Good enough.
I kissed a tearful Maggie Beautiful goodbye. Surprising her son, she pulled him in for an awkward hug before going to stand next to Aberto.
Four or so hours later, we found ourselves on Mykonos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. The sun was coming up, and I was almost blinded by the contrast of pure white against the teal green of the sea. Thechora(town) boasted cobblestone streets, sixteen iconic windmills, and from what our driver said, some of the best dance clubs in Greece.
“You want to party past dawn, here is the place!”
We were whisked away to a secluded villa atop a hill, one that was in the classic sugar-cube style of the Cycladic Islands. It overlooked the Aegean Sea, its furnishings a reflection of its roots. The sound system would have put the famous Cavo Paradiso club to shame.
Rocco, Dario, and Romeo were waiting for us, along with a few of their guys, strapped to the teeth with weapons. Rocco called on Brando as soon as we were through the door, and he told me and Violet that we had appointments at the spa, compliments ofla famiglia.
Brando seemed to bristle at this.
“I am sending Donato with them.” He grasped a strapping, black-haired, blue-eyed man by the shoulder, pulling him forward for Brando to inspect. “He is the best. He understands her fate is his. We should talk before we meet the family.”
Brando looked at me.
“Fine with me,” I said, but only to ease his mind. If he didn’t have a good feeling about the “soldier,” he would have never let me go.
Violet and I found ourselves in a luxury resort, a day full of plans ahead of us. During one particularly relaxing part of the treatment, Violet looked over at me, sleepy-eyed and melting into the sheets, and said, “You know what I love about you? You evolve. In every country that I've ever seen you in, you've embodied that place. You're always rediscovering yourself. Like now, you have a definite Jackie O vibe.”
I had dressed in a plain white t-shirt, high-waist jeans that flared around the ankles, and a pair of leather sandals with straps. It had been easier to cover my head and hair in a scarf, Ray-Bans in place.
Ifthisensemble got him killed, he was out of luck.
Her remark explained a lot, though. No wonder Brando had to keep falling in love with me. I constantly changed. I didn't necessarily think it was a bad thing. I would evolve until my own groove came to me.
After the spa and some shopping, Violet and I convinced Donato and Thomas, another one of Rocco’s guys, to stop for ice cream. I bought them each one, and they looked behind them, at first, confused by my behavior.
I laughed. “Those are for you.Grazie, for being our chaperones.”
We took to the streets again, enjoying a taste of Greek island life. Violet entwined our arms together as we walked along the bright sea bank.
“I don’t know, Sandy,” she said, taking a lick of her chocolate ice cream. “This seems pretty tempting, living life this way. Two hot Italian studs to keep you safe while you live the lavish life. I mean, I just had a Greek man, who is probably a descendant of Zeus, knuckle deep in my tissue. Exclusive spas, unlimited funds for shopping, ice cream…while your husband is away, servingtheboss. His grandfather, one of the richest men in the world.”
“You think—”
“They are giving you a glimpse of what your life would be like? Yes.”
I threw my ice cream away and then asked Donato to take us back to the villa. That night, I clung to my husband like my heart would crack in two if I let him go. Before I was ready, the sun came up and our luggage was deposited in one car, us in another.
We were taken to a private helicopter landing. Brando triple-checked my harness to make sure I was secure enough. He was comfortable in this setting. I was nervous, at first. Once up, I took out my camera, taking some shots from above.
Fifteen minutes later, we hovered over a hidden resort somewhere out in the Aegean Sea. An aerial view gave us a clear picture of the setup. Over-the-water bungalows were scattered along the banks, their private docks spread out like bronze-colored coral, extending from land to surf. Beyond, an enormous edifice was set in the center of two rolling mountains, its structure made of reflective glass. A pool area in the back, larger than our farmhouse in Tuscany, swarmed with bodies the size of ants from this high up.
A man in a custom-made suit waited for us when we landed, and we followed him inside the reflective edifice. The air met us in cool welcome, smelling of tropical body oils and sweet alcohols. A sensual song played from a hidden stereo system somewhere.
Violet snatched my wrist, her usual vice-grip she used when she wanted me to take notice. “This isnota place they usually bring the wives, Sandy.”
The resort crawled with women of all sizes, shapes, ages, and races. Their outfits were either skimpy, missing a central piece—like a top—or completely gone.
They outnumbered the men five to one, at least.
Pleasure Island, indeed.
We couldn’t escape their hungry eyes, though most of them were on my husband. My cheeks burned with irritation. It wasn't just admiration; it was lewd intent. I kept snatching glances at Brando, my insides churning. He kept his face forward, following our guide to wherever we stayed on the property. It seemed like the inside was lined with rooms, like an upscale hotel.
Brando caught one of my glances. He had probably felt them long before.
