Page 25

“Of course you will,” Father Armando said as he stood. “We have every confidence in you and your families.”

While I appreciated that confidence, keeping everyone else engaged and committed to the challenges wouldn’t be easy.

“Emilio, where’s the orphanage going to be built?” Slash suddenly asked.

“Salerno, of course.”

Of course. The pope had thought of everything. Salerno was a special place to Slash and me. We’d recently been given the proverbial keys to the city after helping avert a major disaster that could have killed dozens of people, including children. Plus, it was the place where Slash’s biological father had been born and buried. It was a place we’d always hold close in our hearts.

“Salerno,” I repeated.

Father Armando placed a hand on Slash’s shoulder. “That’s not all. The orphanage is to be named after your father. His Holiness knew that would mean a lot to you…in many ways.”

Slash stilled, and after a moment, he slipped his father’s silver cross out from beneath his shirt and kissed it. “Si, it does. I will do my best to make you both proud.”

“You always do, my son.” Father Armando smiled and his smile included me. “Youbothdo.”

Chapter Thirteen

Lexi Carmichael

Slash and I passed out in each other’s arms the minute we got back to our room and undressed. It had been a long day, and despite the sleep we’d gotten on the plane, we had to be in top form tomorrow. I had a million questions, but Slash wasn’t going to know any of the answers, and neither of us had the mental acuity to entertain any of them before sleep. It just meant we’d have to face whatever was given to us in the morning and think on our feet. It was one of our strengths as individuals and a couple. If we had enough sleep, we could move mountains, or in this case, solve escape room puzzles.

At least I hoped so.

I was afraid I’d never get to sleep or that I might wake up in the middle of the night, but I slept like the dead until someone banged on our door. “Romeo?”

I shot straight up in bed before realizing it was Slash’s mother.

Slash swung his feet over the side of the bed and shoved his legs into a pair of pants. He opened the door, still bare-chested. “Mama?”

They spoke rapidly in Italian before she gave him a quick peck on the cheek and left. He closed the door and faced me, running his fingers through his tousled hair. “Time to get up. Breakfast is being served, and Lorenzo announced that the gamemaster will be laying out the rules for the escape rooms in thirty minutes.”

I sat up, bleary-eyed. Jet lag had taken more of a toll on me than I’d expected. My mouth felt like it was filled with stuffed cotton, and my stomach growled. “What time is it?”

Slash picked up his phone from the bedside table. “Half past eight.” He held up his phone, moving it around. “And by the way, we have no cell reception or Wi-Fi here. I noticed last night.”

“Me, too. I hope we don’t have an emergency. I presume they have a landline phone just in case.”

“One would hope.” Slash shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out.”

We dressed quickly before I opened the curtains and windows to enjoy a breath of the crisp, cool air. Sunlight sparkled on the water, and I had to shade my eyes because it was so bright. “It’s really beautiful here,” I said.

Slash stepped up behind me, dressed in dark jeans and a black sweater. He gave my ponytail a little tug before circling his arms around my waist, resting his chin on the top of my head. “It is. Back at the ocean again. It seems to be our thing.”

I really wasn’t a fan of the ocean. Too much water, sun, sand, and salt. But it was growing on me. I put my hand on top of his. “So, what do you think? Are we ready for today? Can we successfully lead the group to solving the escape rooms?”

He considered my words for a moment. “Leadership isn’t about being successful. It’s about making everyone else better, which in this situation is going to be paramount. Having said that, if we’re together, I believe we’ll be able to solve any puzzle or mystery.”

Spoken like a true leader. “Then, let’s do this, Slash. By the way, have you spoken with Mia, Vittoria’s little sister? She’s trying to speak English like an American teenager.”

He chuckled. “I noticed. She even insists on speaking with me in English, even though we’re both native Italian speakers.”

“She wants me to help her speak English better.”

“Will you?”

“I don’t know. Her English seems fine. It’s the teenage slang thing that’s throwing me off. I’m still trying to figure it out.”