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Shopping had only taken a little over an hour. They were back to find the villa buzzing with activity. There appeared to be more men now than before they left, and Mira could sense the tension between all of them stomping around the grounds. Catalina was given an update from her staff in Italian, and she spoke to Fabiana in Italian. Mira tried not to take it personal, but it irked her. She was then led to the third level. Mira was shocked to see a lot of her equipment from the boutique had been brought in.

“How is this possible?” Mira asked.

Fabiana smiled. “I told you I’d make it work. Lorenzo pulled some strings.”

Mira found her kits and felt like she could breathe again. Suddenly the heaviness on her heart lifted. As Fabiana gave some instructions on where to set up her cutting tables, Mira drifted to the window. It faced the back of the estate. Giovanni was below. He was near the pool pacing with the man he introduced her to earlier. Frowning, she moved closer to the window observing his body language. Something was wrong with the way he kept smoothing his hair back. He was angry again.

“Mira, where do you want this?” Fabiana asked.

She turned from the window and tilted her head to the left looking at the table “Over there in the corner,” she said then turned back in time to see Giovanni heading to the cottage they calledrosso.

“Come here, sweetie.” Mira said walking over to her portfolio that they’d delivered. She tore a clean sheet of paper free and found a sharpened pencil in the side pockets. Clara, Fabiana, and Catalina all stood riveted as Mira sketched the idea of the dress before them. In under ten minutes she had the concept completed. Catalina clapped with delight.

Clara paled.

“It’s perfect. Can you do it in time? Can you?”

Mira tried to match her excitement, but images of Mira and Dominic kept flashing to the front of her mind. She nodded that she could.

“No. No. No. No!” Clara said. “The cleavage is wrong. And it fits too snug below the waist. It won’t do.”

“I want this dress! This one!” Catalina protested.

“Time out!” Fabiana said. She took the woman by the elbow, and they spoke in Italian. Their voices rose and Clara moved her arms animatedly, gesturing at Fabiana. The old woman reached her limit and stormed out.

“What did you say to her?” Mira asked.

“Don’t worry. You work on the dress, and I’ll handle the matchmaker from hell.”

Catalina grinned. “Thank you both, so much.”

Mira forced a smile. “This is your wedding, what you want, so we will make it perfect.”

Catalina nodded. “Yes. It’s what I want.”

Giovanni enteredVilla Rossowith Dominic and Flavio following. “The Minettis will be here tomorrow. We will not have this unrest around the wedding.”

Dominic nodded. “I’ve already reached out to Angelo along with the other families to offer our assistance. Fish says the Calderone’s are divided. The old man is convinced it’s the Nigerians, but Angelo keeps questioning Lo’s involvement. And with the old man on his back, Angelo is calling the shots. ”

“I want this contained until after the wedding and our delivery from the Irish. We need this week.” Giovanni said, and the men nodded in agreement. Giovanni knew his cousin was reeling now. He’d cut off his balls. He should be on his knees thanking him for not taking his head as well.

Dominic headed for the door. He stopped. “I think you decided fairly Gio. Lo is a brother, our brother. He deserves this chance.” He opened the door and left.

“Well it’s been an eventful morning. I need to make some calls.” Flavio rose from his chair.

“Wait.” Giovanni said.

He turned and looked over his shoulder, “Yes?”

“Mira Ellison. She’s staying here.”

“I see.” Flavio’s brow arched. “I hear you arranged to have her things moved in.”

Giovanni’s gaze lifted. “She’s important to me. I want her treated with respect.”

“How important?”

“Important.”