AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What’s happened?”
“They’ve cordoned off the path. We weren’t supposed to go to the right. The normal routes should have taken us straight on.”
“Shit.”
“I think the section where the pages are hidden is undergoing work. We have to get down there and retrieve them. Fuck, for all I know they’ve been found and tossed.”
“Then let’s go.” I’m ready to down my coffee and set off.
“Hang on. We can’t just nip down there and access a restricted area. We’re going to need a plan.”
“Well, that’s your area of expertise.” She nods and sits silently for a few minutes.
“Can you access the database of the tour company and make me a fake ID?” Yes, I can but I’m surprised she’s asked me. I haven’t given anything away about my talents where computers are concerned. “Don’t look at me like that. You’ve got a laptop that looks as if the dude from James Bond built it, you’re secretive to the point that I’m guessing it’s a case of national security, and you would have to kill me if you told me and I know how smart you are, Daisy. I think hacking into that system would be child’s play to you.”
Well, shit, she’s got me there. I’m not confirming or denying the part about my work being a case of national security. My laptop is top of the line and not something that can be found outside of a secure building, and, yes, the system she wants me to hack is far too easy. I don’t know why I’m so surprised, she was raised to be observant. I just never thought she’d be able to do it withmeso easily.
“Put me in their system as a new tour guide. I’ll steal a work shirt and I’ll go back in tomorrow. All I need is to get past security and access the tunnels. I know my way around. Hopefully, I won’t run into any workmen and I can grab the pages.”
“Yeah, sounds like a cinch. No worries.” My arched eyebrows show how ridiculous I find her brazen attitude. If we’ve learned anything, it’s that our little adventures always go tits up.
“No point worrying about it until it happened, right?”
I sigh and nod. Callie has been made to do far more dangerous things than sneak into a cave, but I still worry. I nibble on the pastry she bought and sip my coffee. Callie’s back goes ramrod straight and her eyes go as wide as dinner plates. I have no clue what is wrong. I look around frantically expecting a S.W.A.T team or hired guns to come bursting through the crowd. The only person I can see waving in our direction is a very busty Italian woman shouting something.
Callie looks genuinely terrified, but not in the “I’m going to die” kind of way. Then the woman is on her pulling her up from her seat. The woman goes full contact, I’m talking full-on body slam. Her hand grabs Callie’s face, and she plants a messy kiss on Callie’s lips. I must look like a gawping fish because my mouth is opening and closing in sheer shock of what I’m witnessing.
Callie hasn’t moved a muscle. I can’t make out what the Italian woman is saying. Her face isn’t angled my way, but I can see her jaw moving rapidly. Her hands are wandering all over Callie in a way that tells me they have been intimate.
I clear my throat, which causes Callie to whip her head in my direction. I don’t need to sign to ask her what the fuck is happening. Finally she grabs the woman’s arms and stops them from practically groping her. I read Callie’s lips and find out the woman is called Gabriella. Callie gestures her hand to me, causing the woman to turn her head. I finally get a good look at her.
She is definitely beautiful. Her body is curvaceous like Sofia Loren in her heyday. She has thick luxurious hair that curls around her face and hits just above her shoulders. Her lips are painted with a vibrant shade of red that accentuates their plumpness. Big brown eyes lay underneath fake eyelashes and dark eye make-up. I’m a little intimidated.
Like a dork, I wave. Her eyes scan me up and down, and then she turns back to Callie. I can’t see what she’s saying again, which pisses me off. Gabriella’s hands start groping again and I can see Callie getting more and more flustered. I have no idea what to do. Does she need saving or is Gabriella someone shewantsto have groping her and she’s just embarrassed that I’m sitting here watching the whole thing?
That’s when I see the Callie Compton stress tick. It’s a little nerve in her right eye that ticks when she’s super stressed. She’s uncomfortable and the advances from Gabriella are unwelcome. Time to jump in. I stand and move to Callie’s side. I thread my hand through hers and look Gabriella square in the face. She’s not turning away from me this time. “I’m sorry, but who are you?”
“Gabriella Bianchi.”
“Hi Gabriella, I’m Daisy, her wife.” I feel Callie squeeze my hand. I know it’s gratitude and not surprise she’s conveying.
“Wife?” Gabriella is pissed, no doubt about it. “Since when?” You don’t have to be a hearing person to know she’s getting louder. I can see a little vein in her temple pulse. Callie flinches as well, telling me she wasn’t expecting the volume of Gabriella’s voice.
“For six months now. This is our honeymoon. We had to wait a little before we could make the trip, but it’s been worth it.” Gabriella is looking from me to Callie. “I take it you are a friend?” I don’t know what name Gabriella associates with Callie.
A smirk forms on Gabriella’s face. I know that look. She thinks she’s going to shock me as she confesses she fucked Callie. I gathered that much all by myself.
“Oh, Rachel and I go way back. We had a night of passion that was unforgettable.” I internally roll my eyes.
“Well, she isveryunforgettable.” Gabriella narrows her eyes at me. She was expecting me to flush or get upset at her little revelation. I don’t think so, lady. “Anyway, it was lovely running into you. Rachel? Are you ready? We have a hot tub to enjoy.” I have no idea if there is a single hot tub in Orvieto, but the look on Gabriella’s face was worth it. Callie nods and I pull her hand so we can walk in the other direction of Gabriella, who is still standing there looking as if she wants to kill me.
Chapter 19
Callie
Gabriella Bianchi. Gabriella. Fucking. Bianchi! I think the universe is a cruel asshole. Of all the people to run into, Gabriella Bianchi is the absolute worst. She is, by far, the most scary woman I have ever met. Now, I don’t mean she’s nasty or violent. No, no. Gabriella is… shit, I don’t even know how to explain it.
I met Gabriella in Rome. I’d arrived in the city, only planning to stay for the weekend. Huge cities like Rome make me nervous, but I still wanted to check it off my “On the lam bucket list” of places to visit. Anyway, I’d done all the sightseeing shit that every tourist does. It was cool. I especially liked the amphitheatre. I decided to hit up a club. I needed to blow off some steam, and that’s where Gabriella caught my attention. She was dancing like there was no one else in the room. Plus, her ass is amazing, so, you know, there was that.
