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How was your day with Alessio? I wet a cloth and use it to wipe his face.
Nino shrugs, casting his eyes toward the floor. It bothers me, and I don’t want to push him, but I need to know he’s okay. I tip his chin up to meet my gaze, using my hands to sign the words he knows.
Did you eat dinner?
He nods.
What did you have?
Another shrug. “Some gross stuff.”
I let him brush his teeth and then help him into his pajamas, hoping he’ll open up more with some time between tasks. When I tuck him into bed, it’s apparent that won’t be happening.
Did Alessio come home with you?
He shakes his head. The only thing that makes sense is they must have had some sort of disagreement. I can’t imagine what else it would be.
Where did you go tonight?
He dips his head like he knows he’s not supposed to tell me. I’m about to tell him he doesn’t have to when he signs three letters.
I.V.I.
My brows draw together in confusion, thinking he must be too tired to comprehend what he’s saying. I can’t in good conscience push him any further, so I drop it and stroke the hair back from his forehead.
Sleep well, sweetheart.
“Natalia?” He calls out for me as I head for the door.
I turn to find tears hovering on the edges of his eyes, and I rush back to him. What is it?
“I don’t want you to go.”
I’m right here, I assure him. It’s okay. Can you tell me why you’re upset?
He shakes his head. “Just stay with me until I go to sleep.”
I will, I answer. You’re safe now, okay?
He nods, releases a quiet sigh, and closes his eyes.
When I’m certain Nino is asleep, I go back to my room and sit on the edge of the bed, staring at the wall. Something is off. Alessio is keeping a secret, and I have a terrible gut feeling I might know what it is. Without confirmation, there’s no way to know for certain. I came here with very little information about Alessio and the current circumstances. I don’t know why Nino is with him or how it came to be that way. I only know what Nino told me about his father, along with the warning from Alessio about his duty to protect Nino.
Tonight, he took him somewhere he didn’t want me to know about. I’ve tried to rationalize it, but no matter how I look at it, I keep coming back to the same conclusion.
My paranoia is fraying every last nerve, and I don’t know how much longer I can do this. If Alessio doesn’t know already, if he’s not just toying with me somehow, it’s only a matter of time until he figures out the truth. I already have my exit strategy. There’s no reason for me to wait any longer. I saw him take the keys to the boathouse to the office on the first floor tonight. I know that door is locked, but there must be a key somewhere. I suspect he’ll have it on him.
My eyes dart to my pillow as the idea begins to cement in my mind. It has to be now. There will never be a perfect time to carry this out. I’m already getting too wrapped up in this situation. I can’t feel guilty for what I have to do, not when I know Alessio would do the same if the roles were reversed.
I don’t know where the cameras are hidden in my room, but it doesn’t matter anymore. Discretion isn’t going to help me, not after tonight. It will either be him or me.
I go into the closet first, packing up my clothing as an idea comes to me. There’s an advantage I haven’t considered. Alessio will be surprised when he sees me, so I can disarm him. I can lure him into a false sense of safety and tempt him with the thing he really wants, the hunger I see in his eyes when he looks at me.
My fingers hover over the black silk nightgown I never really wear but bought because it felt good against my skin. It’s beautiful, with intricate lace detailing and a hem that skims my mid-thigh. I didn’t buy it for anyone else. I just wanted to know what it felt like. I wore it once for ten minutes in bed before my fears got the best of me. It went back into the closet, and I returned to the safety of my routine. Sensible pajamas and sneakers, so I could run any time I needed to.
Tonight, I will run. It will be barefoot, and in silk and lace. I will have to come back to my bedroom with the hopes that Manuel won’t have awoken by the noise upstairs. If I do it right, the way I imagine it in my head, it will be quiet. Not even Alessio will see it coming.
