Claire
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I reached my hand for the receiver of the phone to stop the ringing that was making my head begin to pound.
“Hello?” I asked, my voice crackling.
“Miss Bailey. It is Lorenzo. Did I wake you?” Lorenzo’s warm voice cut through the silence of the line.
“Umm, no, what’s up?” I questioned.
“We’re having a small get-together, a vigil of sorts…for Miss Mora,” Lorenzo said, his voice nervous. “I believe the two of you are friends…were friends. We thought you may want to come.”
“Oh…I-I don’t know. Uh…” I paused with uncertainty and confusion.
“Okay. No worries. Antonio asked me to ensure you were invited so…” Lorenzo replied.
“Antonio will be there?” I questioned back as my hand reached for the lamp on the bedside table. A warm light flooded the room, casting out the shadows that hid among the corners. Half of me expected to see Arik standing in one of them.
I sighed a deep breath of relief to realize I was alone for the first time in days.
“Yes, Miss. Antonio will be in attendance,” Lorenzo confirmed.
“Where do I need to go?” I asked, sitting up in bed.
This was my chance to finally talk to him. The circumstances were unfortunate, at the very least, but I could not miss this opportunity. I was sure Arik would be back in the morning, and he would find some way to pull me from the hotel and back to the villa.
“I’m parked around back. I will meet you there, and we can go together,” Lorenzo said, his tone lightning and less professional.
“I’ll be there in ten minutes,” I replied before clicking the phone back onto the receiver.
My eyes scanned the room as I stood up. I turned off the light and slowly walked over to the window, my hand steadily pulling back the curtains just enough to see the bench in the garden.
Sam was still there, his eyes staring up at the night sky.
It didn’t seem like he had noticed the light coming on in my room.
I returned to the bathroom, taking careful and quiet steps.
Who knew how far away Arik was and just how much of my movement he could hear.
I was aware of the fact that I knew very little of Arik’s full abilities.
I did not need him to shadow me all night while I tried to do my job, and I certainly did not need him to sequester me to my room like a child.
After fixing my face, I peered into the closet.
Considering I packed for two days, all my clothes had been worn.
With a shrug, I threw on the white cotton and lace dress from a few days prior, the same dress I wore when Arik showed me the town.
The same dress I was wearing back when I thought I knew everything about the world.
Back before I knew the truth about the man I was with.
I threw my purse onto my shoulder and quietly opened the door just enough for my crouching body to slide out of it.
I kept my head down below the eyeline that Sam had above the rose bushes.
The door latched behind me as Sam’s gaze turned toward it.
I sat slowly, crouched down onto the stone walkway, waiting long enough to see if he would react.
After a few seconds I continued, practically crawling my way down the stones until the path ended.
“What are you doing down there?” A voice whispered, cutting through the silence of the night.
I looked up, startled, only to see Lorenzo’s face looking down at me.
“Oh, I thought I dropped my contact. But nope…it’s still in my eye.” I chuckled as his hand reached out to help me up.
“Okay, well, that is good.” He laughed with amusement. “Right this way.”
Lorenzo guided me through the gravel parking lot just behind the building, the dedicated space for staff to park.
“This is me,” he called, pointing to an older, silver sedan.
As I approached the passenger door, I waited.
“You getting in?” Lorenzo asked, his voice tinged with concern.
I was so used to Arik opening every door for me that over the course of less than a week I had become some princess who couldn’t open the door for herself.
“Oh…sorry!” I laughed as I wrapped my hand through the metal door handle.
The car pulled down the road and through the gates as I watched the side mirror, fully expecting to see Arik, Sam, or the black SUV appear in view. But nothing…I had successfully gotten out from under his thumb. I found solace in knowing that I could leave, I could escape him…but did I want to?
We drove along in silence down the dark roads until the moonlight bouncing off the black sea came into focus from behind the olive trees.
As the car pulled off the road, I could see numerous people all standing around a roaring fire as the embers danced in the night sky.
Lorenzo pulled the car to a stop next to the line of cars that separated the gathering from the road.
As I opened my car door to step out, I realized that this was the cliff. The cliff that Jennifer allegedly fell from. The cliff that sat just north of Arik’s villa.
My eyes darted in the direction of the villa, expecting to see his figure running up the beach. Instead, the only thing I could see was the dark shadows that shrouded the villa in mystery with the only light coming from the moon’s reflection against the glass terrace.
When Lorenzo and I approached the group, he introduced me to everyone. So many names entered my ears in such thick accents—there was no way I would remember who any of these people are tomorrow.
Just as I began to get my bearings, a boisterous man appeared before me, introducing himself before Lorenzo had the chance to.
“Miss Bailey. I have heard so many things about you.” He smiled as he reached out and shook my hand. “I am Antonio.”
I smiled, pleased to be finally doing the one thing I set out to do in Italy. “Antonio! It is such a pleasure to finally meet you!”
“Here, join me!” He smiled, his voice booming as he led me to a row of large boulders that separated the cliffside from…well…death.
I sat down next to him, my body turned toward him as I sat up straight, trying to present myself as professionally as possible.
“Take a drink. Let us talk!” he stated, a serious tone cutting through his words.
I looked down at the green glass bottle in his hands that he was pushing in my direction. “What is this?” I asked as I took the bottle and held it under my nose.
“Grappa! Jennifer loved grappa…” His voice lowered, though his smile remained as I took a sip of the earthy liquor.
“It was nice of you all to gather in Jennifer’s memory,” I said warmly as my eyes scanned the crowd.
This seems like an excuse to get drunk, not a vigil for a dead woman.
“Well…we all grew to love her in the few days we knew her. She had a way of making an impression on people,” Antonio said as his dark eyes scanned the crowd, the moonlight reflecting on his shaven head.
“Yes, I heard that you spent a considerable amount of time with her on Thursday,” I replied.
Antonio’s eyes shot to me. “Who said that?” he pressed before taking another swig of the bottle that was being passed between the two of us.
“Jennifer did. She said that on Thursday you gave her a tour and spent quite a bit of time with her…” I replied. “I was quite jealous to hear that.”
Antonio smile warmed his bulbous face as a look of satisfaction fell over him. “She was lovely. This whole thing…it’s…it is heartbreaking.” His bushy eyebrows raised as his chin fell, his authenticity cracking.
“I just can’t believe that she was with the staff when all this happened,” I stated, curiosity began to cut through my tone. “It’s just so strange…”
Antonio cut in with haste, leaning back as a glimmer of aggravation sept through his words. “I spoke to her early that evening. She was terribly upset. Makes sense that she probably drank a bit too much.”
“You spoke to her?” I asked.
“Yes. After your little encounter in the lobby, she called me.” His voice began to slur as the green glass left his lips.
“I don't understand, why would she call you?” I questioned, unable to contain the expression of concern that was painted across my face.
“Your…strategy. Bold!” He laughed. “I mean, you galivanting around town with Arik doesn’t help things.”
“What in the world does that have to do with anything?” I asked, my brow dropping as my mind tried to piece together his clues.
“You don’t think it looks unethical to be pursuing a deal with the winery while fucking the owner?” Antonio’s eyes searched mine, drilling deep into me as I struggled to process his words.
This whole fucking time.
Arik lied to me this whole fucking time.
I sat silently; my jaw dropping as my eyes followed suit. “I mean…I’m not…” I stammered as a single tear fell from the corner of my eye. I quickly rubbed it away and turned my face to the fire before Antonio could see.
“When Arik said to not show up to the dinner with you and just let him handle it…” He slapped his thigh with force. “I knew something was up! Scandalous!” he screamed as he took a big sip of the green elixir.
“Where’s your boyfriend tonight?” he asked, his eyes leering in my direction.
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I replied, coldly.
“Could have fooled me,” Antonio mumbled as he pressed the bottle to his lips again.
He leaned in toward me, his voice barely audible. “Where is he, though?”
“At home, I think,” I said with a shrug, the mixture of anger and shock bubbling in my throat.
All the time I spent with Arik, the conversations about my work, sharing my concern over this deal. How wrecked I was about Antonio not showing up…
Antonio’s attention turned to the group of people that were telling him goodbye for the evening.
Lorenzo and I made eye contact as I nodded and waved, silently letting him know not to wait for me.
There was too much riding on this conversation with Antonio.
Moments later headlights began to disappear into the night, leaving only the haze of red taillights blending into the road as they drove away.
“Regardless, I want your business. And I want to earn it fairly,” I exclaimed, reaching for the bottle from Antonio.