Ti Amo (12 page)

“Hear that baby? Daddy’s scared of fireflies!” Mira joked.

Giovanni gave a snort. “If you’re going to make fun I’ll skip the story.”

Mira poked out her lip in a fake pout. Eve leaned back a bit to look up at her mother with concern. “Sorry Papa, please continue. I promise to be good.”

He ran his hand across her thigh, “Papa likes it when you’re bad.” He wiggled his brows.

Mira rolled her eyes. “The story?”

“Yes, yes the story. Let’s see where did I leave off? Oh! At night the lake would light up with a million fireflies blinking. Fish would jump out of the lake to catch them!” Giovanni’s hand shot up and tickled Eve. His daughter exploded in giggles. “They love to eat the glowing bugs. My papa and Uncle Rocco would catch tons of fish because of the frenzy in the waters,” he said, pulling a laughing Eve toward him and burying his face into her tummy to blow air bubbles. Eve kicked her small feet and beat her fist on the mattress continuing to giggle. “I asked my papa why did the
lucciola
dance around dangerously close to the water. Didn’t they know the fish would eat them?”

Eve flung herself at him. She dropped on his chest and laid there. Mira eased down into the covers and moved in close. Her hand rested on his hip. “My papa sang the nursery rhyme to me. He said that the firefly was the most important gift from God. They were harborers of the light, a beacon of good fortune for any man led by their magnificent glow. A threat to the creatures of darkness who worked to destroy and lead righteous men from their destined path. And that is what you are for me
lucciola
, my light out of darkness.”

When Giovanni closed his eyes he saw his father on the lake, forcing him to remain seated next to him and face his fears of the glowing bugs buzzing everywhere in the darkness. He was just five and his mother often had no say if he could accompany his father on these trips. Giovanni always felt like he was such a big boy on those trips. Funny how Don Tomosino who never showed a soft side to family or friends felt relaxed enough to share a nursery rhyme with his boy.

“A long time ago there were princesses and princes, witches and trolls and a whole kingdom that lived off magic. Actually there was a princess who was friends to everyone in the kingdom, and she was promised to a prince born of a righteous birth from a Roman King. Everyone in the land was overjoyed except a jealous mean ole troll who wanted the princess for himself. Unable to resist the urge to possess her he stole her in the night before the wedding and took her across Lake Garda.”

Eve kept her face pressed to his chest listening to his heartbeat as he told the story. He kissed the top of his daughter’s curly head but his eyes remained locked on Mira’s lovely face, turned toward his, as he continued the story. “Everyone in the kingdom was saddened and the king was confused. He didn’t know how to rescue her. Lake Garda was dark during the day but the darkest at night. Men would get lost in its waters trying to cross the channel. Rumors of man-eating fish swimming the lake scared every man, woman, or child. But the prince could not be separated from the fair princess and vowed to risk it all to save her from a fate worse than death; losing her soul by marrying that mean ole troll. The princess was aware of the dangers her prince faced in trying to rescue her. She knew that his love for her would make him foolish in his haste to find her and devised her own plan.”

“What plan was it?” Mira asked.

“A dangerous but brave plan.” Giovanni smiled. “She plied the troll with wine promising to be his bride. She waited for him to fall asleep. When he passed out, she began to sing into the night, calling out to her prince. The fireflies were birthed from her lovely voice. The ugliest, filthiest, fattest, hairiest black bugs rose from the rank retched swamp that the troll dwelled. The princess’ beautiful voice transformed them. Rubbing their hind legs together in harmony with the princess’ voice they emitted little sparks causing fires to blink in their bellies and light the night. She sent them across the lake to guide her prince to her singing all the way…
firefly, firefly, yellow and bright … bridle the filly under your light, the son of the king is ready to ride, firefly, firefly, fly by my side.”

Eve had drifted to sleep on Giovanni’s chest, and Mira looked down at her surprised. She hadn’t even fed her yet. Eve never went back to sleep after waking in the morning. Nearing her terrible twos she gave her mother the blues if cereal wasn’t in a bowl for her within minutes.

“Looks like my little
lucciola
didn’t like the story. She fell asleep.”

“You are amazing with her,” Mira said.

“She’s my rib. She understands me.”

Mira leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips. “
Ti amo
,” she said between the kiss.

“I missed you very much, Bella. I thought of you every day, and night.”

“I thought of you too. Often.”

A sly smile formed on Giovanni’s lips.

“Did you know that your army has arrived?” she asked changing the subject. “There are like three trucks outside and at least half a dozen men walking around. Scared me half to death.”

He frowned. “Did they see you?”

She remembered her little nightshirt and how he fixated on her breasts when she returned to bed this morning. “No. No one saw me,” she said.

“Good.”

“So it’s still going on?”

Giovanni shifted to lie Eve down on the bed in between them. “What’s still going on?”

“The war? The one that started the day Fabiana died.”

He turned and carefully rose from the bed to be sure not to disturb his bambina. “That war started before she died.” He stretched.

“Lorenzo said you murdered Flavio.”

Giovanni froze with his arms in the air. Lowering them slowly he looked over his shoulder at her. The deception she saw on his face broke her heart. She needed him to be honest with her, always.

“Lorenzo said this to you?” he asked.

Mira eased off the bed and walked over to him. “Don’t be angry. You can’t keep secrets from me. Not if there’s danger that could affect us.”

“Lorenzo needs a muzzle. You,” he pinched her chin and tilted her head to look into her eyes. “You will know what you need to know. That is how it is, how it will always be. Don’t mention Flavio to me again. He was no friend to you dead or alive.”

“We aren’t your parents, Giovanni. You aren’t your father. Even if you’ve convinced yourself you are. Don’t treat me like some shadow in your life. I have a right to know about my safety and the safety of our daughter.”

“Flavio has nothing to do with your safety.”

“But your need for revenge does. I see it. You keep putting this wall between us. When I saw those men here trying to keep us safe it dawned on me that I may never truly ever feel safe in Italy.”

Giovanni’s expression froze. Mira struggled to explain her feelings. They were making progress, and it would take a lot of work to trust each other again. But this place felt as dangerous as the one she wanted to avoid.

“Are you saying you don’t want to stay with me?”

“No.” Mira said softly. “I’m saying that we could stay here a day or a month and I will still be cautious of this place and your life. So let’s go where I know you can keep us safe. Back to Sorrento. That’s how families ban together right?”

“Are you sure? About Sorrento?” he asked.

“Yes. I don’t want Eve out here, isolated. I could have lived in Switzerland for this kind of isolation.” She went over to him and slipped her arms around his waist. “I respect that there are parts of your life that you can’t share. We need some middle ground. Soon the world will learn the truth about me, and it’s going to be beyond our control how that truth plays out. I lost my life before because I kept my eyes closed to what you and Fabiana were doing. No more. My eyes are wide open now Giovanni.”

“You’re wise, Bella. That’s why I know you’re my destiny. We belong together. I agree. We will return to Sorrento in a day or so. First I want you and my
bambina
alone here with me.”

****

It had been twenty-four hours since he last closed his eyes. They burned with fatigue. Dominic exhaled deeply. He dropped his head back on the chair and tried to make order of his thoughts. Giovanni was with his new family and that gave Dominic hope. His friend, brother, boss, had been so desperately miserable these past few years it had taken a toll on all of the men. Now more than ever they had to find Angelo and deal with him. Soon the world would learn that Mira Ellison lived, and Dominic shuddered to think of the danger she and her baby girl would be in. It was his job to out think and maneuver their enemies. As consigliere he was to counsel Giovanni with absolutes. He’d managed it well from the lessons he learned from Flavio. But still he had his doubts over his abilities. And now the additions to the Battaglia family were his responsibility.

The door to the outside veranda opened. Dominic didn’t bother to turn and acknowledge the visitor. Her fragrance greeted him, strong and beautiful. He breathed her in with his lips slightly parted. It wouldn’t have taken long before she learned that he had returned to
Melanzana. He’d made an effort to avoid the main house and handle his business affairs in Villa Rosso. However, it was futile. Here she was.

Within minutes gentle fingers combed through the crown of dark curls at the top of his head and Dominic’s heavy lids shut. He shouldn’t enjoy her touch as much as he did, but it was indeed what he missed the most. Her touching him and the freedom to touch her in return would be the ultimate dream.

“You can’t be here,” he said softly, ignoring the heat in his loins and the hammering of his heart in his chest.

“I came in through the back of the villa. No one saw me enter. We’re alone.”

He reached up and caught her wrist. He turned in his chair to face her. “Don’t do this to me, Catalina.”

“
Amore mio
. What’s the matter? How hard has it been for you lately?” She touched his cheek with her free hand. Her words were as soft as her fingers when they grazed his skin. And even now her beauty held him mesmerized. Round eyes under a shadow of dark lashes blinked at him. Her seductive rose colored lips, delicate button nose and high cheekbones rounded out features both seductive and elegant. And her thick brown locks streaked in golden strands curled and cascaded past her shoulders. A few tendrils fell over her left eye. She had a natural tan that her Sicilian ancestry had blessed her with. She wore a tight fitted peach colored sweater with an oval bodice that showed how beautiful her heavy bosom was. “Talk to me. We’re friends aren’t we?” she said, desperate for him not to reject her.

“Catalina. You’re married. I’m your brother.”

“No. You are not. You know we aren’t blood related, Domi.”

“It’s not what I mean.”

“Then what do you mean? We can pretend before them, but alone you and I know better.”

“I can’t do this anymore.” He turned from her, but she forced the chair back around.

“We were friends before we were lovers. Yes, I’m married and we both know why that should have never happened. Don’t push me away when you need me to prove you’re strong. It only proves how weak you are.” Catalina slowly lowered and sat on his lap. Dominic wished he could summon the conviction to push her away, but he was so tired, and so in need that his body responded. He ran his hand over her thigh and his other arm wrapped around her waist to keep her there. She pulled his face into her breast and stroked the back of his head. Dominic breathed out of his nose slowly and inhaled her beautiful feminine smell.

“Relax,” she said softly, cradling him to her breast.

“This is harder on me. I can’t share you like this.” Dominic said, his voice hoarse with self-loathing and longing.

“He doesn’t touch me, Domi. He treats me like a sister instead of a wife. You two really should change roles,” she said with a sad smile. “You aren’t sharing me
amore mio
. I belong to you.”

“Give it time, Catalina. What we’ve been doing won’t help the situation. He’s your husband. It has to stop.”

Catalina stroked his shoulders and ran her hand back down his back. “The failure of my marriage is not your fault. It’s not my fault. I was young and stupid to agree to such an arrangement thinking I could be happy. There’s no passion with Franco and I. You know I’ve tried to be a wife to him. He goes through the motions, but he doesn’t want me any more than I want him,” she said her voice quivering around a sob.

Dominic lifted his head. The sight of her tears would break him. He pinched her chin and drew her soft lips to his, plying them open with his tongue and letting it plunge deep. Her sweet response filled him with strength. He touched her throat and kissed her deeper until they both were left breathless. Breaking away was the hardest thing he could manage, but he did.

“Let’s tell Gio. And think of what we have now. A
bambina
in the family. This has to mean good fortune for us all. Gio will change his heart and release me from my marriage.”

“Never. He will never grant it, and neither would the church. You are married. It’s done
cara
.”