Page 29 of Under Her Skin

Peter had laughed. “Fair enough. Listen, Philipo came out of his belfry to ask if you would go see himsoon.”

Arturo’s uncle, Philipo, might run the Bachi Foundation, but he was a reclusive figure. Arturo could count on one hand the times he had seen his uncle in the last ten years. Peter saw his uncle more than he did, given that he was the liaison between Arturo and the trust fund his unclehandled.

Arturo was surprised now that he had been summoned, and when he and Peter drove over to see him, he was shocked to see his uncle so frail. He shot a look at Peter, who looked equallysurprised.

“Uncle…how areyou?”

Philipo waved his hand. “Old, my boy, so you can take that look off your face. I asked you to come here for one reason. Your fortieth birthday is a year away, but I have made the decision to release your trust fund early. There is a good chance I won’t make it to your birthday.Cancer.”

Arturo hadn’t even begun to process that news before Philipocontinued.

“No, don’t look like that, I’ve had a good life.” He looked at Peter. “But there’s a caveat. Peter will now be the executor. I’ve not forgotten what drove your father to craft these conditions, the way youbehaved.”

“Uncle…my trust is the least of my concerns right now,” Arturo replied. “There must be something we can do. I could take you to Sloan-Kettering to get sometreatment.”

Philipo shook his head. “I’m not fighting this. I’m prepared for my death, Arturo. I just want to be with myGiovanna.”

The wistful look on the cranky old man’s face brought Hero flooding straight back into Arturo’s mind, and Philipo seemed to see right throughhim.

“Speaking of love…” A smile cracked the old man’s visage. “I hear you have a new amore. An Americangirl.”

Arturo cleared his throat, awkwardly, still trying to figure out how they could be discussing his love life after his uncle announced he was dying. “It’s…complicated,uncle.”

“Pah,” his uncle spat. “Uncomplicate it, if you love her. Do you loveher?”

“Very much.” Arturo could sense Peter looking at him and shot him a look. “I’m going to try, uncle. Do I have yourblessing?”

“What do I care? Yes, yes, have my blessing. Don’t waste love, Arturo.” Philipo fixed him with a stern, powerful look that had lost no ground to the disease that was killing him. “That also means don’t waste time, by theway.”

In the caron the way back to the office, Peter studied his friend. “You’re going to try and get Heroback?”

“Yes. She’s all I want, Peter. All I want. Nothing means anything withouther.”

Peter was silent, and Arturo knew his friend was concerned. He shot him a half-smile. “Pete, I know what you’re thinking, but I’m older now. I know what Iwant.”

“I just don’t want you putting your life in the hands of someone you met two weeks ago, no matter how great she is in thesack.”

Arturo sighed. “Pete, it’s not just the sex with Hero…it’s her. I’ve never had this connection with anyone…not even Flavia. You know me, I don’t get involved, and yet when I met Hero, my world shifted. I realized what isimportant.”

“But you left her at thehospital.”

He winced. “Shock. Confusion. My dumbass male pride. I don’t give a fuck now. I want her back. I know I always get what I want, but I think she wants it, too, Peter. We’re good for each other. We’re right. I need her so much…I believe she also needsme.”

Peter said nomore.

When Arturo got back to the office, he greeted Marcella and then went into his office and closed the door. Drawing in a lungful of air, he picked up his phone and flicked through his contacts to Hero’s number and pressed ‘Call.’ When he heard her gentle voice, nervous and shaking, he smiled. “It’s me. Can wetalk?”

ChapterSixteen

Arturo saw the tall, willowy blonde cross the restaurant, and was surprised when she stopped at his table. Her face, patrician and elegant, was beautiful, but her eyes were suspicious and unfriendly. “SignoreBachi?”

“That’sme.”

She held out her hand. “ImeldaDonati.”

Hero’s sister. Arturo stood and shook her hand, frowning. “Is Hero okay? I’d heard she was recovering from herinjuries—”

“She’s fine. She’s currently at home, sulking because I wouldn’t let her come. May Isit?”