He brushed past us after giving me one last pointed stare before saying, “Call me sometime.”
Elio’s eyes followed him until he was out of sight.
I let out a breath. “He was Manu—”
Elio raised a finger, stopping my statement without looking at me. “Do not… speak to me,” he said then turned to leave, but I reached out to grab his arm, moving to stand before him.
“I want to speak to you.”
“I gave you a chance. Multiple times.”
“I know, but just give me another one. I’ll clear everything up,” I said, my eyes searching his vacant ones. “Please? The benefit of the doubt?”
He looked away from me, his jaw clenching like this request was the last thing he wanted to grant.
“If you still don’t want to speak to me after I explain everything that went on in that bus, I promise I’ll back off,” I pressed.
After a few seconds, his gaze met mine again and the silence stretched between us, increasing my doubts, drawing in defeat before he surprisingly nodded. “Okay,” he said, gesturing with his head toward the entrance. “Come with me.”
CHAPTER SIX
Elio
Social gatherings and I were like enemies that would never, under any circumstance, find common ground.
It was why I’d asked Gemma to accompany me when we arrived at the cruise ship a day ago.
Angelo had joined me the day after I arrived to give me the intel on Kareem, and to take care of other affairs he had on board. He’d dropped off his bags in one of the rooms, along with his furry, wide-eyed black cat, Mimi, whom he left in my care due to his mother’s unavailability.
He’d returned to Milan and then to Turin for in-house business but promised to hurry it up because, he said, and I quote, “The last thing I want to return to is a cat with a bullet in its stomach.”
I wouldn’t actually shoot an animal, but still that was a wise decision. He wasn’t aware Gemma was an expert in taking care of cats. He wasn’t aware of Gemma at all, or Sailor, whom she had brought along and dropped in my suite the following day, so Mimi wouldn’t be “sad and alone.”
I did not understand her logic, but she seemed to believe what she was saying, so I let it go.
Gemma had been a little wary when I told her about the trip and asked her to accompany me. She also said, and I quote, “You’re rich?” to which I responded, “I am comfortable.”
After which, she interrogated me about my job, and I supplied her with, “I am into business politics.” And then I had to prove it to her by showing catalog upon catalog where my name had been mentioned under various business strategiesfor Milan. She had stared at me wide-eyed and asked, “Why the hell are you friends with me?” I ignored her statement politely, and we eventually ended up traveling together.
Casmiro had wanted to come as well, but I asked him to stay back due to his health issues. I wanted to remove his watchful eye from my actions, now that he knew aboutmyhealth issues. The stubborn man fought me on it until I decided that if I needed him, he would be the first person I would call. Although he told me he would arrive either way if that call took longer than he liked. “Damn compound affairs, I would have my right hand hold down the fort,” he said.
I agreed because if things went as planned with Kareem, I would not need to stay in Mexico for an extended period. If I was lucky enough, I might not get to mourn through the first morning in December.
For the first time in years, I could taste the achievement of my goal. I could touch, see, and feel it. The thought satisfied me; it satisfied a need I didn’t know I had. It made me feel lighter.
No distractions.
No Street.
No Elia.
No…Zahra.
My thoughts slammed into a wall on that one.
No Zahra.
I finished the bourbon in the glass, pouring myself another. The event room was filled with strangers, all drinking and mingling. The air was heavy with the smell of sea salt, mixtures of expensive perfumes, and the familiar scent of Cuban cigars. The low golden lights around were warm and inviting enough to tame my irritation from being surrounded by so many people. I could feel Kareem’s stare, but I didn’t look over. Gemma hadn’t accompanied me to this event; she was at the other end of the ship at some party she’d been invited to by strangers she claimed were her people. So, I had to live through this gathering with alcohol and cigars.
