Thirty minutes later the two of us were walking on one of Ponza beaches. Two bodyguards—the one who lost his eye wasn’t in them—marched behind us. Lucy, the nanny I recently hired pushed Mario’s stroller next to us. She was Mona’s younger sister. I couldn’t trust anyone with my baby other than my best friend. But she still worked for Alfarez at the diner, and she was getting married soon. She couldn’t take some time off, so her sister was the next best thing.
The breeze from the beach ruffled my hair as the Italian sun tanned my face. Enzio was already glowing with a perfect tan enhanced by his white shirt and pale green shorts. After lunch, we stopped for ice cream. You couldn’t come to Italy and not have some. Enzio let Mario have a taste.
“He’s not old enough for dairy.” I almost flipped. The astonished, impressed and extremely happy look on Mario’s face was the only thing that stopped me.
“Calma, mamma bear.” Enzio spanked me in the middle of the street as we headed back to the docks. “He loves it.”
“Enzio!” My face burned as my eyes darted around to see if anybody saw that.
He winked at me. Then he dropped his mouth to my ear. “Cosimo.”
My lips pressed tight, heat spreading through my body. Cosimo did do that. In public. A lot. “I thought our deal didn’t entail public arrangements.”
“It doesn’t. It’s just prep. On the last day I want you to have it all.” He kissed my neck and bit my earlobe. “So you’ll have no excuses, principessa.” His hand held mine, and he printed a kiss on top. Then he pulled me into his arms, the bulge in his shorts hard as he devoured my lips.
My eyes shut as I lost myself in the moment. “Cosim—”
Bang!
Scream!
Bang!
My heart boomed as my head whipped toward the direction of the sound. “Mario!”
Enzio swirled me into a hurl to the side, blood covering the sleeve of his shirt, guns flying into his hands. “Take him to the yacht.”
I snatched my baby into my arms, dragged terrified Lucy by the hand, and ran, head down, arm shielding Mario’s head and body, as fast as I could to the docks.
My breath raced through the scurrying and yelling behind me, every bullet roar thudding in my chest. What the fuck was going on?
I couldn’t risk looking back to see who was shooting or if Enzio was still standing. I just had to get out of here, get my baby to safety.
“Bianca!” someone yelled. I was too lost to even know if it came from behind or in front of me. I saw nothing but the dock and the yacht. “Bianca, wait! Where are they?”
A little piece of fog lifted, and I realized it was Alfio, a rifle in his hand. Had he heard the shots from the yacht and came down to help? I halted for a split-second and pointed to where I left them, noticing he wasn’t alone.
“Lock yourself in your cabin. There’s a gun in the bathroom.” He ran with his men toward the gunfire, and I flew to the dock.
Chapter33
Bianca
Alfio didn’t take all the men with him. The guard with the one eye was the one who helped us back on the boat. “It’s going to be okay, Signora. Just stay in the cabin.”
He had his gun ready as he escorted us inside and assured me he wouldn’t leave his spot right outside the door. His loyalty took me by surprise. After all, I caused him to lose his eye. But this was the Mafia. Loyalty and trust were above everything. Betraying their oath cost more than just an eye. It cost my husband—the boss himself—his life.
Lucy hammered me with questions, but I ignored them and found the gun. I gave her the baby, and then I made sure the gun was loaded.
“Do you know how to use that?” she panted.
“Yes.”
“Good.” She rocked Mario. “Is the cabin locked?”
“Yes, Lucy.” I gave her a shaky smile. “Don’t worry. They won’t come here. They’re either dead or on the run by now.”
“Yeah. Yeah.” She gulped. “Do you have any idea who they are?”
