AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He walked me to my room and pulled back the covers, making sure the bed was just so. If my heart wasn’t already taken, I would have been intrigued by Salvo. I didn’t know him all that well, but he was at the very least a gentleman, at least on the surface. Opening my jewelry bag, I retrieved the bear pendant and slipped it back onto the chain. I had missed the weight of it but missed the crow more.
“Are you warm enough?” he asked with his back to me as he closed the window.
“I’ll be fine, thank you.” I sat down on the chair next to the side table.
“Well, I’ll let you be.”
“Salvo?” I stopped him before he could leave. “I’m not…never mind.” I waited for him to take my hook.
“What is it?”
“Do you think you could stay just for a few more minutes?”
His face softened, and he joined me in the little sitting area.
“My nerves are a little shot.” I rubbed my hands together as if rattled.
“That’s understandable.” Then he seemed to get an idea and held up a finger and whisked out of the room. He returned moments later with a bottle of rum and two glasses. “This always helps me.” He poured us both about a half a glass and winked as he handed it to me. “Sometimes you need a little more than the recommended dose,” he said and chuckled.
He picked up his glass and threw back a big gulp. He grew silent then as he thought about something. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, he beat me to the punch.
“Do you miss your old life? I mean before all of this with the Capris?” He swept his arm around.
“Parts of it, yes.” I pressed my lips to the glass then pretended to swallow. “I miss feeling comfortable and knowing who people are.” I looked toward the window. “There are so many people I don’t know walking the grounds here that I feel like a stranger instead of family.”
“Well, as far as the soldiers go, don’t even bother getting to know them. Ms. Rosa is very particular about who works here. One wrong move, no matter how small, and they’re gone. I see new people here all the time.” He shrugged.
“Seems like a lot of vetting.”
“It’s the lifestyle.”
“And we’re not supposed to even talk to the staff? Why?” I pretended to take another drink and noticed he followed, making a good dent in his.
“Why would we?” He shrugged again. “They’re the staff. They’re here to serve us.”
There was the wordusagain…I really wondered how much time Salvo spent here.
He eyed my necklace over the lip of his glass. “Were you wearing that tonight?”
I sniffed and placed a hand to my chest to feel the chain, I was so happy to have it back. “Mariano took it, but now it’s back.” I kept the story confusing like my head was just as rattled as my nerves. “It’s the only gift my mother ever gave me.” I pulled the pendant up and watched him eye the teddy.
“Is thattheteddy bear?”
“Why would you saytheteddy bear, notateddy bear.”
“Oh, you don’t know?” He looked at me oddly as he went on. “All the children in the family get them in some form or other when they’re born. Girls get pendants, and boys get pins. Usually, the dad gives it to the mother once the baby comes. It’s a family tradition.”
“I didn’t know that.” I studied the tiny teddy bear, trying to picture my father gifting it to my mother. “I can’t believe I’d been wearing a part of who I was all along, and I had no idea.” I laughed lightly, hating how much of my life was controlled by others. “Regardless, I’ve had it since my childhood, and I just can’t part with it.”
“Why did Mariano return it now?”
“Mind games.” I shrugged matter-of-factly. “They’re the only moves Mariano has left.”
“He’s a mess.” Salvo leaned back with a pissed-off expression as he downed what was left in his glass then poured himself another. I failed to point out that he drank like Mariano. “I hate that Stefano ever got mixed up with him. His day will come.”
“I hope I get to see it.” I truly meant that. “You’re very comfortable here, and respected, maybe even more so than Stefano.”
“Yeah, well,” he shrugged, “I know when to push and when not to.”
