As soon as Ellie let go, Mario wrapped an arm over my shoulders. “I’ll insist she is.”
“Good luck to both of you. Enjoy my clothes.” Ellie flounced away, giving Mario a sly wink.
Firenze frowned. He let her settle in the back seat and then walked over to stand in front of Mario. “To confirm, I have the right one, sì?”
I could feel my husband’s silent laughter. He squeezed my shoulder. “You put your ring on wrong this morning, Allie.”
I jabbed his rib cage in jest. “Ellie,” I teased.
Poor Firenze looked worried.
Mario sent me a cautionary warning with his eyes. “Allie. I know my wife.”
“You think so?”
His eyes raked down my body. “Every inch of her.”
I brushed the hair away from Mario’s brow. “I love you.”
Our lips met softly.
Mario hesitated before deepening the kiss. He brought my hand up so Firenze could see the sigil that wasn’t turned the wrong way. I shook his hand off and threaded my fingers through his hair, practically climbing into his body.
Firenze cleared his throat. “Thank you for confirming, Don Valentini.”
“Idiot.”
Mario broke the kiss to glare at Ringo.
His friend growled out a reply. “He should be able to tell them apart by now.”
“They are identical twins,” Firenze shot back.
“Not identical.” Mario touched my eyebrow and the curve of my hairline. Then, the sharp tip of my nose. “Ellie has a rounder face, and her hair swings to the left not the right.”
“That’s how you know?” I asked.
“There are other ways to tell. But those are for me only,” he whispered in my ear and ran his teeth on the edge where I was most ticklish.
A fission of passion shot down my spine.
Ellie pulled the door shut during our little display. Her head was not bowed, but she looked away, giving us space or herself a distraction. Nor did she look behind as Firenze got behind the wheel to drive her to the local ferry. From there her destination options spread from Genoa to Napoli. I hadn’t pre-planned which transport she’d board. And Firenze was there to provide assurance that she hadn’t been followed and wasn’t being watched.
He’d know which one she picked, obviously, and tell Mario, who’d tell me. But other than that, he was forbidden from disclosing his knowledge on orders that came directly from Don Manca himself.
Speaking of the devil.
Mario’s grandfather slipped between us to peer at the dust settling. “She’s gone?”
“Sì, Aiaiu.” Mario’s voice was quiet.
“Good. I have work for that one. Hopefully he finds his brain again.” He directed an order at Ringo. “Come. There’s a power vacuum forming. We plan.” Poor Ringo, he hadn’t stopped staring at the empty road.
He’d fallen hard for my sister and was still denying it.
Worse, I knew Ellie felt the same way. That was why she was running so far and fast from the tranquil security of the island. Even though Leandro was dead, and Dianora was behind bars awaiting trial for shooting her father, I still worried. I’d always worry about my little sister.
Mario tugged me inside. “Sit by my side. You may not understand all the words, but I want your help to hone the arrangements.
