“You can trust me around other men.”
“I know that, but my men have their duties on one hand and their darker tendencies on the other. They might be tempted to forgetthemselves when faced with your beauty and kindness in a private setting. I won’t allow it.”
“You’re being ridiculously possessive.” I arch an eyebrow because we both know that’s who I am. “What about the younger boys? The piano can be a difficult task to master. It takes discipline and tenacity. Good attributes in a future Made Man, no?”
“Very well. Wives and daughters and any sons who are too young to take the oath may take lessons with you if you accept them as students.”
She claps her hands together with glee, and it’s a battle not to match her wide smile with one of my own here in public.
The rest of our meal passes as pleasantly as the entire day has. I won’t lament taking a day off to spend with my wife. I’m looking forward to taking her back home soon.
However, as dessert is served, Francesca grows pale and grasps my hand. “He must be following me,” she whispers, sounding terrified.
Tensing for a fight, I look over my shoulder and then relax. “Who? Agent Miller? He’s not following you.”
“But he was the one…”
“I know. You told me. He’s fond of the gnocchi al tartufo here.”
Her eyes grow wide as saucers as she whispers, “The FBI put Signora Camilleri’s husband and son in prison.”
“True, they have their job to do as we have our business to conduct. It doesn’t mean they’re following you.”
Perhaps me though. They’re bound to be curious about what became of a certain federal witness and the unsolved missing person case of a theater student named Chris. They won’t find either body, not that I'll worry my wife with those details.
“Does his presence upset you?”
She considers it for a few moments before answering. “No, not really. He was very polite to me, but it reminds me of Harper and how dumb I was.”
“Not dumb. Don’t ever think that. And I have it on good authority the young woman calling herself Harper has been reassigned to the Houston field office after her disappointing results with her first undercover assignment, so you needn’t worry about running into her here. Relax and enjoy your dessert, Red. Signora Camilleri?” I call. The owner steps over at once. “Send a bottle of the Barolo to the blond gentleman over there in the cheap suit with my compliments.”
With a nod, the lady hurries to do so while Frankie stares at me like I’ve gone mad.
“You said he was polite,” I comment before tasting my dessert.
Giving me an amused smile, my wife nods and dives into her own.
54
Francesca
It’s a gray day in mid-December when I’m taking my Music Theory final exam. “Good luck,” the professor says to us all before he takes a seat at his desk. The seat beside me is still empty. I’m not sorry she’s gone, no more than I’m sorry about the choices I’ve made.
Faro is waiting for me outside the classroom when I finish the test. “How was it?”
“Okay, I think. I won’t know until it’s graded.”
“I’m sure you did well. One more hurdle to jump over today, right?”
“There’s always one more, isn’t there?”
He nods and walks me down the hallway to the auditorium.
Establishing a comfortable rapport with my bodyguard again took time, especially after Carlo’s decision to kill my father the way he did. But we’ve managed it, and I’m glad a loyal man like Faro has my husband’s back.
“Will Carlo be working late again tonight?” I ask.
Less than three years after peace was forged with four marriage pacts, only one of those arranged couples is actually together, and civil war is raging again between two of the three ruling families. Meanwhile, my husband has enough on his plate to manage as head of the Vicini Family.My family.
