I nodded as her hands still cradled my face. “He’s helped so much already,” I whispered.
She smiled, but then a gentle breeze stirred the roses, seeming to rustle the look on her face. Her smile turned into pinched lips, then it was like she and Mia both froze. At first, I thought it was the honking coming from somewhere in the distance. But then I heard screaming and crying coming from a woman. A lot of yelling in Italian.
Magpie came running toward us, waving her hands. “Trouble in the villa!” She shouted. “Chloe found Massimo in bed with a naked woman!”
“What?!” Scarlett and Mia said at the same time.
Magpie nodded, barely out of breath when she reached us. She stuck her hands on her hips. “It’s the actress. The one Rosaria wants him to marry. He claims he was just sleeping, and he thought it was Chloe getting back into bed after her painting session. But it was Chloe who found them.”
“Rosaria sent her in there,” Mia said. “She set it up to hurt Chloe.”
Scarlett nodded, a faraway look in her eyes. “Chloe believes it.”
“Seems that way.” Magpie fixed her wide-brimmed sun hat and then fanned her face. “It’s unlike Massimo to sleep so late too. You don’t think...she drugged him?”
“Her own son?” The question just seemed to shoot out of my mouth.
The three of them nodded.
Scarlett looked in the other direction, and we all followed her stare. Brando and Rocco were coming toward us, purpose in both of their long-legged strides. It was the first time I’d seen either one of them wearing clothes that were not suits. They were in exercise clothes that were saturated with sweat.
Whoa.Those men were…fine, fine,fine. Fine in the same way Matteo was.And even though I could appreciate all the fine men around here, I didn’t think any of them had anything on Matteo. I could stop staring at them, if I had to, but I could never stop staring at him. He told me I was the light who brightened his darkness. He was the reason I had to shine, while also feeling protected. I wasn’t so alone while I burned.
Oh man. I tried not to sniff like a possessed girl when they made it to us. They smelled so good. Like sweat and the best colognes money had to offer. Magpie looked over at me and winked. My face caught fire.
No one but Magpie seemed to notice with all that was going on, though. And she never seemed to judge. None of these women did.
Brando motioned to the villa with his hand.
Scarlett took it. “I know,” she whispered.
Rocco’s eyes slowly moved from Scarlett to the villa, and then back again. He lifted his hands, and she took one of his too. I could tell she squeezed.
“I’ll see what I can do,” she said, letting go of Rocco’s hand. It seemed like he wanted to keep it, but she had let go.
Hmm…Brando had been staring at their hands the entire time, a hard look on his face. These men were possessive to no end.
Scarlett kept Brando’s hand while the four of them, Mia trailing behind, went back to the villa. It came to me again, the honking I’d heard earlier. It was like the entire world had been centered around what was going on inside, and suddenly, the real world was rushing back in.
Magpie looked toward the noise, setting a hand on her head, not letting the wind steal her hat. She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the front of the villa. Noemi was waiting in a small, running convertible car. It looked sporty and fast and vintage and was the color of a candy apple. Half of her body was above the windshield, her head above it, and the other half was hidden by the car.
Her hand was midway to the horn again when she noticed us. She said something in Italian. Then looked at me. “About time!” She smiled. “Where is everyone?”
Magpie swatted the air, her nails matching the color of the car. “I’m not sure if it’s a long story or not, but it’ll keep a minute.” She tapped the hood. “Watchca got here?”
“A special delivery.”
“Oooh, one of the men wanting to buy it?” Magpie asked.
“A friend of mine is selling. I thought someone here might be interested.”
“Let’s take it for a test drive!”
I studied the seating in the car. It had two seats up front and barely one in the back.
Noemi gave Magpie a stern look. “You’re not driving!”
“Oh, poo.” Magpie pouted. “Why not?”
