Page 54 of Under Her Skin

“Here.” Peter handed her a hip flask. “It’s just Scotch, but it might make you feelbetter.”

Hero hesitated, but as Peter started the car and turned to drive out of town, she took a sip, then a large swig. He was right; it did feelbetter.

“Peter?”

“Yes,sweetheart?”

Hero swallowed. “Do you think Arturo is…” She couldn’t bring herself to say the word ‘alive.’

Peter reached over and took her hand. “It’s going to be okay, darling. I swear itis.”

She squeezed his hand. “Thank you for saving me, Pete. George was going to killme.”

His fingers tightened on hers. “No, baby, he wasn’t. George couldn’t kill anyone. He didn’t have the balls. What he did to you…that was the limit of his vileness. I’m so sorry thathappened.”

“Thank you.” Her throat felt tight, but the alcohol had flooded her system it seemed, and she began to feel lightheaded.Toolightheaded. “I don’t feelright.”

“It’s the shock, honey. Are you sure I can’t take you to the hospital? You might needit.”

“No. Arturo…I need to get to him…” Her voice sounded distant to her, and her ears rang suddenly. “What’s happening tome?”

“I told you.Shock.”

She swallowed. “Did Arturo call you? He wanted you to meet him atPhilipo’s?”

Peter laughed, but it was curiously mirthless. “I told you that, too. He called me, told me he’d found your sister, asked me to come get her to bring her to you. When I couldn’t find him at Philipo’s, I went to Villa Claudia. Your sister was there. She told me to come find you at the hotel. That’s how I knew to find youthere.”

It was like an icicle being shoved into her heart, and instantly, Hero knew their worst fears were confirmed. She turned to look at him as he glanced at her, smiling, but his eyes were cold anddead.

“Oh my God,” she whispered and lunged for the steering wheel. Peter laughed as she struggled with him, then slammed his fist into her temple. The blow was so hard, her head bounced off the side window. Hero moaned from the blow, struggling to take her seat belt off, clawing at the door of the car. Peterlaughed.

“Don’t bother, beautiful, besides I’m doing what you asked. I’m taking you toArturo.”

Hero, feeling her consciousness begin to slip, stared at him in horror. “Did you killhim?”

“No. I didn’t kill Arturo, but like you, he may wake up with a little headache. By the way, if you’re feeling a little woozy, it’s because of the drug that’s in the Scotch. I thought you might get a littlefeisty.”

“What happened to the polizia?” Her voice was getting faint. “Why didn’t theycome?”

“Never underestimate the power of money,Hero.”

She was fighting the sedative. “You want hismoney.”

“No, you stupid bitch…I wanthim. How come neither of you, you or Flavia, neither of you could see…Arturo belongs tome.”

Hero looked at him and saw the depth of his obsession. Peter was in love with Arturo? “You lovehim.”

“I’m not gay,” he said, sharply. “It goes beyond sexual love, but I don’t expect you to understand that. You and Flavia…there are a lot of differences, but the one thing you have in common is that you see his physical beauty, his kind heart, but you don’t seehim.”

“You’re lying…Idosee him. I see every part of him…” Her voice trailed away, and her vision faded for a moment…then… “You killedFlavia.”

“Yes.”

“And you’re going to killme?”

“Yes, Hero. I’m going to kill you. Only this time, I’m going to make Arturo watch as I stab you to death. He’ll watch the light go out in your pretty eyes and know it was all for nothing. That he again tried to love someone other than me, and it ended the same way as it always will. I’m going to enjoy killing you,Hero.”

“You’re insane…” The darkness was approaching relentlessly now. Peter reached over and stroked a finger down hercheek.