Scarlett’s glistening green eyes locked on my tearful hazel ones. We were going to try to speak to him about Aunt Lola’s arrangements, but we both knew. He would refuse to make them. I wasn’t sure if he had enough strength to. And it seemed so callous without his consent to do what needed to be done.
Scarlett touched my shoulder on the way to the door. She stopped and waited for me. I held up a finger. She lookedbetween Uncle Tito and I, nodded, and then shut the door quietly behind her.
It took me a moment to build up the courage to speak to him as openly as Scarlett had. Their history was different from ours. It wasn’t as long, but again, I had accepted him inside of my heart, and I felt the need to speak. To say something to him, but not any words of empty comfort.
I cleared my throat. “Uncle Tito,” I whispered, “I am so sorry about Aunt Lola. I, ah, I am so sorry her last moments were spent with me. I hope—I hope you can forgive me for that. I fell in love with you both, and you both mean a great deal to me.” I wanted to say…I’ll always remember Aunt Lola. A piece of my heart is with her, and she will live on in the piece she took from me...but I decided to leave my speech where I had.
I went to turn around, and Uncle Tito called my name.
“Aria Amora Bella Fausti,Nipote Biscottina, my wife and I were at peace with each other,” he whispered. “Long ago, before we were even married, she slapped her hands on her hips and told me, ‘Tito, if we are to be married, I will not accept nonsense between us. We speak the truth, then we get on with it. We love.’ She held her hand out to me then, and I knew in that moment my life would never be the same if I took it. That touch changed the course of my life for the better.
“We said the hard things, worked through the rough times, and all that was left were…the wonderful words a man and his wife should say to each other. We lacked nothing between us. I know she loves me, and I love her—I have always loved her with every breath I took, and when it comes time for me to take my last, it will be her love waiting for me. I know this. You have nothing to ask forgiveness for. My wife’s last moments on this earth were beautiful, just as she would have dreamt they would be.”
He took a trembling breath.
“I am a selfish man with her. She knew this. Her written last wishes are in my office, sealed and organized in my file cabinet under the title ‘heaven awaits us—a permanent vacation together.’ My last wishes are the same as hers. Except, in my wish, all I ask is to be next to her for eternity. This is my heaven.”
He closed his eyes and began to pray again—harder this time.
The door was cracked when I turned around, my husband standing close like a sentry, and when one of my feet was out the door, he pulled me to his body, his muscles and bones trembling, and refused to allow a breath between us.
Chapter 21
The Walled City amongst a City
Aria Amora
Ermanno’s eyes widened as we entered Luca’s walled city in Lucca. He had never been. Neither had I. My eyes were as wide as his. Juliette had been right. Luca owned his own city within a city.
The guards didn’t even hesitate when Rocco drove the bulletproof Range Rover through the open gates. We had full access to a city that was its own neighborhood with streets. I was pretty sure the property had its own stores. Its own economy, even.
Wow, was all I could say, in my head of course.
After Ermanno took it all in, he sat back in his seat, looking straight ahead. His face had grown more serious the more time he spent with the soldiers who were sworn to protect the next king of Italy. I also thought the next king of Italy was influencing him too. He looked at Rocco with awe and wonder. He respected him. He almost mirrored everything Rocco did.
What was concerning me was that Rocco had grown even more…protective over me since Aunt Lola’s funeral, or what she had called her “farewell from heaven” celebration. Uncle Tito attended, but we all knew what was left of Uncle Tito was his shell. He barely ate, all he wanted to do was sleep, and when hecouldn’t sleep, he prayed for relief. He prayed to be with his wife again.
A couple of times he wrote on paper that he wanted Rocco and me, or Scarlett and Brando, to take him for a walk on our property in Piemonte. He always wanted us to bring him back to the spot where Aunt Lola had taken her last breath.
A couple of times, Scarlett and I worried about Luca and what he would do…Uncle Tito was desperate to be with his wife; Luca felt for his cause…and I wasn’t sure what Luca would do to help him attain it.
Because Luca would request the same.
It was Marciano who wouldn’t leave Uncle Tito’s side. Every morning, he brought what he called “puzzles” to his great-great uncle, and when Uncle Tito refused to do the crosswords, Marciano would do them, filling the eerie silence with…words and their meanings.
The situation between Marciano and Uncle Tito was worrisome.IfUncle Tito asked Luca to…help him be reunited with his wife, I had no doubt Marciano wouldn’t stand in the way. And since no one allowed or stopped anything without Luca’s consent…
I sighed, and Rocco brought my hand to his mouth, breathing me in. Ermanno watched him, his face as hard as stone.
My concern for him…he had lost his mamma at a young age, and I could see how the shock of Aunt Lola’s death had probably brought back painful memories for him. It had for me. I shared that with him, but it was Rocco he was studying. And if Rocco was paranoid about losing me…I noticed Ermanno was more obsessed with my protection.
I wasn’t sure if having Ermanno around was a good idea anymore. A lot was going on in the center of the family, and I refused to allow Ermanno to be caught in any crossfire,especially with Francesco and his ridiculous line ready to start a war.
My husband and his family? Eager to win it.
Rocco was no slouch on his exercise regimen, but as of late, his brothers, his sons, his nephews…it reminded me of when Rocky was going after Ivan Drago and was using natural methods to train.
If my husband became any stronger, he’d be able to pull the sword out of a rock.
