Page 50 of Sacred Blood

What happened after the drama was over and we were married? Would he let me go to school and finally finish my degree? Or was I being too optimistic?

School had always been the plan. Even when my parents expected me to marry well and represent the family, I’d secretly imagined something more. A degree. A career. A life built from my own choices instead of family expectations.

Running away hadn’t changed that dream.

If anything, it had strengthened it.

I wanted to finish what I started.

I wanted my name on a diploma.

I wanted to walk into a room and have people see Gabriella Calabretta, not somebody’s daughter, somebody’s wife, or somebody’s bargaining chip. The thought made me glance at the ring glittering on my finger.

Gaetano had never asked me to give up my dreams. But then again, neither of us had discussed what came after the Russians, after the wedding, after all the chaos surrounding us settled.

Would he expect me to stay home? Would he support my education? Would he still look at me the same way if I insisted on having ambitions beyond being his wife? The questions lingered, unanswered and uncomfortable.

The closer we came to the city and Tano’s home, the more I was haunted by questions without answers.

“You’re quiet, piccina. What is troubling you?”

Before I could formulate my response, Tano’s phone beeped with an incoming call. His call screen said it was Romeo. Even seeing that name made me shrink in my seat, remembering the scary man and his large enforcer.

“We’re on our way.” Tano answered irritably.

“Don’t. Take her back to your place or the safe house with whatever men you have with you and come to the house. We were just attacked, and I need your services.”

“See you soon,” Tano answered and disconnected the call.

“We’ll have to table this discussion until later. Where would you like to go, the safe house or back to the Hamptons?”

“The Hamptons. At least I have the pool and the gym so I can work out if I get too antsy.”

Tano called Vincent. “Change of plans. I have to continue on, but Gabriella is going back. You have one job, keep her safe at all costs. Take the next exit. There is an oak grove where she can change cars and be hidden from satellites by the canopy of leaves in case anyone is tracking us.”

Tano took the exit and, grabbing a baseball cap from the back seat, pulled it down low, shading his face. Then he exited the car and opened the trunk. I was about to ask what the heck he was doing when he came back with a scarf and sunglasses for me.

“Just a precaution, piccolina.” He wrapped the scarf around my hair, creating a hooded effect, which, together with the sunglasses, hid my face. When he was satisfied, he helped me out of the car. Vincent had already grabbed my luggage and was placing it in his car.

He and Tano exchanged words while I got into the back seat and buckled in. When they were done, Tano jogged over and opened the door. Leaning in, his soft firm lips kissed me deeply.

“Be good. I’ll come back for you as soon as I can.” Before I could say goodbye, he was gone. I sat back, chewing on the same lip he’d just taken so passionately and wondered how I’d managed to fall under his spell so quickly.

Vincent got in the driver’s seat, sparing me a glance before starting the car and making a U-turn at the exit we’d taken, headed back to the Hamptons. It was a win-win for me. With the family inspection canceled, I was free to think and get myself back under control.

Wine, toys and books sounded pretty damn good to me and for the first time I looked forward to returning to the simple spoiled life of the princess in the tower, served and fawned over. And no place was better for it than Tano’s weekend palace. It was easy to relax there and let your mind go. The safe house had been small, innocuous in appearance, where I’d spent all my time in the cramped bedroom.

Relaxing into the plush leather, I worked on concerning myself with nothing other than what I wanted to eat. Let the others worry. This woman needed a break from all the recent news, but especially the charms of one Gaetano Vitale.

Exiting the pool a few hours later, I lay out in the last rays of the sunshine before sunset came and the air cooled. Turning on my phone, I saw I’d missed several text messages from Tano.

How is my girl doing?

A minute later: Gabriella?

Less than a minute later: Gabriella, answer me immediately.

I should have been scrambling to obey, but I couldn’t help reading the rest of his messages first.