Page 103

“If you say so.”

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“Fabiana? What’s wrong?” Mira walked into the sunroom. She had escaped there to be alone with her thoughts and the tears came expectantly. At the sound of Mira’s voice she turned from her and tried to wipe her tears away to keep the anguish from her friend. Regret squeezed her heart as she thought of the lies she’d told. How could she confide her worry now, without revealing her part in the scheme to keep them in this house of lies and secrets?

Last night was a disaster. After pacing the room waiting for Lorenzo’s return he was thrown inside, severely beaten. Panicked she fled the room and demanded they help him, call for medical assistance. The man she faced in the hall issued a chilling warning.Keep him out of the Don’s sight or we will return to finish him.

Fabiana spent the night nursing the bruises and wiping away the blood. She pleaded with him when he was conscious to leave with her, to go to a hospital. Instead he told her the entire story. His confession would haunt her for the rest of her life. Who he was, what he’d done, and the secrets he carried that would end his life if ever breathed them to another soul.

“Hey, talk to me? What is it? Something happen?” Mira forced her to face her. “I was looking for you and they said you were in here. Where’s Lorenzo?”

“Recovering.”

“Recovering?”

Fabiana sat. “He’s been hurt.”

“How?”

If she told her the truth, it would make her as guilty. She thought she was helping the man, but all she was doing was burying them deeper in this place. She had to get a grip. “I think he got into a fight. I don’t know.”

“Fight?” Mira drew away. “Is he okay?”

“He is now.”

“I’ll tell Giovanni and he—”

“No! Don’t say anything.”

Mira sighed. “Why do I get the feeling that you aren’t telling me everything?”

“Because I’m not. He’s in trouble and I can’t talk to you about it. These men, they’re impossible to understand. You know what I mean.”

She paced the floor. “I’ve heard enough. I don’t know what happened to Lorenzo, and I don’t want to know. I’m concerned about you, us, the way we’ve pretty much lost control of our lives. I don’t think we should stay here much longer, Fabiana.”

“It’s barely been two weeks. We’re on vacation.” Fabiana said.

“Are you kidding me? This isn’t a vacation. Not for me anymore. It’s a seduction, and it’s working. You, Lorenzo, Giovanni, and I are caught up in this… I don’t know what to call it. The man says he loves me. You look terrified, and I know it’s connected to him. What am I to think?”

Fabiana’s head dropped and she shook it sadly. “It’s all my fault.”

“Nonsense. We agreed to come here.”

“You don’t understand.”

“I do. That’s why we need to step back and get some perspective.”

The anxiety she carried since Giovanni said he loved her left her struggling to find the words. She realized she too had fallen in love, and her judgment felt impaired. The violence and secrecy in this family wasn’t as appealing as her new lover’s touch. They needed to regain focus.

“Think about it. We have the fashion debut of my career, and I haven’t done any more press-ops or met with our investors. I know we said a vacation, but we’re here now. And my store doesn’t have anything to do with it. We’re here because we’ve become distracted with feelings for these men. It’s too much too soon. I can’t help but feel out of focus.”

Fabiana nodded. “I feel it too.”

“Good! Thank God! I thought I was losing it or something.”

“No.” Fabiana smiled, “We are out of synch. I’ve let things get out of hand.” Again Fabiana avoided looking her in the eye. “Let’s help Catalina with the wedding and then I will make some calls. We can fly out to New York next week.”

“Okay. Okay.” Mira nodded. “I’ll explain it to Giovanni. You do the same with Lorenzo.”