Wolfe
I hadn’t spoken to Don Mancini since he dismissed me.
So when I called him, I didn’t expect him to answer. I assumed my number was already blocked or he would send my call straight to voice mail. But it barely rang once before he answered. “Yes?” His tone was dark and full of irritation, but he still took the call.
“I’ll make it quick. I’d like to repair Francesca’s house—at my expense.
” I liked the house I’d bought, but after seeing the way she fell in love with my Palermo place, I knew she preferred something quaint and cozy.
She loved her little villa, and I knew it hurt her to know the home where we’d fallen in love had been destroyed with bullets.
While she was at work during the day, I thought I could fix it up for her.
It would give me something to do, and I would be close to her while I did it.
I didn’t need his permission to do something for her, but it was technically his land and I was trying to play nice. I was also alleviating work and expenses he’d have to handle himself. “I don’t want a crew on my property.”
“I never said anything about a crew.”
“You intend to do it all yourself?” he asked with slight incredulity.
“Yep—with my bare hands.”
He didn’t say anything to that, either surprised or impressed and not wanting to admit it.
“She loves that house, and I love her.” It was a romantic gesture on my part, a physical declaration of love.
Once this business was hers, she would probably still want to live there.
It would be cramped if we had a couple of kids, but I had a feeling she would still want to live in the villa.
When that time came, I could add an additional bedroom to the bottom floor, probably past the stairs.
Maybe add a terrace and a deck with an awning so we could sit outside and enjoy the view of the valley and hills around us.
She really enjoyed my terrace that overlooked the sea in Palermo.
He continued to sit in silence over the phone as he considered my proposition.
I didn’t say a word because I didn’t want to seem manipulative or persuasive. If he said no, I would tell Francesca, and he’d look like an asshole.
“You don’t leave her property. You don’t come to the main house or Leo’s place up the hill.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.”
He hung up.
“You’re welcome.”
It was late when Francesca came home from work, so late that I asked the maid to make dinner so Francesca wouldn’t have to worry about it. It was chicken with bowtie pasta, tomatoes, and spinach. Not as good as anything Francesca could make, but it was still better than takeout.
She kissed me when she walked in the door, wearing a black dress and platform sandals, looking hot and professional at the same time. “How was your day?”
I’d ordered some supplies to take to her house tomorrow so I could get to work.
I’d have to cover the bullet holes on the outside of the house before I applied a new coat of paint and would need to replace the windows that had been shattered.
The inside would require a lot more work, the kitchen counter needing to be completely replaced because of the damage.
At least the upstairs was in perfect condition. “Good. What about yours?”
“Long…”
I smirked. “Were you able to make heads or tails of the mess they left behind?”
“Yeah—in about five hours.” She set her bag by the door and turned her head toward the kitchen. “Something smells good. Did you cook?”
“No, I asked Laura to cook dinner. Knew you’d be too tired.”
“Well, that’s nice.”
We went into the dining room, and I poured two glasses of wine and set the table with linens and silverware.
She removed the lid to the pot and eyed the chicken that had been kept warm on the lowest setting. “Smells good.” She grabbed two plates and dished up the meat and pasta on both before she sprinkled basil on top and carried them to the table.
We sat together, and when she took the first bite, she moaned. “This is good. I haven’t eaten all day.”
It was good, but not like Francesca’s food. Or maybe I was just biased.
We ate in silence for a while. I gave her a chance to get some food in her stomach and let her settle in before I asked her questions about her day. “So, how was it?”
“I don’t think I saw my dad once today.”
“Oh, so it was a great day.”
She gave a quick smirk before she took a bite. “But Leo came into my office…and had some shit to say.”
“Let’s hear it.”
She took another bite of her food because she gave a quick shake of her head. “Just seemed really pissed off that I was back and said coming back was a betrayal to you, which is a stupid thing to say because he thinks you’re the rat.”
I smirked. “I’m guessing he was taking care of everything the past week.”
“Yes. But to be honest, he didn’t take care of a damn thing. I pretty much spent the entire day reorganizing and getting things back on track. No wonder my dad called me. He’d probably lost his shit.”
“Not surprised.”
“I kinda felt bad for Leo because I didn’t want to make things worse, but he kept saying shit that pissed me off, so I gave it right back to him.”
“That’s how you’ve got to be.”
“So, it was a rough first day back. How was your day?”
“Fine.”
“What did you do?”
“Worked out, made some calls.”
She turned back to her dinner and didn’t ask me to elaborate on anything. “It’s not the same without you there.”
“It’s probably best if I’m not there. Otherwise, I’ll bend you over that desk.”
She gave a slight smile like she thought I made a joke.
Nope, wasn’t a joke. She was publicly mine now, so I’d do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.
“I can’t wait for you to be there again. I like looking out the window and seeing you outside.”
I grinned. “Spying on me, baby?”
“I wouldn’t call it spying…”
“Seems a little creepy.”
“You’re my boyfriend, so it’s not creepy.”
“I’m not your boyfriend. I’m your man.”
“What’s the difference?”
“Oh, there’s a big difference.”
She finished her dinner then downed the glass of wine, but she continued to sit there like she was tired from the long day at her desk.
I already missed Palermo and how we devoted all our energy to exploring the town and the sea. But I knew we couldn’t live like that forever. Francesca had a legacy to fight for, and I would help her seize it. “You look like you’re ready for bed.”
“I’m ready to see you naked…and then go to bed.”
I smirked. “Sounds like a deal.”
I borrowed a work truck from a friend and brought my supplies to Francesca’s house in the vineyard.
The destruction was worse in daylight, with the thousands of bullet holes dotted everywhere.
There was still broken glass on the floor from the shattered windows.
I stood there for a while and examined the mess that I would clean with my bare hands before I got to work.
The windows were the most important repair because the interior was exposed to the outside elements, like dust and pesticides from the vines and bugs and all kinds of things.
No one had sealed the opening with a tarp.
I felt like that was something Leo should have done for his sister, but apparently, he was lost in his own world.
I left my house right after Francesca went to work so I could get a lot done before it got too warm.
But it was barely ten in the morning when I had to take off my shirt because I was hot as fuck.
I’d just set the first window in place and sealed it when I heard the sound of a car behind me and smelled the scent of dust kicked up in the air.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
I recognized his voice—Leo. I waited until the window was sealed before I let it go, seeing it hold its place before I turned around.
Leo was in his truck, the passenger window rolled down so he could talk to me. “You aren’t supposed to be here.”
“Relax,” I said as I walked up. “Your father said I could repair the house.”
“Why are you repairing the house?”
I reached the door and looked at him inside, seeing him with one hand on the wheel. “Because your sister loves this place. I’m not going to let it fall apart just because some asshole thought he could destroy it. Aren’t you late for work?”
“I get there whenever the fuck I want to get there.”
I patted the windowsill. “Spoken like a hard worker.” I turned away from the window before I remembered something else I wanted to share. “Don’t mention this to Francesca. I want to surprise her.”
He gave me an irritated look as his hand continued to rest on the wheel. “My father is never going to let you back here.”
“We’ll see…”
He gripped the wheel and then took off, his tires lifting a cloud of dust into the air.
I watched him go before I turned back to the house and the rest of the windows that needed to be installed. “One down…ten more to go.”