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I nod.
I walk through the house. “Caterina,” I say softly. There’s no response. Room after room on this level, and nothing.
I find stairs to a basement.
I open them and walk down. The downstairs has even more rooms. I walk down a long hall, peering down each one as I go.
A movie theater. Another kitchen. A spa. A…Jesus, this is going to take forever.
“Caterina, it’s me,” I whisper.
A closet door to my right trembles slightly.
“Luna,” I whisper. “The code word is Luna.”
The closet door flies open.
Caterina tumbles out. She’s wearing something entirely too revealing, and if I could, I would kill that motherfucker again.
But Caterina is in my arms.
She’s whole.
She’s healthy.
And I can’t ask for anything more.
I pull back. “Caterina, I…”
I don’t get to tell her how I feel.
Her lips press against mine, and I kiss her with the full force of the love that I have for her.
31
CATERINA
I’ve never been happierto hear Elio’s voice in my whole life.
When I fall out of the closet, it’s right into his arms. He scoops me up, holding me, kissing my neck.
“Amore,” he whispers. “Amore mio.”
He repeats other words in Italian, but I don’t know what they mean. They float through me, around me, covering me in praise and compliments.
“Elio,” I hear Gia say. “Let’s get her into some real clothes.”
“Yeah, I don’t want to see all that,” Sal repeats.
I burst out laughing.
Gia drapes a large jacket around me, one of the hunting ones from the closet. I tug it close, and look at her.
Her eyes are shining with tears.
“Gia,” I breathe. “Thank you…”
“Stop,” she whispers.
