He groans and asks with his voice deep and raspy, “What have you done with my little innocent wife of mine, hmm?”
My mouth opens and my tongue peeks out. “She’s still here.”
He bends down to kiss me softly and pulls back with me wanting more. “What are your plans today,amuri mui?”
His grip on my chin slips around to the nape of my neck. “I have been wanting to go to my favorite coffee shop.” His head tilts with his brow raise. “Before you ask, I will have Lorenzo with me.” His jaw tightens at hearing Lorenzo’s name, and it has been that way ever since the night of the club. “You are the one who appointed him to be my guard as you call it. And I want to get out of the house for a little while and go to my favorite place.”
He rubs his fingers, massaging my neck. “I want to sit and watch all of the people who walk by or come in. I want to sit there and imagine what their life is like. Are they in love? Did they justget their heart broken? I want to smell the aroma of the coffee beans being ground up.”
He stares at me for a moment before he says, “Okay, but I’m having another one of my men go with you because I cannot risk or stand the thought of something happening to you, Isabella. Things are still not great nor safe.”
My hand wraps around his forearm, and my voice softens. “I know, and that’s fine. I will be fine, baby. You have nothing to worry about, and I will be okay with both them with me.” I can see his face is trying to hide the anguish. “I feel the same way every single time you leave me for work. The memory of watching you get shot runs through my mined each day and night.”
I move my head and kiss his arm. “I love you, Isabella.”
“I love you, too, Enzo.”
He kisses me once more before he grabs his things to leave. There is a heaviness inside me that I cannot put a finger on it. And a sudden wave of anxiousness rushes over me with the feeling like I want to run to the bathroom and throw up. I push it down.
Right before he steps out of our bedroom, I call out to ask him, “Enzo, what doesamuri muimean?”
He turns to look at me with a smirk pulling from his full lips. “My love.”
The moment the door opens to my favorite coffee shop in the middle of the city, my shoulders drop to relax, and I let the warm scent of coffee hit my nostrils. I’m in my happy place. A place where I can sit, watch people around me and create stories in my head about their lives. I look over to see that the table I always sit at its open, and I get a little giddy.
Lorenzo is behind me and the other one who Enzo assigned is standing off to the corner near where we came in. “I’m sure this the last place you planned on being at today.” I tell him over my shoulder as I picture if I want to get a scone or a something else.
“Mrs. Ricci, it is my job to go where you want to go.” He says with a little smile on his face.
I turn slightly to look at him. “I’m aware. I was just thinking that you could be doing something other than babysitting me at a silly coffee shop.”
“Mrs. Ricci, I took an oath to your husband to protect you. As well, one to you.” He takes a moment scanning the shop before continuing, “I respect your husband and this family. You are part of that.”
Nodding my head at him and smile at him. “Well, I promise to not get you in trouble again like the whole nightclub fiasco.” I turn to look at the menu when I cast over to him. “At least let me buy you a coffee.”
Lorenzo does not respond by the time we make it to the front of the line to be greeted by the barista. I read her name tag, Mai. Her dark hair is tied up on top of her head in a messy bun, thickteal glasses sit on her nose, and the light bounces off her nose ring. The tan of her skin with her almond shaped eyes makes her stand out and is beautiful.
“Hi! Welcome to Witchy Brew. What can I get for you?” Her cheerful voice is loud over the machines in the back.
I smile at her. “Hi! Can I please have a medium ice-cold brew with oat milk and two pumps of pumpkin with a cranberry and orange muffin on the side and three butters. Not toasted.”
“Those muffins are my favorite ones, and you’re in luck today as we have only two left!” She points to the case next to the register.
“Can you make that two muffins? Same way, please and a tall Americano.” Lorenzo says behind me.
“You got it!” Mai says as she is ringing us up. “That will be fifteen dollars and twenty cents.”
I open my purse and hand her the black card that Enzo had given me on day two of our marriage when I went shopping with Gianna. Once she has run the card, I take it back, put it back in my purse and take the number card to have them bring us our items where we are sitting. Lorenzo is right on my heels as I weave my way through the shop, heading straight for my favorite part of the whole place. The other man, who has barely has said two words is still standing, taking up space near the door.
Lorenzo places the number sign on the table and takes one final look around the shop before taking the first seat that is facing the whole area. And I know before I have the deliciousness of my coffee hit my lips, I’m going to need to go to the bathroom. It never fails.
“I’ll be right back. I need to use the ladies’ room.” I go to make my way toward the back of the coffee shop when he stands up to follow me. “Um, you can stay here, and I’ll be right back.”
“Mr. Ricci has given me strict orders that I’m to follow you where you go.” His face is blank, but I can tell by his eyes that he does not really want to come into the women’s restroom.
I look around and say, “Well, I don’t see my husband anywhere. And I hardly doubt he would want you to see me going the bathroom.”
His whole-body stills, and his face goes pale because he knows that I’m right. Enzo would kill him on the spot if he knew that Lorenzo accompanied me to the bathroom. “Stay here and try the life-changing muffin. I want to know your thoughts on it.”
