Total pages in book: 163
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163540 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 818(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
“What?”
He kisses me softly. “I was just wondering how many times you can fall in love with the same person.” I smile. “Because just when I think I can’t love you anymore, my heart grows so I can love you harder.” He kisses me softly. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For teaching me how to be happy.”
“Hello, Mum.” I smile down the phone.
“Hi, darling. How is the fiancé today?”
I giggle. “Good. Great, actually.”
“You wouldn’t believe it, but Henry has had a fall.”
“What? Is he okay?” Henry is my elderly uncle. He’s gay, never been married, and has no family of his own. He’s like a second father to my mum at eighteen years her senior.
“No, love, he’s not. He broke his hip. I’m on my way to the hospital now but I wanted to let you know.”
“Oh no.” My heart drops. “I was going to see if you wanted to come over for the engagement party.”
“When is it?”
I wince, knowing how ridiculous this sounds. “Next weekend.”
“Oh, love, I just don’t think I can swing it. I haven’t saved enough money.”
“We will pay. It won’t cost you anything.”
“Honey, I can’t leave Henry at the moment.”
My heart drops again. Great, I’m going to have none of my own family at my own engagement party.
“I’ll come over for the wedding and stay a few months. How does that sound?”
I smile sadly. “That would be great, thank you.”
“Did you ask your father?”
“No.” I exhale heavily. I don’t want Dad here ruining my mood. “It’s okay. You go to the hospital and send Henry my love, okay?”
“Okay, love. Sorry, but it is really short notice.”
“I know.”
Enrico
“What are we doing here?” Lorenzo asks from the passenger seat.
I watch the front doors of the Milan Library from our parked car across the street. “Just checking something out.”
“Like what?”
“You don’t think it’s weird that Francesca has been frequenting here?”
Lorenzo frowns. “What do you mean?”
“Francesca has been here every day for weeks.”
“So? She’s studying.”
I watch Francesca’s car arrive and pull into the parking lot. She gets out of her car with her driver and walks up the front steps. “I smell a rat.”
“You’re being ridiculous.” He scoffs.
I smile and sit back in my seat. “We shall soon see, won’t we?”
Twenty minutes later, Francesca’s guard is sitting on the front steps of the library having a cigarette. He did his job, went in, and searched the premises with her. I get out of the car and cross the street. He stumbles to his feet as he sees me.
“Mr. Ferrara.” He throws his cigarette to the side. “I just checked on her.”
“It’s fine. Stay where you are. I’m just here to talk to her.” I brush past him and walk into the library to take a look around.
Where is she?’
My eyes scan the room until finally I find her. She’s sitting in the back corner with a boy. I can’t see his face. He’s wearing a cap. I walk over to behind a bookcase and watch them. For five minutes, they talk, and then eventually, he picks up her hand and kisses the back of it.
They’re obviously more than friends.
I clench my jaw. I knew it. I march over there at once, and they both look up.
My heart stops.
Giuliano.
What the…?
“What are you doing?” I growl.
His eyes widen in horror.
“Enrico,” Francesca whispers in a panic. “We’re just talking.”
Before I can help myself, I grab him by the arm and I’m marching him toward the door. We burst out the front doors, and I throw him across the garden. He rolls spectacularly across the lawn.
“Rico!” Francesca cries from behind me.
“She is underage,” I shout.
He scrambles to his feet and steps forward. “You can’t stop me seeing her.”
Lorenzo comes running across the street. “Rico. Rico, no!” he cries, waving his hands in the air. “Stop it. Stop it now.”
For the second time tonight, I lose control. I grab Giuliano by the throat. “She is too young for you.”
“Stop it!” Francesca cries. “I love him. Stop it, Rico. Don’t hurt him.”
I turn to her, my eyes wide. What the fuck?
He’s her brother.
Lorenzo’s horrified eyes meet mine, and he shakes his head in disbelief.
I squeeze Giuliano’s throat so hard that his eyes nearly pop out of his skull.
“You go near her again and you will be dealing with me.” I throw him across the garden, once more, and he falls to the ground.
Francesca runs to him but I grab her arm and tear her from his side. She fights to try and get back to him. I drag her to the car and throw her inside, slamming the door shut behind me.
I turn back to Giuliano as he watches on. He glares at me as he pushes himself to his feet. His fists are clenched by his sides, and anger is radiating out of him.
“I’m not leaving her alone,” he states, as if daring me to come at him again.