Chapter 36 #2
“You don’t get to speak to me,” I hissed through the rush of hatred racing in my veins.
This violent loathing made me fear myself and who I could become.
I wanted to lash out, claw her eyes from her face, and smear the turquoise remains into the stupid looking glass.
I groaned and hung my head. What I really wanted was for my husband to tell me not to do it. “Bring me Luca.”
“I can’t do that, Vivi. I can’t. You know I can’t. It’s you and me. It’s always been you and me. Nothing’s changed. I’m still Sam.”
Her name sat between us, not as heavy as her betrayal weighed on my heart.
“I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s the truth.
My boyfriend is Dale. And you’re right… you caught me today.
He isn’t proposing. I don’t think he ever will, and I should break up with him because we have no future.
That’s not a lie. I love the mission as much as you do.
It was something I became involved with for my undercover work, but I found a lot of purpose there.
I’m not so different than the Sam, who’s your friend. ”
“I have no friend.” Rafi instantly came to mind, and I had to wonder.
I had to question everyone because of Francesca and now Sam.
Mio Dio. The truth stole my breath and pushed me off the edge of a cliff, with only a finger holding me from the fall.
But I’d never allow her to see me suffer, so I rolled my neck and sneered. “Bring me my husband.”
The clock’s second hand pulsed with my throbbing head, going around and around.
I lost track of the momentum. Exhaustion seeped into my limbs.
The firm chair with a flat cushion hurt my ass, and my back was stiff.
Pinpricks stung my skin, and still Sam jibber jabbered about her childhood, stories I’d already heard that she insisted were real. Blah, blah, blah.
“Where’s Luca?” I demanded again. “What are his charges?” I asked for the hundredth time.
“We have a lawyer, and you’re not to speak with him until counsel is present.
” As much as I hated being a Cabello, today I loved the resources.
Mafia hitmen didn’t linger in cells. Jail was a death sentence before they could cut a deal and turn on the boss. We didn’t have much time.
“I can’t, Vivi.”
The final rejection was a match against dry timber.
I lit up with this strike.
Anger and fear boiled up inside me. I screamed and threw myself forward, banging my forehead onto the table. Once. Twice. The third time, pain splintered behind my eyes, and a muffled roar came from behind the glass.
“Vivi, stop.”
I stayed still, panting. “Where’s Luca?”
“Please, Viv. Just listen—”
I couldn’t. She made me insane. So did this place, and not knowing what was happening. I would never talk to her. I’d never talk to anyone unless it was by choice. Anyone who knew me knew, at the very least, that I was stubborn to a fault. Now more than ever. I banged my head again and groaned.
“Okay, okay.” Her chair skidded back. “Please stop. Don’t do that again, okay? Jesus, Vivi, let me see what I can do.”
I stayed face down, breathing through shards of glass splintering my eyes.
This had to be hell. My pulse pounded in my ears, building to a crescendo of crazy thoughts and images of Luca cuffed at the ankles, defenseless against the inmate they’d hire to silence him forever.
A desperate sound scratched my throat, and I prayed and prayed. Dear Jesus.
The door clicked; the latch moved.
“Uccello.”
“Luca,” I cried, spinning around only to find his broad shoulders swimming in the doorway.
I blinked him into focus. His expression.
The soft but tortured glow of love and regret.
His head tilted, sad eyes meeting mine. I thought he wielded the power in our relationship, but then I saw it so clearly.
I held his heart in my hands. Such compassion.
So much adoration washed over me in a blanket of comfort, the pain disappeared.
I scrambled from my seat and threw myself at him. Our arms were tethered behind our backs, but I held him the best that I could by molding my body to his. I felt him everywhere. His mouth pressed to my hair. My face buried into his chest, and I breathed in the sun, fresh air, and man.
“Did you call the family lawyer?”
“I can feel your heart, Vivienne. You’ve got to calm down.”
“I can’t. Not until you’re safe.”
“We’re together. Everything is fine because we’re together,” he murmured like a calming wind. “You believe that don’t you?”
I did. Oh, I did. I nodded but felt the foundation beneath my feet slip. “Sam.” My voice hitched.
“I know, bird. Breathe.”
“I can’t.”
“You can with me.”
I shook when I really wanted to fall to my knees and beg anyone listening to let him go. But without hands, he held me up by whispering nonsensical things about our future that eased my racing pulse one word at a time.
He bent to press his lips to my ear. “Do you trust me?”
“You know I do.”
“The love I have for you, Vivienne, is unmatched. You know this too.”
“You’re scaring me.”
“Shh, there’s no reason to be scared. We, Vivi. We exist.”
I rubbed my nose into his T-shirt. “We,” I repeated.
“Always. Say it.”
“For now, and every life hereafter.”
His breath caught just as his mouth met my temple, brushing his lips over my skin.
I squeezed my eyes shut, pretending we were at home in love and lust, ready to strip and fuck.
Last night wasn’t enough. The last few weeks weren’t enough.
I was wrong; no increment of time with Luca would ever suffice.
I wanted all his minutes, every moment, and more than eternity.
“I need,” I whispered, but he didn’t hear me. He moved instead, just a featherlight touch, and feeling returned to my leaden wrists. I jerked back, expecting to catch Sam fumbling at my cuffs, but looked up and ran into Luca’s eyes.
“We, Vivienne,” he said, but I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand why he had a key, why it was his fingers massaging the life back into mine, why his hands caused so much pain when they’d always been my safety.
The line of his scar went stark white against his skin, fear pulling his features taut. Pulling my focus into a reality that couldn’t be ignored.
Francesca.
Sam.
Luca.