“Okay?” Cesare asked, looking for any lingering hesitancy.
“Okay.” Sabrina nodded as she allowed her hand to remained clasped in his, and rubbed an affectionate circle into the back of Cesare's hand with her thumb.
???
Once they collected their luggage, they took an Uber to a suburb north of the city, as Sabrina munched happily on Chickie’s & Pete’s crab fries. Cesare made a mental note that Sabrina was much easier to please when her stomach was full. He would have Monty stock the Lincoln with snacks once he arrived back in Philly with the car.
Sabrina looked out the car windows in appreciation of the size and architecture of the homes they drove past. As they pulled into his neighborhood, she arched a brow at Cesare, who met her gaze with a wry grin.
Sabrina shook her head when they came to a stop in front of a small mansion that could have filled up half of downtown Kittery.
“It’s like someone started to pour the water and forgot to say when.” She muttered.
Cesare laughed out loud. “It’s like my father wanted to prove a point and did.”
“And what would that point be?” Sabrina asked.
“Anyone who gets in the way of a Lombardi gets thrown out or bought out; on a good day.” Cesare answered smugly.
Sabrina gave an amused hum. “Sounds very Medici.”
“You’re not wrong.” Cesare replied with an unreadable look behind his eyes, holding out a hand. “Let me give you a tour.”
They walked through a massive wooden plank door that Sabrina had a hunch was bullet proof. Inside was a stunning Italian Palazzo. A spacious entry with an antique wrought iron chandelier greeted them. A grand staircase half the size of Maine Marine Rescue swept halfway up to the second floor, where a landing led to two additional sets of stairs splitting off to go to an east wing and a west wing.
The walls were stucco in a warm earth tone. Expansive lead-lined windows were framed with dark vivid green curtains, and the carpets were woven in a rich wine red. Dark brown, rustic tile flooring accentuated the palazzo feel. Renaissance paintings lined the walls and wrought iron sconces added to the polished but antiquated Mediterranean style.
Cesare walked her through the sprawling set of rooms and corridors of the Lombardi family home. “It’s a maze.” He shrugged. “The parts that matter, that I think you’ll like best, are the outside garden, the poolroom, and the bedroom. The kitchen is downstairs, but you can ask for whatever you want through the intercom and the chef will make it for you. Mrs. Bonetti will bring it to whatever room you’re in. Except for dinner. That’s always in the dining room.”
Sabrina nodded, doing her best to memorize the layout.
“I have to get to the office, but I want to make sure you’re comfortable before I leave. I’ll show you the back gardens andwork our way to the bedroom from there.” Cesare kissed her hand affectionately.
His phone rang on the way to the garden, and he silenced it immediately.
The garden was brightly colored with an array of vibrant colors and all shapes and sizes of flowers, shrubs and trees. A large stone water fountain gurgled in the center, and birds splashed in and out of the water. Sabrina’s eyes lit up with delight as she gently touched a nearby rose and smiled back at Cesare.
His shoulders relaxed as he allowed himself to breathe. He wanted her to be happy here.Neededher to be happy here.
He led Sabrina to another smaller entrance towards the back of the palazzo. They walked through a set of glass double doors, into a beautiful indoor pool room built in what had originally been a sprawling victorian greenhouse. The ceiling and walls were made of wrought iron and glass panels, allowing for a beautiful view of the gardens outside, as light flooded into the space. A variety of house plants lined the room, giving it an exotic feel.
Sabrina shifted her focus to the pool, amused at the design in the center. An Italian Flag was tiled into the bottom floor of the pool. She eyed an underwater bench built into the side of the pool, and her cheeks went pink at the memory of being in the pool of the hotel just the night before.
Cesare, following her train of thought, grinned and pulled her close. “There are cameras throughout the property.” He told her. “I often check them when I’m at work. It would bring me great pleasure to see you enjoy yourself here, tesoro.”
Sabrina blushed as his words sank in. “Who else sees the cameras?” She asked.
Cesare’s phone rang once more, and he dismissed the call with a muttered curse. “If you want me to disable something from the group feed, all it takes is a text message.” He answered, and his eyes darkened as he gave her a roguish grin.
“I’ll bear that in mind.” She replied with a twinkle in her eye.
Cesare led her back through the main house and up a back set of stairs to the third floor. They went down a long corridor until they passed two security guards and entered another, smaller hallway.
“This is my personal area of the house.” Cesare told her. “Nobody comes back here unless I’ve requested it.”
Sabrina made a humming sound. “What about cameras?” She asked.
“In the hallways, but not in my rooms.” He answered, his eyes darkening.
