I spent the rest of the drive staring out of the window in a daze. I couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to that pretty-boy face and those bright blue eyes. But what had me reeling was that moment. The way his hand lingered, the way his gaze locked on mine. Brief, but unmistakable. A spark I shouldn’t have felt. A spark he shouldn’t have given.
If I didn’t know any better… I’d bet Enzo Aiani wasn’t nearly as straight as he wanted people to believe.
Chapter three
Present Day
“Whiskey. Neat,” I ordered, resting my arms on the pristine bar top of the swanky hotel Alessio owned in Sicily. His generosity was a disguise to keep an eye on me while I stayed in his city, but I’d take it.
I took a sip from the glass, hissed with satisfaction at the burn in my throat, and gave my two loyal men behind me a subtle nod. They slipped away into the shadows. I needed to be alone to gather my thoughts.
And all my thoughts were focused on one man. As always.Finn Rossetti.
The ghost from my past. But who was haunting who, really? Because it was me who couldn’t let go.
“Enzo?”
I glanced over my left shoulder to see the beautiful Elenora Barbieri striding towards me, her large brown eyes wide with surprise and delight.
“I thought that was you! Alessio said you were staying in this hotel for the next few days.”
Standing up from my stool, we kissed cheeks before she grasped my arms and gave a gentle squeeze. She looked just as beautiful as the day I met her years ago, but now she had a radiance that shone from pure happiness and contentment. Being married to the mafia king, becoming a mother and a renowned art dealer clearly agreed with her.
“Elle,” I smiled. “I am. But what are you doing here?”
“I have a dinner meeting with a gallery that might be interested in showcasing some of my new client’s pieces.” She glanced at the Rolex on her wrist. “But I have ten minutes. Let’s have a drink. It’s been too long.”
Her bodyguards, who trailed her every move because Alessio only allowed her to be unprotected if she was beside him, moved to the end of the bar to give us some privacy. Elle perched on the stool next to mine and ordered herself a drink.
“So, are you still painting?” I asked, picking up my glass.
“Of course! I took a break for a few years after the twins were born, but now that they are older, it’s easier to find the time. The galleries are still thriving, so I feel blessed. Anyway, how are you? I heard you were at the house earlier. What brings you to Sicily?”
I glanced down at my drink with a slight smirk at her double-edged question. It sounded innocent enough, but there was always an undertone of protectiveness towards Finn when we spoke. I’d never blame her for that. She’d been caught up in our mess more than anyone else. She was the only person aside from Finn that I’d ever confided in about my sexuality, but I’d still tried to marry her to hide it from the rest of the world. She’dforgiven me, but Finn was her best friend. And after what I did to him, she’d always be cautious about my motives.
“The Americans.”
“Ah,” she sighed, raising her wineglass with an eye roll. “Why can’t they just accept that it was a blessing that the sick prick died in that plane crash and get over it? They’re better off without Anthony Galiz leading them. But any excuse for a war.”
“You could say that. They killed my cousin and consigliere in broad daylight.”
She gasped, grabbing my forearm on the bar. “Oh my God! Enzo, I’m so sorry.”
I shrugged. The sympathy bounced off my tough exterior. “They’ll pay.”
“So that’s why you came to Sicily? To meet with Alessio about how to retaliate, I presume?”
I took a sip of my drink before I said, “Not Alessio. I wanted to meet with Finn.”
The frown on her face was expected, but her silence wasn’t. When she kept staring without giving me so much as a slap on the back of the head, I turned to face her. “What?”
“What are you doing, Enzo?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean.”
Hunching over my drink at the bar, I took another sip to avoid answering.
