“Explosives?” I gasped, my eyes wide. He nodded curtly and shut the door, walking around to the passenger side to sit beside my new driver. How was this my life?
When we pulled up at the hospital’s main entrance, I could already see the undercover security team hovering at their stations, whispering into their radios to confirm I’d arrived safely. Honestly, this felt completely insane. But maybe I was the one who was crazy because, despite all this drama, whenever I thought about the times I’d been alone with Santino Buccini, I never once felt unsafe. But it was all a façade, wasn’t it? Safe was the last thing I should have felt around that man.
After I stored my belongings in the staff lounge lockers, I headed straight for the office I shared with Nita.
“Buonasera, Nita,” I smiled, walking in while Damiano took his position outside the glass door. “How has it been?”
“Good,” she replied. “Surprisingly quiet today. Who’s that?”
“Oh, um, Damiano, my personal bodyguard. My father’s a bit worried about how intense his campaign is at the moment, so he just wants to make sure I’m safe. I’m trying my best to just… carry on as normal.”
“Is this because of those cargo shipments of drugs and weapons they found at the port?”
“It’s best if we don’t discuss any of that,” I said with an apologetic smile before taking my seat behind my desk. “It’s nothing personal, but I’m not supposed to speak about my father’s campaign or any legal operations.”
“Got it. Forget I asked. Well, there are three reports to be filed, and the supply audit has been updated, but you might want to check it. The money from the fundraiser is being processed, so I guess we can start planning how to spend the budget. I still can’t believe we raised that much! And over a million euros from Santino Buccini.” She whistled, fanning her face as she stood up. “That is one damn fine man. I’d love to personally thank him, if you know what I mean.”
I forced a tight smile onto my face, but inside, I was a storm of chaos at just the mention of his name. “Have a good evening, Nita.”
“You too. Oh, I nearly forgot. Those came for you while you’ve been off. I put them in vases so they wouldn’t die before you could enjoy them. That last bunch arrived just an hour ago.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Who are you seeing?”
“No one,” I said, spinning my chair around towards the back of the room to find three enormous vases of the most elaborate flowers. Each bouquet was entirely different but equally stunning.
“Well, whoever he is, he’s a keeper.”
She breezed out of the office, and I sulked back into my swivel chair, closing my eyes. Please... please be from Callum. We’d arranged a date for tomorrow afternoon, but something told me this wasn’t his doing. Summoning my courage, I stood up and walked over to them, plucking the unopened cards from each bouquet with my handwritten name.
My heart pounded as I read the first one.
La mia bella ribelle,
Here’s a flower for each hour that thoughts of you kept me awake last night.
I picked these, exhausted but smiling.
And I want to be the reason you smile at least once every day.
So I’ll send flowers. I’ll visit every florist in Rome.
Think of them as a reminder.
Someone, somewhere, is happily ruining his reputation over you.
– S
It took me a full three seconds to realise I was smiling. I had to physically shake my head to wipe it off. This was not… This could not… No. I couldn’t fall for this. I should throw the flowers away. Why would I even open the other two cards? Only a stupid person would.
La mia bella ribelle,
All it took was one moment.
One look and my world tilted towards you.
It started with your eyes, but it won’t end until you’re mine.
– S
I hated the way my breath caught on the first line, and how the blush had crept up my neck by the last. The flowers were bright blue, the same shade as my eyes. It was the most romantic note I’d ever received, yet that last line felt like a warning. A fearful shudder raced down my spine as I tried to gauge just how sinister that warning was.
