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“True,” she admits. “So what’s going on?”
We look out at the water, as the waves lap on the crystal white shore.
“I don’t really know. I can’t put my finger on it. And if I even verbalize what’s concerning me… I don’t know, I think it sounds stupid?”
She takes a sip of wine before giving me a wry smile.
“Try me.”
I look around us to make sure we’re alone. And though we don’t have total privacy, no one is near enough to hear us.
“I… feel like I have to put a wall up around my heart to protect myself from him. I feel like… if I drop my shield even for a moment, then I can’t… I can’t trust him not to break my heart.”
“Of course,” she says, nodding. “Understandable. I think half the women that marry men like we did hope to change them or reform them.” She huffs out a mirthless breath. “But that’s incredibly unlikely. The best that we can hope for is to be loved despite our circumstances, and for fidelity.”
I nod and swallow the lump in my throat. “True.”
“Be careful, love,” Rosa says. She brushes a stray strand of hair behind my ear. When I look at her, I suddenly see the lines around her eyes. She’s getting older. We all are.
“He just… shuts down,” I say softly. “He… doesn’t seem like he wants to hurt me, but at the same time, how could I not be hurt if he’s telling me one thing but his actions don’t jive with his words?”
She sighs. “Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do. You’re bound to him by vows and family obligation. You shouldneverallow him to abuse you, and you should never allow yourself to be taken advantage of. You know if either of those things happen, you call Romeo. You callanyof us.”
“Right.” My stomach plummets. “He doesn’t, though, Rosa.”
How can I tell her how much I love the way he is with me? All protective. When he talks to me, I feel like I’m the center of his world. When he looks at me, I know I am.
I can’t tell Rosa any of this. I’m not sure what I can.
Maybe abusive or unfaithful men pull the wool over the eyes of their lovers. But Salvatore’s the type not to hide who he is or what he does. He’s never pretended to be a good man.
Mario and Tavi saunter out to see us, each with a drink in hand. “You did good, little sister,” Mario says with a grin. “You did real good.”
Tavi’s less effusive than Mario, but his eyes still twinkle at me just the same. I open my mouth to respond when Mario’s phone rings. He turns away from us and glances at the screen. “Gloria,” he says with a wink. Gloria, his wife, works for us as one of the private investigators. My heart gives a little twinge. I missallof them.
We look away to give him privacy, but when Mario stiffens we can’t help but listen.
“Are you serious? Are yousure,babe? You can’t make an accusation like that without… okay, okay. Yeah. I will.”
He’s white as a ghost as he bends his head toward me. “Stay very calm. No sudden movements. Gloria’s sending me texts she wants me to look at with you. She says it’s urgent, and she’s asking Romeo to get our guards and our car now.”
A cold chill runs down my spine. I look around for Salvatore, his cousin, my mother-in-law, but none are anywhere near here.
What?
I stare as his phone vibrates with messages from Gloria.
It takes me a second to realize what I’m seeing, and when I do, it takes all of my self-control to keep myself in check. “Oh, so cute,” I say, pretending I’m seeing adorable puppies or one of my nieces or nephews in case anyone is spying on us.
A picture of the blonde woman I rescued in the shop fills the screen. She’s sitting with Salvatore at a bar.
Mario swipes.
She’s with Cristiano.
Agnesia.
He shakes his head.
