excellent work.
“If only he hadn’t abandoned his post,” Adriano snarled as he glared at me.
“Let it go, Adriano,” Niccolo said in a bored voice, then asked, “Should we assemble everyone else?”
Don Rosolini looked bone-tired for a second… then nodded. “Most of them are in the kitchen. Rachel and Lars are out training the foot soldiers.”
“I’ll call Lars,” Niccolo said, then turned to address me. “Giorgio, would you go tell everyone in the kitchen we need them in here?”
“Of course.” I started to leave –
“Giorgio,” Don Rosolini said.
I stopped and turned to face him. “Yes, sir?”
“My wife might tell you she doesn’t wish to be included. Please insist… albeit gently. And tell my sisters-in-law the same.”
“Of course, Don Rosolini.”
“I believe Emilia is in the kitchen with them,” Don Rosolini said.
My heart leapt as he said it –
And my stomach twisted in knots, too.
“After you’ve taken a moment to say hello to her, come back and join us,” he ordered.
“…you want me in the meeting?” I asked in surprise.
“Your actions today allowed us to discover what we’re facing,” he replied. “You deserve a place at the table.”
I flushed with pride. “Thank you, Don Rosolini.”
As I was walking out of the room, I overheard Massimo ask, “Does Alessandra really need to be here for this?”
“She does,” Niccolo answered.
I was surprised that it wasn’t Don Rosolini who answered on his wife’s behalf.
The conversation continued, but I didn’t hear any more of it as I walked down the hall to the kitchen.
I heard them in the kitchen long before I saw them.
Behind the closed door, the voices were loud, and there was a lot of laughter.
I opened the door and saw Valentino with his arm around Caterina…
Lucia and Bianca each with a glass of red wine…
Alessandra seated at the kitchen island…
And Emilia sitting beside her.
Everyone turned to look at me –
But the only eyes I cared about were my girlfriend’s.
They opened in surprise as she sat up straight –
But she didn’t smile.
She almost looked… afraid.
My heart sank.
“Ooooooh, your boyfriend’s here!” Lucia called out, and everyone laughed –
Except Emilia.
I forced a smile at the group and said, “Don Rosolini has requested all of you join him in the parlor.”
The smiles immediately drained from everyone’s faces.
They knew what it was about.
Emilia looked panicked. “Me, too?!”
“No,” I said with a smile. “I have to go back with everyone else, but you can stay here.”
“Or you can walk around the grounds, if you like,” Alessandra suggested. “They’re very pretty.”
“Do you want to come with me?” Emilia asked her.
Alessandra smiled. “I think I’m going to go up and take a rest, but – ”
“Perdonami, Signora,” I said gently – Forgive me, Ma’am – “but Don Rosolini requested you to be there, as well. In fact, he asked all the signoras to attend.”
Alessandra looked surprised –
And then her expression became resentful.
“Well… if I’m being summoned,” she said bitterly as she slipped off the stool, one arm curled under her belly.
Emilia got off her chair to help –
And Alessandra put her hand on Emilia’s arm.
They shared a brief look, but neither of them spoke.
Alessandra squeezed Emilia’s arm and gave her a wistful smile, then walked slowly towards the door.
What was THAT all about? I wondered.
Everyone else filed out of the room in silence.
Valentino was the last. As he passed me, he put a hand on my shoulder. “I heard what you did today. Good job.”
“Thank you,” I said –
And then he walked out, leaving just me and Emilia in the kitchen.
“Hey,” I said gently.
“Hey,” she whispered back –
And I crossed the space between us and wrapped her in my arms with a kiss.
She kissed me back fervently –
Which not only felt good, but was a tremendous relief.
She can’t hate me TOO much if she kisses me like THAT.
I pulled away and looked down into her eyes. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Emilia said quietly. “I mean… yes, considering.”
I grinned. “Considering. Yeah.”
Emilia’s brow furrowed. “Can we go home now?”
“Not yet,” I said gently. “They’re expecting me.”
“Giorgio… please,” she begged in a whisper.
I caressed her cheek. “As soon as the meeting’s over, I’ll come and find you, okay?”
She stared up at me, her eyes filled with pain…
But she nodded in resignation.
“I’ll see you soon,” I said. “I promise.”
I kissed her lips before I left…
But I noticed that she didn’t kiss me back nearly as passionately as before.