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I was wearing a full-skirted, halter-neck dress. One I’d purposefully had made in a deep azure blue, knowing how much Salvatore appreciated the colour against my skin and for the way it brought out my eyes. It was made of shot silk and it fitted almost to perfection. In fact, it might have been a little too fitted around the waist. Holding on to the skirt, I turned to one side and then the other to check that although I wasn’t wearing a bra the top fell flat against my sides and gave nothing away.
‘That’s a relief,’ I spoke again at my reflection.
Looking down at my dressing table, I picked up the jewel-handled knife Salvatore had gifted me on our wedding day and tucked it in between the cleavage my dress created, as Salvatore demanded I do every day. Checking my reflection I saw the dress, as I knew it would with its draped neckline, holding its secret.
‘Okay, Sera. Make-up is done and that only leaves your hair… what to do with it?’ I looked at my hair, which I’d earlier curled into long, loose waves, and pulled over one shoulder.
‘Leave it down.’ Salvatore’s deep voice caressed the bare skin of my shoulders. The fine hair on my arms stood to attention.
‘You think so?’
‘I know so. Your hair being long and loose will be one thing I can focus on. I promise to plaster a smile on my face if I can think about winding the long strands around my fist and fucking you into oblivion when all the unwelcome bastards have gone home.’
I looked up quickly and using the mirror I glanced towards our bedroom door to find him leaning against the doorframe.
Like always, he looked damn fine.
His hair was still damp and being held in place with the product I think he’d last used on our wedding day. He was wearing a crisp, white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, exposing his muscular forearms. He’d tucked the shirt loosely into a pair of smart trousers and the whole ensemble had my mouth watering.
‘Or, by the look on your face, we can hole up here and I can hole up in you instead?’
‘Salvatore… we need to attend… it’s our house, after all.’ I laughed at his playfulness.
‘Don’t remind me.’
‘Thank you,’ I whispered, aware I had taken him well out of his comfort zone in more ways than one, over the past few weeks. My stomach fluttered as I watched him back foot and kick our bedroom door closed, before he made his way over to where I was standing.
As his arms came around my waist and he put his head down on top of mine, I heard him say, ‘I’m happy to celebrate you being home in my own way… but I know you need this. Just don’t make it a yearly thing.’
‘I promise I won’t,’ I replied as I lifted my hands to hold on to his arms. Instantly, I was transported back to another time, the day Zeno had died. Swallowing down my unexpected emotion, I spoke again, ‘It would be good to draw a line under it all, and this might be the way to do it.’
‘I wish I had your optimism. We come from a place where very little has changed in hundreds of years, so I seriously doubt one party, even if it’s been put on by the Don, will change many things.’
‘Even if it just makes things between our families a little easier,’ I wished out loud.
‘I won’t make a promise I can’t keep, Serafina.’
‘I know. You’ve given such a lot these last few weeks.’ As our eyes found each other’s in the mirror, I immediately thought back to the long talk we’d had on our beach four weeks before.
I’d hurried down after seeing Dante and Salvatore talking, worried about what might transpire between them. After they’d walked away from each other, Salvatore had moved quickly to me, before taking me in his arms and we’d spent the next two hours walking up and down with our arms wrapped around each other. It had been more than I could ever have hoped for. He’d told me I was right about his nightmare and how he feared he’d lose me, but he also told me that he knew I needed to fly on my own. Truthfully, I had no idea what had happened between him and Dante, if anything. I was just grateful Salvatore had come to his own conclusion, and I’d started at the hospice that same week. Even with Aldo and several other bodyguards for my protection, I somehow knew I’d found my niche. Not only had I already employed four nurses to help care for Nonno, but I was also enjoying putting my medical training to some use. Janine, the most senior of the nursing aides I’d employed on his behalf, had already started with him, under the guise of being his “companion”, which I understood would mean he’d be able to keep his diagnosis and difficulties to himself for a little while longer.
Noise from below us filtered up and Salvatore shuddered, showing me in no uncertain terms that the party to celebrate Mia and I being back home was a step too far.
‘It’s just for a few hours and I’ll be sure to think of a way I can make it up to you,’ I teased.
His laughter warmed me.
‘Make sure you do… you on your knees would help.’ He laughed again as my eyes met his in the mirror. ‘Come on Mrs De Luca, we have guests to greet.’
His arms released their hold from around my waist and catching hold of my hand, he lifted my arm up and twirled me around. Smiling giddily like a young girl at his very rare act of spontaneity, I came against his chest.
‘Oh, I like that idea.’ Staring up at him, I kept my naturally glossed lips shaped in a wide O and teased him by running my tongue around the circle slowly.
‘Behave,’ he bellowed, reprimanding me with a slap to my backside. The sting caused a sharp intake of breath, and I automatically closed my mouth. ‘We either leave here right this minute, or I’m going to have you suck me off on our balcony with your guests below us… your choice?’
‘Oooo, I get to choose?’ I just couldn’t help myself.
‘Look at me and say that again.’ The dominance in his voice had my core clenching.
