For the first week, I could barely stand. I could barely take a shower. I was still devastated now, seeing a gray sky instead of a blue one like everyone else, but staying home wasn’t helping me.It’d been essential at the time, but it didn’t feel so essential now. “No, I’ll come.”
“Yeah?” he asked, that smile on his face back and reaching his eyes.
I loved that Wolfe always made me feel wanted without actually saying it. He showed me in other ways, like in his excitement of having me come along to dinner. Another guy might want space to be out with the guys, but Wolfe had never acted like that. He always made me feel wanted. “But you’re about to leave and I’m not ready, and I don’t want to make you wait.”
“I’ll wait as long as I need to.” He moved to the couch and grabbed the remote so he could watch TV until I was finished. “Take your time.”
“But I don’t want to make you look bad for walking in an hour late.”
He gave me a firm look that shut me up immediately. “I would much rather walk in with you an hour late than be on time without you.”
6
FRANCESCA
I’d never been to the headquarters where Cosa Nostra operated. It was a gated compound in the heart of Palermo, the limestone carved with lions, palm trees on the outskirts of the property. It was a sprawling piece of real estate in a historic city. The villa itself was three stories high, but expansive like the size of a commercial building.
Wolfe drove his Range Rover onto the property when the gate opened and parked off to the side of the fountain. It wasn’t noticeable outside the gates because of the stone wall and the foliage, but there was securityeverywhere. All armed with automatic rifles and tactical vests, it was the violent truth behind the curtain.
A few other cars were already there but not many.
Wolfe parked then came around the side to help me out of the car. He immediately grabbed my hand and walked me to the entrance.
None of the armed men looked at us, and when we ascended the marble stairs to the enormous double doors, the two security officers nodded toward Wolfe but didn’t actually speak to him.
One of them opened the door for Wolfe, and he stepped inside, the sound of loud music and boisterous voices reaching us. He dropped my hand and circled his arm around my lower back as he pulled me in. “You look really fine in that dress.”
“Thanks.” I hadn’t eaten in two weeks, and the dress fit a little loose—but not in a good way. My breasts didn’t fill in the cups right, so the cleavage line wasn’t the most impressive. “But you’re the one who looks really fine.”
He smirked. “Yeah.”
“Yeah?”
“You gave me a compliment, and I accepted it.”
“You didn’t accept it. You gloated about it.”
“Baby, I know what I’m worth. Wish you knew the same about yourself.” He guided me through a spacious sitting area so spotless it seemed as if no one ever used it. We crossed the villa until we reached the other side, emerging outside on the grounds. The stone walls here were just as high, but there was no visible gate or entryway. The area had a fountain and sprawling gardens, with beautiful landscape lighting that gave it a resort-like feeling. The large terrace contained tables covered in white linen tablecloths, easily accommodating three hundred people like a wedding venue. It was a warm summer evening, but heat lamps were everywhere in case anyone was cold.
“Wow, this place is beautiful.”
“Yeah, it’s not bad,” he said. “Throughout the decades, the government tried to remove Cosa Nostra from power, but after so many deaths and so much spending, we made a truce. So they allowed us to purchase this historic building. It’s the largest in Palermo, and it’s also where Don Russo lives.”
“So the definition of if you can’t beat them, join them.”
“Just more economical.” He guided me to the terrace and to an empty table. He pulled out the chair for me then sat across from me, the guys drinking in merriment, a lot of them already visibly drunk. Pretty women moved around the tables to pour wine and deliver cocktails, and they were all dressed in lacy black lingerie.
One of the women came to our table. “Wine?”
“Please.” Wolfe grabbed our two glasses and put them at the edge, and while he was polite, he never actually looked at the woman.
She poured the glasses then walked off.
Wolfe immediately swirled it by the stem and took a drink.
“It’s okay to look at them, Wolfe,” I said. “I’m not going to scratch your eyes out.”
He smirked slightly then took another drink of his wine.
