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And he’d been able to spare me justone single word. If he was going to say no, he could at least try to first understand why I wanted to go out.
It was as if I was just another one of his annoying business issues that he was being forced to deal with. And he was dismissing this problem—and me—as quickly as possible.
But then this whole marriage had been just a business arrangement for him all along. I was fuming at the fact that he’d told his soldiers that I needed hispermissionif I wanted to leave the mansion.
I wasn’t a schoolgirl who needed her parent’s permission to go on a freaking excursion. I was a twenty-year-old adult woman.
And if Lorenzo thought me old enough to be his unpaid nanny for the children and his unpaid whore for his bed, then I was damn well old enough to go out wherever and whenever I wanted.
I glared at the phone screen before schooling my features into a neutral expression.
I handed back the phone to Giuseppe. “This is just a misunderstanding.”
I pulled out my own cell and pretended to dial Lorenzo.
“Hihoney pie,” I said in a syrupy sweet voice. Lorenzo and I weren’t at the stage yet of having pet names for each other—and judging by last night, we would probably never be—so I used the name Ma called my papà. “As the children are at your mother’s today, I thought I’d pop into the city center. I promise I’ll be careful.”
I paused, pretending that Lorenzo was speaking to me.
“Sure, I was planning on taking a guard with me, but I’d much rather you take me. We could have lunch together and some, you know,alone timewithout the kids.” I shot a look at Giuseppe, whose face had gone bright red as he listened to our personal conversation.
I paused again, waiting for the fake Lorenzo reply.
“You’re nearby? That’s great. Yes, I know where the bakery is—it’s the one where you got the brownies from. I’ll meet you there in five minutes.” I paused, then carried on, “Yes, I definitely know where it is and can drive myself there.Love you, honey pie!” I added a girlish giggle for good measure.
I lowered my phone and smiled at Giuseppe. “All sorted. My husband is going to take me. He’s at the Blackbird Bakery down the road and told me to meet him there.”
I crossed my fingers, hoping that Giuseppe didn’t know Lorenzo’s movements today—and praying that Giuseppe didn’t know that Lorenzo wasn’t actually at the Fratellanza-owned bakery down the road.
“I’ll just get another soldier to take my place at the gate, and then I’ll drive you to the bakery, ma’am.”
“No, it’s okay. Lorenzo said it’s fine for me to drive myself there. I mean, it’s two minutes straight down the main road, so nothing is going to happen to me on the way there.”
Giuseppe gave me a hard look. “The boss has given us clear instructions that you’re not supposed to goanywherewithout a guard.”
“Oh, yes, he’s said the same thing to me—that’s meant for when I’m taking the children out.”
He pulled out his cell phone again. “I’ll have to ask the boss.”
“He’s told me repeatedly that he doesn’t like to be bothered with domestic trivialities,” I said firmly.
Giuseppe wavered, but I could see his fingers poised over the keypad and ready to type.
“Fine, Giuseppe, but don’t blame me when he’s pissed…”
Giuseppe put his phone away. “I’ll open the gates, ma’am.”
“Great. Thanks, Giuseppe.”
Driving through the gates, I smiled in triumph. Chicago Cat Convention, here I come.
CHAPTER 35
LORENZO
I came home in the early afternoon to collect some cash from the safe. Aloysius was with me, and after this stop we were heading to one of our clubs.
As Aloysius drove us, I noticed that his mind was not on what I’d been discussing with him. “You’ve been a bit preoccupied lately.”
