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“And what will you be doing while we are away?” I asked, trying to change the subject.
“Oh, nothing much. I think I might sort out my old art studio. Redecorate it, so I can start painting in there again.”
“Oh, I think that is a wonderful idea, dolcezza!”
She used to be obsessed with that little, wooden studio. I wouldn’t see her for days as a teenager. She would lock herself away and spend copious amounts of time working on canvases and projects. She never let any of us enter—much to my disappointment. She had always been very specific about who she allowed to see her art. I don’t know why. She is such a talent.
“Mamma! Come on! We are going to miss the plane!” Sani yelled from the stairs. Elle and I walked out of my room onto the landing to see both of my youngest sitting on the bottom steps, bouncing with excitement.
“We are not going to miss the plane, Sani. Because it is our plane. They won’t take off without us on it,” I explained and he gave me a little frown.
As we reached the entrance of the mansion, I turned to see Gio and Olivia heading our way. Gio had his arm slung around Olivia’s shoulders and she was giggling into his side at something he had said. One of my greatest accomplishments was getting those two together. I smiled with my arms open wide to pull Gio into my embrace.
“Have fun, mamma,” he said, kissing me on both cheeks. “Santino, you are in charge.”
Sani straightened his back in response and nodded formally at his older fratello. I chuckled and ruffled my little boy’s curls. I never wanted him to grow up too fast.
I hugged Olivia next and she whispered in my ear, “Relax and just do what feels right, Cece.”
I pulled away with a smile and turned to the car. Marco had already strapped the children into their seats and was holding the passenger door open for me.
Elle gave me a kiss on the cheek, “Ciao mamma, don’t worry about us. Just have a good time.”
“I will,” I smiled as I ducked into the car. Marco closed the door and walked around to the driver’s side as I waved at my family from the window.
“Marco, take good care of my family. You have precious cargo in that car!” Gio called.
Marco answered formally and respectfully, “with my life, Boss.”
We drove to the airport in a happy silence, only the children chattering excitedly in the back gave us some background noise. I worked up the courage to turn and look at Marco. He was dressed a little more casually than usual, but still in a black T-shirt that stretched across his muscles and black, smart trousers with a leather belt and silver buckle.
“I hope you didn’t mind coming to France,” I said quietly to him to keep the conversation between us and away from little ears.
His lips curved up into a slight smile, but he kept his gaze on the road. “Of course not.”
“You didn’t have any family to inform?” I pried. I knew he wasn’t married. He was divorced. Had been for nearly fifteen years. He had one daughter who was in her early twenties, but he had never mentioned her.
“No. My daughter is at university in Finland. I barely see her nowadays with my work and her studies.”
Guilt swept through me that he spent more time with my children than his own. I had never even considered the sacrifice he must have made to work in his position as the main bodyguard to the Buccini children. “I’m sorry. That must be hard.”
“We FaceTime,” he smiled at me, before looking back at the road.
“I wish I had been more of a hands-on mother with my children,” I said quietly, keeping my gaze on the passing scenery. “I feel like I missed so much because I wasn’t always able to look after them the way I should have.”
“You are a wonderful mother, Cecilia. And you have time now.” I turned to stare at him with a beaming smile and he caught my eye, looking surprised. “What?”
“You called me Cecilia without me reminding you.”
“We are alone, no?” he answered with a flirty grin.
I chuckled and nodded. Yes, we were. Alone for an entire week…
Gio kissed Liv and climbed into the back of his car to head off to some business meeting with Maximus and the other capos. He held all his business dealings at my late zio Sal’s house, so he never had to bring dangerous men into our home. I was glad for it as it hadn’t always been that way. When Sal was alive, he had always forced Gio to conduct business meetings here—the selfish asshole.
I linked my arm with Liv’s and we started to head for the gardens to take a walk. It was a gorgeous day and the sun was high in the clear sky, warming our cheeks as we strolled through the rose bushes. We chatted excitedly about mamma and Marco and predicted how the week would go for them. When we both fell into a comfortable silence, I paused and took a seat on the wooden bench next to the huge water feature. She sat down next to me and closed her eyes, basking in the rays.
“I’ve ended it with that man.”
