Page 240 of Valentino

I get a lump in my throat; a hurtful lump filled with the lies that we told each other. I can almost feel the hatred and fear that we lived in back then.

The night he shot Carlo.

Bang….

The memory of the gunshots screams through the silence.

“Good night.” He kisses me over my shoulder but it’s not the kiss of fire, in fact, it feels like the kiss of death.

Eventually after what feels like hours, his regulated breathing notifies me that he’s drifted off to sleep. Val’s body is snug up against mine, my hand in his.

And I come to the realization that the fear of losing someone is lonelier than being alone…how poetically tragic.

My mind goes over the beautiful day we’ve had and the love we made.

The way my heart leapt off the page at his every word.

His love feels like a light at the top of the tree has been turned on at Christmas, casting a magical glow of happiness that radiates through my soul.

And I wonder if this will be the last night that I fall asleep in Valentino Leone’s arms.

“Anna,” A soft voice says, I feel my hair being tucked behind my ear. “We’re going to miss breakfast.”

My heavy eyes flutter as I battle exhaustion to wake.

“Are you hungry, babe?” he whispers.

My groggy eyelids crack a little and Valentino comes into view; he’s sitting on the side of the bed smiling down at me. “Ahh….” I rub my eyes, suddenly self-conscious that he’s looking all perky and beautiful, and I feel like I just crawled out of the dumpster. “What time is it?”

“It’s ten thirty, breakfast closes in half an hour?”

“Are you hungry?” I ask.

“Starving.”

“Okay.” I pull myself up onto my elbow. “You go to breakfast, I’ll throw something on and come down.”

“You don’t want me to wait for you?”

“No, I’ll be a minute.” I rub my eyes. “I’ll see you down there.”

“Okay.” He tucks my hair behind my ear and leans down and kisses me. “See you soon.” He leaves and I flop back onto my back and stare up at the same stupid ceiling I stared at all night.

Only it’s daylight now…. But instead of the night terrors leaving along with the dark, now they seem worse. Because…I know what’s coming, and sooner rather than later.

I quickly shower and throw on a sundress and make my way downstairs and through to the restaurant. I catch sight of Valentino sitting at a table on the balcony, he’s got us a cup of coffee each and I give a half-hearted smile as I walk over. “Good morning.”

“Good morning.” He sips his coffee with a smile. “Can we please eat now?”

“You didn’t have to wait for me.”

“Yes. I did.”

“How long have you been awake?”

“Since seven.”

“You waited three and a half hours, hungry?” I frown.