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With one more squeeze, he lets go of my throat, and I double over, coughing and struggling to fill my lungs.
Chapter 12
The front door of the Pisano mansion opens as I’m exiting my SUV. Rocco rushes out, carrying a big folder under his arm, and heads down the stone steps toward one of the other four cars parked on the driveway. His suit jacket is unbuttoned, and I can see that he’s wearing a bulletproof vest under his dress shirt. I size up the car he’s getting into. It’s not one of those fancy convertibles he likes, but a sturdy SUV with heavily tinted windows. Seems that last night’s events scared him enough to start using an armored vehicle. Good. I wait until the entourage leaves the driveway, then head inside the mansion.
One of the maids is standing at the foot of the stairwell, polishing the wooden banister with a sour-smelling chemical. Ravenna doesn’t seem to be around, so I turn toward the east wing. I tried catching a nap when I got home this morning, but I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Unease settles in my guts. From the moment I climbed off that balcony, I had a feeling that I should have stayed until Pisano left the house. And my instincts have never been wrong.
Ravenna is not in the kitchen. The housekeeper is the only one there, putting groceries into the fridge.
“Where is Mrs. Pisano?” I bark.
The housekeeper jumps, startled. “Still sleeping.”
It’s nine o’clock. Ravenna is always up before I arrive. I turn around, intending to calmly walk down the hallway to check out the dining room and the library, but end up running. She’s not there either. Fuck! I’m halfway up the stairwell, heading to check her bedroom when my phone rings. I fish it out of my pocket and see her name on the screen.
“Can you drop me by the pharmacy?” she asks when I take the call. Her voice sounds raw.
I grip the banister to the point my knuckles turn white. “Why?”
“I think I caught a cold.”
My hold eases, blood returning to the extremities.
“I’m downstairs,” I say and put the phone away.
That’s when I notice the maid still at the bottom of the stairs. She’s busying herself by pretending to polish wood but, I spot her watching me from the corner of her eye. I can almost see her inquisitive glower. Shit. I completely forgot about her. It seems I forget things quite often whenever Ravenna Pisano is in the picture. Ignoring the maid’s stare, I pass her by and stand by the front door.
Ten minutes later, Ravenna appears on the top landing. As she descends the stairs, I scan down her body, from the top of her head to her black heels. She seems okay, but I eye her up and down again to make sure. Her powdery scent invades my nostrils as she rushes past me through the door.
Once we’re inside my car, I take a closer look at her through the rearview mirror and notice dark circles around her eyes that are visible even under her makeup.
“The pharmacy is right here.” Ravenna takes a tissue from her purse and wipes her nose.
I park the car and follow her inside. When the man at the cash register rings up her purchases and starts putting them in a small paper bag, I take note of the contents. Nose drops. Pain and fever meds. Vitamin C.
As we’re approaching the car, Ravenna stumbles, and I reach out to steady her. Her eyes zero in on my fingers wrapped around her forearm, then move up until our gazes connect.
“You need to be in bed,” I say and release her arm.
“I have to check on my mom.”
My eyebrows furrow. She’s barely able to stand on her own, and I’m fairly certain she’s running a fever. Without taking my eyes off her, I lift my other hand and press my palm on her forehead, finding it hot. Her emerald irises return my stare, but she doesn’t move away.
“I’m taking you home,” I say, but I don’t remove my palm. She’s wearing a long dark-green coat and a matching scarf that’s wrapped around her neck. Both make the color of her eyes pop on this dreary day.
“Okay,” she whispers.
I nod and let my hand drop to open the car door for her. She looks at the back seat, then heads around and opens the passenger door, taking the seat at the front. I should tell her to sit in the back.
I don’t.
***
I do tell her to move before we’re in sight of the gates. I don’t trust anyone not to open their yaps and let Rocco know they saw her sitting beside me. I’m still not sure what happens in that house, but I’m not doing anything to jeopardize her safety and well-being onmyaccount.
When we reach the mansion, I follow Ravenna inside. I don’t think she even notices me walking behind her, too focused on finding a tissue in her purse and blowing her nose. Why in hell do I have a ridiculous urge to make sure she goes straight to bed? I should hate anything and everything that’s connected to Rocco Pisano. His wife included. Especially his wife. At the same time, Ineedto know that she’s okay. And that’s all kinds of fucked-up.
