Page 74 of Valentino

Thirty minutes earlier….

Traffic is lined up as we wait at the corner traffic lights to cross to the road.

“Then what happened?” I frown.

“And then her father comes bursting in,” Romeo scoffs. “I’m balls deep up to my fucking nuts inside of his daughter.”

We all snicker.

“Then get this, he picks up a pot plant and throws it full pelt mid-pump at my head.” He waves his arms around in the air as he explains the situation. “It connects, the pot smashes and dirt goes fucking flying everywhere through the bed and…. she starts screaming, I pull out and I’m standing there naked, and her psychotic father looking down at my raging hard-on.”

We burst out laughing as we listen.

“It’s not one bit funny,” he spits. “This dude is tapped, I’m telling you.” He rubs the side of his head. “I’ve got a serious concussion.”

“Why would you fuck your neighbor’s only daughter?”

“He wasn’t home.”

“That’s not the point.” I laugh.

“You would not have lived to tell the tale if that was my daughter,” Enrico mutters. “I would skin you alive.”

“And now….” Romeo throws up his hands. “I can’t go home.”

“For how long?” I smirk.

“Forever.” He widens his eyes. “Obviously.”

The lights change and we begin to walk across the road, my phone vibrates in my pocket and I dig it out. “Tomasso.”

“We may have a problem.”

“What’s wrong?” As we get to the curb I stop and listen; Tomasso is watching over Anna today. “What is it?”

“Anna has a visitor. We’ve stopped her but….”

“Who?”

“Chiara Crivello.”

I frown. “What does she want?”

“She wants to talk to Anna.”

“About what?”

“She said it’s personal.”

I narrow my eyes as I listen. “Is she alone?”

“Yeah, she said she’s looking for Carlo. She wants to talk to Anna alone.”

I think for a moment,

“Actually…” I reply as I start walking again, “…search her, if she’s clean let her in.”

“You sure?”