“No, there’s nothing to forgive. You didn’t—it was long ago, before us. It’sme.”
“Say it anyway.”
“I—”
The phone vibrated on the bed. Romeo’s number flashed on the screen. We watched it for a second.
“It’s Romeo,” she whispered. “You better get it.”
I hesitated, but she took it upon herself to pick up the phone, answering but not greeting him, and then held it out to me.
“Fratello—you are up?”
“Yeah.” I sighed, watching Scarlett.
Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes lowered. She seemed adrift. She took a seat on the bed, back turned to me.
“Tell me.”
“Three bloaters in the Hudson.”
“Not tonight—”
“You need to be here.” Then he disconnected.
“Get dressed,” I said, going for our closet. “You’re coming with me.”
* * *
The silence in the Range Rover was deafening.
Scarlett stared out of the passenger side window. Guido tapped his finger against the back door. Nino yawned. Other than that, it was the natural rattle of the interior and the sound of rubber tires against slick roads.
I leaned forward and put some music on. Scarlett’s pod thing was plugged in and a song about jealousy started to play.
She shot me a mean look and then leaned forward, moving on to another song. It was a smooth track that seemed to help pass the time. Given our current circumstances, I thought her game was a bit low.
It was part of her sexy night playlist, and not long ago, she had lit over a hundred scented candles in our room, wore something that almost stopped my heart, and then danced for me to this song.
Seven minutes and some seconds of slow, drawn-out torture—long enough to make me a fiend for her when she rolled her hips and licked her lips.
The tang of iron invaded my mouth, and I realized I had bit my lip, hard. It wasn’t only me that was affected by the song either. Guido cleared his throat a few times. Nino closed his eyes and started to beat his head against the window in slow thumps.
Neither one of them had any idea how sensual the woman next to me could move nor how deep she could hypnotize.
Just the thought of them thinking of my wife in that way made me glance at them in my rearview mirror, eyes narrowed. Neither man looked at me. The song had put them in a trance.
Saved by the ring. My phone went off, and the three of us seemed to snap to full consciousness. I instructed Guido to answer, but I picked up the call with the wireless connection.
“Fausti,” he said, but it almost sounded like he was daydreaming.
Nino rolled down the window for a second, letting cool air flood the interior. Then he shook his head like a wet dog.
Scarlett grinned to herself. Maybe she really was an enchantress.
Donato’s voice came through the speakers. “Guido?”
“It is I.”
