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“Not for a while.”
“I know that too, but this is important.”
“Pietro, I don’t care. We’re done, as we should have been a long time ago. Do you know how stupid it is for him to send you here?”
“He didn’t. I came on my own.” Pietro walked in a small circle and put both his hands in his hair. “You have to come with me.”
For a second, I thought I didn’t hear him right.
“Come with you? I’ve told Salvatore loud and clear – we are done! You can tell him to go screw himself. Go, Pietro! Get out of here before anyone sees us.”
I turned to walk away and he grabbed my arm hard enough to leave a bruise.
“Uncle is dying.” He said and the words stood suspended between us. “The doctors say he won’t make it ‘till dawn.”
Cristo. When I’ve asked Sasa he’d told me that his father still had a few good months ahead of him, maybe a full year. When did that change?
“I’m sorry to hear that, Pietro. Despite all our differences, Adrian was very dear to me.” That man was like my uncle too and I cared about him deeply. My heart was breaking for him.
“He’s alone, Grazia. He is losing his father and he has no one.”
Sasa. I felt tears stabbing my eyes.
“He has you.” They were cousins –swornbrothers– and Pietro should have been by his side, not here, telling me all this.
“Well, he needs you!” The jarring words made me flinch. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have shouted.”
“I don’t know what I could possibly do.”
I felt powerless. Salvatore was hurting and there wasn’t much comfort I could give him.
“Let me take you to him.”
“Pietro…”
“I know what I’m asking.” To my surprise, he chuckled. “Do you know how many times I told him – begged him – to cut things off with you. An affair is not worth starting a war, that’s what I kept telling him, but Salvatore won’t listen.He would set the world on fire for you. I know that if you come with me tonight and one whisper gets back to your family things won’t be pretty, but I have to ask.”
I coughed lightly to break the knot in my throat and be able to speak again. Pietro was right, I had to go. Salvatore would never let anything stop him from getting to me and I owed him the same respect. He was the man who had my heart and I couldn’t put loyalty to my blood above him in a moment like this. For once, I had to put him first.
When I looked up to Pietro, I could feel flames in my eyes.
“Take me to him.”
I didn’t have to ask twice. He walked me through the alleys until we reached his car. We didn’t exchange any other words during the ride and I could tell Pietro was on edge about taking me to the Fiori house. I was too. I’ve been to that house a million times before, I practically grew up there, but when we got in front of the gate, I suddenly felt out of place.
The house was impressive – a true palace fit for a king, with a long driveway and luxurious gardens.
I flew out of the car the moment Pietro hit the brakes and ran through the front door. I knew my way around with my eyes closed, I didn’t need anyone to give me the tour. I ran across the spacious foyer, throwing my bag on the floor, and I would have kept running if Chiara hadn’t have crashed into me. Again.
“Ouch!” I said, rubbing my forehead where we bumped heads.
“Wow, twice in a week. We need to stop meeting like this, Grazia.”
“Yes. Sorry, umm, Pietro brought me. I…”
“I’m glad you’re here.” She cut in. I could see she had questions, but now is not the time. “Salvatore is in the room at the end of the hall.”
“Thank you, Chiara.” I said to her over my shoulder, already halfway to the door she’d shown me.
