CHAPTER 35 - RED
CHAPTER
Red
SITTING IN A high-backed armchair, I stare at my phone. This terraced house is somewhat cramped and the opposite in style and grandeur of pretty much everything else I own. It’s certainly not what Arianna and Maria are used to, but it’s exactly what is needed.
An innocuous, nondescript safe house located halfway between the possible address I have for Matteo and Luca and the estate in Surrey that Arianna mentioned is perfect. But I’ve still received no confirmation from Cal about the other address, and time is getting short.
I place my phone down and pick up my whiskey. Staring at my mobile won’t bring the double confirmation I need any sooner. I might not even get it tonight. Or tomorrow...
Hearing movement upstairs, I take a long drink of whiskey. The murmur of Arianna and Maria’s talking has stopped, and the footsteps on the creaking wooden staircase signifies their arrival.
Placing my glass down, I rise from the armchair. It’s no great loss to be on my feet again because that chair is uncomfortable as fuck.
I throw on a bright smile as the sitting room door opens. “Ah, are you ladies ready for a drink?”
Maria shakes her head, her eyes darting around the room as Arianna leads her to an armchair. Strikingly like her sister in so many ways, the difference is her na?ve look. It’s so blatant, it hurts.
I catch Arianna’s eye and search for a hint to signal whether Maria has fucked up with what she promised, but I get nothing either way. My senses shift into alert mode as I busy myself pouring Arianna a Scotch whether she wants one or not.
I suspect that she might.
Either way, I have no time to beat around the bush and might as well dive straight in. “Okay. Maria, so has Arianna explained everything to you about what your brother and Luca did and what they’re planning next?”
Maria stares at the floor; only a tiny nod of her head shows she’s listening.
“I told her.” Arianna takes the glass out of my hand, her fingers lingering on mine.
Her touch burns, and I want to ignore the sister sitting in the chair like a petrified stoat and pull the woman I married into my arms. Instead, I scrutinize Arianna for confirmation that, as agreed, Maria hasn’t been told of the plan to exterminate her brother along with the man she’s engaged to.
Not yet anyway.
And from looking at the woman-child in the chair, maybe never!
Arianna was right. This girl would be a lamb to the slaughter in a Bristoni’s hands.
“Maria is struggling with the things I’ve said.”
Arianna gives me one of those knowing looks and I frown, feeling robbed as she moves her hand from mine. Struggling with what? The truth?
Moving across the room, I drop to my haunches in front of Maria. I place my hands on the armrest either side of her, but she flinches so vividly, I quickly remove them.
Fuck me, this will be harder than I thought.
“Do you understand how important it is that you believe what Arianna has said?” I purposefully keep frustration out of my voice. “You can’t and must not marry Luca Bristoni.”
“B-But Papà wouldn’t arrange for me to marry someone like... like what you’re saying Luca is. The wedding has been arranged for years and...” Maria stares at the floor, a lone tear trickling down her face.
“Whether your father knows exactly what’s going on, we’re not sure.” I grit my teeth. “But that’s by the by. You must trust what we say.”
“They’ll hate me.” Maria looks up, her deep-blue eyes a sea of despair. “Papà and mother, Matteo and Luca - they’ll all hate me. First Arianna let the family down, and now I have.”
“Arianna has let no one down, and she is not lying.” My voice becomes stern.
I haven’t got the time nor the patience to babysit.
“Do you want to be married to a man who drugs women and is obsessed with your own sister? Do you think it acceptable that your brother wants to use women as broodmares? No, you don’t, so. ..”
“Obsessed with my sister?” Maria turns to Arianna, who I belatedly realize is waving her arms behind Maria’s back. Okay, so she omitted that part? Damn.
“Is... is it true, Arianna? Luca is obsessed with you?” Maria’s voice is small.
“Luca is not right in the head.” Arianna glares at me, then takes her sister’s hand. “Who knows what he really thinks, but you said you understood. You said that you’d...”
“For Christ’s sake, stop mollycoddling the woman!
” I interrupt and walk behind Arianna, towering above her to stare at Maria.
“Look, love, Luca Bristoni is a dangerous fucker. He doesn’t love you - he’ll just hurt you!
He’ll hurt you like he hurt Arianna, plus there’s the women your fucking brother additionally plans to hurt. ”
Maria shrinks into the chair and my skin tingles.
I’m not handling this well, but I’m not a shrink.
I take a deep breath. “I promised your sister that I’d protect you, and that’s what I’m doing, but I can’t do anything if you refuse to take what is said on board.
I’m sorry if what you’re hearing upsets you, but you need to be told the truth and accept it. ”
Maria’s tears now come thick and fast. “I... I know. It’s just... just so unbelievable. And Matteo... I never thought he would do something like this. Luca... Luca has always been respectful and kind towards me. It doesn’t make sense. He’s...”
Arianna jerks her head to leave her to deal with this, so I step aside.
“I will not let what happened to me - either with Roberto or Luca and Matteo - happen to you. You’re my sister. I also won’t let that happen to anyone else like they’re planning, so you must do what I say.”
Maria’s sobs intensify into hiccupping spasms jolting her whole body, but Arianna continues. “You’re in more danger than you realize. If you ignore what we’re saying, you’ll get us all killed.”
Maria’s sobs cut off halfway through and she looks up, first at Arianna and then at me. “K-Killed?”
“Yes, killed!” Arianna really lets rip now and I try my best to tune out as, once again, she repeats the hideous details of what happened.
I watch with admiration. There’s no filter or upset on Arianna’s face or voice as she lists the facts again in all their savagery. However painful it is to her, she’s doing a fine but unfortunately unnecessary job of protecting her sister, and I love her all the more for it.
If shock value doesn’t make Maria Galvatore understand now, nothing will.