AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He wants you to roll down the window. The people love to share their freshly baked bread and treats with him. He has become quite spoiled.” Emiliano chuckles, and I can’t help but smileat my boy.
I roll down my window and let him step across me as the driver––Alto, I believe––slows enough for people to approach and hand Rooster handfuls of bread and baked dog biscuits that smell so good even I’m tempted to try one. My heart warms with the people’s affection for him, and tears prick the back of my eyes when a mother lifts her little girl to hand Rooster a dog cookie.
But the shouts of “Benvenuto a casa, Signorina White,” Welcome home, have the tears tipping over my lids and falling downmy cheeks.
I wave to the crowd as Alto speeds up and raises my window. Rooster settles back on my lap with a happy grumble, and I wipe away the rogue tears and stare out the window. “They know who I am. How? I thought I was a prisoner. Payment for some bogus debt.”
Emiliano releases a frustrated sigh from his seat upfront and turns to look back at me. “I told you, Greta, though we didn’t start off on the best of terms, we began to care for one another. When you ran away,” his eyes narrow on me, and I narrow my own right back, “I had all of Rome looking for you. It’s no surprise it got backto Olbia.”
“Yeah, but they seem happy to see me. Like a returning soldier or––”
“Their queen?” Altopipes in.
“Something like that,”I mumble.
“That’s because you are. Italy has its government, but like it or not, it’s the underworld that keeps things running smoothly. Politicians are justa cover––”
“Because the people don’t want to know what dirty deeds it takes to run the country,” I finish for him.
“Exactly. We work together to keep the peace. Yes, sometimes blood is shed, and people are removed from their positions, but it’s never mindless killing. The people of Olbia know this and are grateful for our leadership and protection.”
“That doesn’t explain them welcoming me.”
“Doesn’t it? Part of the debt re-payment was your hand in marriage. The people know this too.” I swallow my boiling anger at the reminder of being forced to marry. “But it wasn’t until I enlisted their help in finding you that they understood the true nature of my feelings for you. Because I don’t ask for help, Greta. Not from my people. I keep my affairs separate, so to ask for their help showed them how important you were to me.”
“Your prize,” I mock, but he only shakes his head and turns back in his seat as we make our way tohis villa.
Emiliano
The woman could try the patience of a saint, but there’s no point arguing with her right now. All she sees is a criminal and a low life. It doesn’t matter that she melted into my kiss or that it took her a good two minutes to push me away and slap me. It will take time for her memory to return. I just hope it will come back before she decides I’m not worth the effort.
The large gates to my home open, and a sense of pride warms my stomach when I hear Greta gasp as the villa comes into view. I want her to love this place as much as I do and find the same peace from its beautiful azure waters, soft sands, and the glorious view of the caverns justoffshore.
“Incredible,” she says more to herself.
“Wait until you see the back. It’s your favorite place to exercise and train Rooster.” Alto smiles at her through the rear-view mirror, and my nerves prick with jealousy when she gives him her bright smile.
Then like a switch has been flipped, her eyes widen, and she gasps. “You helped me. Train Rooster, I mean.” I turn in my seat to look atmia perla. The smile she throws back to Alto lights up the interior of the SUV while tears pool in her eyes. “I… I remember. The beach, Rooster chasing after me. It was chilly and…” She suddenly stops and locks eyes with me. The tears dry immediately, her brow furrows, and fury shoots from her sapphire eyes.
I watch in smug satisfaction as the scene plays through her mind. Me taking chase after her, pinning her to the stand, accusing her of trying to escape. I see the moment the memory ofwhatelsehappened on that beach plays through her beautiful head when her eyelashes flutter and her cheeks flush bright pink.
“What else happened,mia perla?” I can’t helpbut tease.
She returns her stare back to the scenery. “I don’t remember,” she lies, and I snicker when the pink of her cheeks turns crimson.
“You’re such a little liar,mia perla.” I smile and exit the SUV.
Alto helps Greta from the vehicle, and when her feet are fully planted on the ground, he gestures to her arm in the sling and says something that has her throwing her head back in laughter. The jealousy from before returns with the force of a sledgehammer. I want to be the one to make her laugh so uninhibitedly. Was it childish and petty to want to punch the smile right off Alto’s face? Yes. But did I give a shit? Not one bit. However, I don’t get to lament the torrent of emotions churning inside me or knock a few of my driver’s teeth loose when Boian rushes out the front door like a bull charging ata matador.
“Thecazzoescaped!” is all he says as he storms toward his armored Range Rover, but it’s enough to have my heart stilling in my chest and rage turning my blood to molten lava.
“Are you fucking kidding me! How did he escape?” I bellow atmy second.
“I don’t know, Emil. Are you coming or not?” Boian yells back, and if he were any other man, I would string him up and beat him to within an inch ofhis life.
Instead, I turn to Alto. “You’re to guard her with your life. If anything happens to her, I’ll slit your throat.Do you––”
“Don’t talk to him that way!” Greta squares up to me as she steps in front of Alto, her eyes throwing daggers. “Go do what you have to do. We will be here when youget back.”
