Movement catches my eye causing me to wipe away the tears quickly. Opening my door, I’m greeted by my father’shousekeeper. She stayed. She stayed for me. A smile spreads across my face as we embrace in a hug.
“Oh, Celeste. It’s so good to see you. I’ve missed you so much! Welcome home, bella ragazza.” She pulls away, grasping my face in her soft hands.
“Adelina, I’ve missed you too. Please tell me you’re staying? You’re a piece of my father I still have left and a mother to me. I mean I won’t stop you, but it would be my honor.” My chest tightens waiting for her response, not wanting to hear that she’s leaving me, too.
“Oh, you poor girl. I will never leave you. You can’t get rid of this old woman. But a little birdie advised me you’ve stirred up a pot. Bianca is not very happy with you.” She smirks as she turns back towards the house.
“I thought you would be so thrilled you wouldn’t have to deal with that wretched woman anymore. We can have our home back with peace and quiet. Unless you want me to bring her back?” I laugh as we enter the greeting hall.
Entering my old home, the smell of familiarity collides into me. Peace. This place brings nothing but it and relief rushes through me. I’ve been avoiding this place like the plague. Not that this home was full of dread but because there were reminders around every corner of the person she wished was still alive.
“You better take those words back! Remember who will be cooking your meals again. By the way, does this mean you’ll be moving back home? I can get the master ready for you?” Adelina shakes her finger at me.
I never thought of coming back home full time. There was so much going on that I needed to be caught up on but maybe the energy of this place will bring me strength to take the bull by the horns.
“Yes, I’ll be moving back home. I’ll keep my apartment forlong nights when I'm not able to drive home. I’ll take my old room, please keep the master the way it is. I’m not ready to let that piece of him go yet. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready, Adelina.” I can’t hold back the tears as they again drip down my cheeks.
“He loved you, Celeste. He wasn’t able to speak when he was laying in his bed. There was no explanation of how he got so sick so fast, how he wasn’t able to move or communicate. But when he took his last breath, I swore I heard your name before he passed. He would want you to be strong, fearless, and the woman he raised. I won’t touch his room. I didn’t let Bianca touch it either when she left.” She grabs my hand, giving it a squeeze.
I’m speechless, unable to form any words. I just nod with a sad smile. She leaves me to my thoughts and my feet carry me to his office, my office now. The smell of cedar and tobacco fills the room, bringing a sense of calm over me. He’s with me. He will always be with me.
A picture frame sitting on the desk catches my attention and I walk over and pick it up. It’s a picture of him and my mom with me in their arms. My heart squeezes at the thought that he kept this picture with him even after he had remarried. No one would ever replace my mother. Hell, he even made Bianca sleep in a different room and only took her in hers. She always hated that she couldn’t step foot in his room. Like he was keeping a secret from her. But really, he was protecting the only peace he had.
My mother died from cancer. We never saw it coming as she looked so healthy and so happy. One day she woke up feeling extremely sick, not able to move out of bed even to relieve herself. We had taken her to the best doctors, flew doctors to our home. Radiation and chemo made her weaker and she’d decided she didn’t want to do it anymore. Shewanted to rest, and live out her last final days with her family.
My father had to leave due to a matter that he had to handle. I promised I would watch over her and I did. We snuggled in bed watching a movie when her breath started to get shallow. I looked up at her, catching her eyes full of tears. She knew it was her time. She told me to never leave dad’s side. To be a strong princess. She’d told me she loved me before her body relaxed and her chest heaved one last time.
Now both of my parents are gone and I’ve never felt so alone. Cancer took my mother but what bothers me most, is this mysterious illness took my father too. When I left for Rome to fulfill an agreement, he was perfectly fine. Time left me when I was there and took me away from him.
I sit in his chair taking his lead. It all hits me now. I’ll run his empire and I’ll make him damn proud. He raised a strong woman and no matter the amount of enemies that may be thrown my way, I’ll stand tall and show them the reason my father left me in charge. Why I can be effective and destructive if need be. He always believed that one day I would take over when he retired and guide me. Now he’s a ghost but I feel phantom whispers of guidance. I will not break.
CHAPTER FIVE
ALARIC
“I came, I saw, I conquered.” – Julius Caesar
Ithrust up in bed as the alarm scares me nearly to death. A groan escapes as I crash back, throwing the pillow over my head. I should have gone to bed early last night but this case kept me up all night trying to get a step ahead of the perpetrator. Blindly, I wave my hand looking for the alarm, meeting my purchase and hit the snooze.
What seems like not even a minute after my eyes shut the damn blaring noise resumes its assault. I force myself up, dragging my hand over my face. I need to set a reminder to take some time off after this case. A week of straight sleep sounds good right about now.
Looking down on my phone, I see a text from Monroe letting me know that the meeting has been postponed which means I can stop at the cafe on the way to work for good coffee instead of the bland shit they call coffee in the office. I quickly take a shower and get dressed in my suit, holstering my gun to the side of mypants.
I guess it’s my lucky day. A spot is wide open in front of the cafe and I don’t hesitate to take it. The early morning streets are booming with residency pacing quickly down the sidewalk trying to make it in time for work. Loud horns from the cabs fill the air and drivers lean out the window yelling at the people in front to move. There are perks to living in the city but not very much and if it wasn’t for my job, I would live off the grid surrounded by silence.
Walking through the door, I’m met with the smell of exquisite coffee and baked goods. My stomach rumbles, reminding me that I actually need to eat while I’m here. I order a caramel macchiato and an egg and spinach bagel sandwich. The cashier looks me up and down, and as her eyes come back to mine, she blushes since she was caught red-handed.
“Your order is on us, Officer. Thank you for your service,” she shyly advises me as I take my card out of my wallet.
“Oh no, I would like to pay. Thank you, though.” I hand over my card giving her a smile.
“Rules of the cafe. Maybe next time I’ll let you order a simple coffee. We insist.” She waves me off, motioning for the next customer.
I hate special treatment, but I’m not going to sit and argue and piss off the customers behind me who seemed to be in a hurry. I grab my items and make my way to an open table. As I take a bite of my sandwich, my eyes land on a woman sitting on the couch right in front of me, reading a book and sipping on her coffee. She has long chocolate brown hair cascading down the side of her arms. She’s wearing a nice white blouse, a knee length, tight skirt and heels with her legs crossed. I haven’t seen her eyes yet, but just from what I see, she’s breathtaking.
As if she can feel me staring, she looks up meeting my gaze. Those eyes take my breath away, so much so that I choke onmy sandwich. A light chuckle streams over, pricking at my ego just a little more. Once I’m able to clear my throat I take a daring look up as she gets up from her seat, placing her book into her purse and walks into the hallway towards the bathroom.
She has long, strong legs with sun-kissed skin. She walks with purpose, every step is intentional. I don’t know her but the pull to her is so strong. The need to know who she is, what her voice sounds like. Those eyes looking into mine. What she smells like. What her lips…Fuck, I sound like an absolute lunatic right now.
