“Well, we’re going to a masquerade ball, and I don’t have a mask. Don’t you think that’s pretty important?”
“Not really, Guilherme,” I say, annoyance lacing my tone.
“Oookay, what crawled up your asshole?”
“Well, if you must know, I was about to make love to my wife until you interrupted us.”
Liana scoffs and swats me on the chest. “Massimo,” she scolds, and I catch her hand with mine and hold it to me. A smile plays out on my face.
“Okay, too much fucking information, but that’s beside the point,” Gui says. “Our car is going to be here any minute, so while I know you probably can’t last very long, we don’t have time for all of that.”
“There’s always time,” I mumble into the phone. Liana rolls her eyes, but a smile forms on her face.
“Alright, I don’t need the details, but the car really is going to be here in a few minutes, and I still don’t have a mask.”
“Oh, relax, will you? I knew about this ball before we got on the plane. I have a mask for you.”
There’s a pause, then Gui finally says, “Fine, but it better not be an ugly one. Meet me out in the kitchen,” then he hangs up on me.
I chuckle to myself and shove the phone back into my pocket. “It seems we need to get going because our car will be here soon.”
Liana looks at me with the cutest fucking smirk on her face and a twinkle in her eye. “Well, then I guess we’re going to have to make up for it later tonight.”
My phone rings again, so I take it out of my pocket. Furrowing my brow, I say, “It’s my dad.”
Liana’s eyes widen.
“Hello?” I say, answering it.
“Son, how are you?”
“Doing well, Dad. What’s going on?”
“I just wanted to see if we should still expect you tonight at the ball or if you’ve decided to head home.”
I pause for a moment, remembering the conversation I had with Gio earlier today. The entire situation with the crate hasn’t sat well with me, and now my dad is asking if we’re going tonight.
“Yeah, we’re talking it over now. I think your suggestion about me heading back might be right.”
“You should always be there anytime big issues arise. Ignazio will understand. Just head home and make sure everything is handled, okay? I’ll talk to you later, son.”
“Yeah, talk to you later, Dad.”
Hanging up, I bring my attention back to Liana, who’s watching me curiously. “What was that all about?”
“My dad was checking to see if we’re going to be there tonight.”
“So you decided to lie to him?”
“I was thinking about what you said about avoiding the masquerade ball. If whatever it is they’re hiding from me has to do with this masquerade ball, then I want to surprise them… Catch them off guard.”
“I just can’t imagine what it could be,” Liana says.
“Truthfully, I can’t either, but I’m just acting on instinct at this point.”
It might be for no reason, but I’d rather play it like a paranoid motherfucker than not. Whatever my parents are hiding, I’m going to find out tonight. No matter what.
42
