Page 41 of Valentino

“But why?”

“That’s what I want to know, why eight weeks after the initial incident has he suddenly decided to move in with me and stay in my spare room? What’s suddenly changed?”

“Hmm.” She narrows her eyes as she thinks. “That is strange.”

“Do you think Carlo is back in town?”

“Must be.” She runs her hands through her hair. “If he’s around then that means that they purposely haven’t told me because they know I’ll worry. You know what’s weird.” She narrows her eyes as she thinks out loud. “We came back from our honeymoon two days early because Giuliano had something urgent to deal with at work.”

“Like what?”

“He said he had to sign some paperwork but….”

“I’m telling you it all adds up, because here’s the thing.” I roll my lips. “I know this sounds crazy, but I just can’t shake this feeling.”

“Of what?”

“Promise not to say anything.”

“You know I won’t, tell me.”

“I think . . .” I shrug, “I get the feeling that Valentino has offered a bait.”

She screws up her face in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“You know, like taunting Carlo by suddenly living with me.”

She twists her lips as she listens.

“Who knows, I could be bait. You come get Anna immediately or….”

“You’re just being dramatic now.” She rolls her eyes. “He would never do that?”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive,” she scoffs. “How could you even think of such a thing?”

“Think about it…I’m the only thing that Carlo might come back for. The only thing that they have to coax him out of hiding.”

“If you think Val would ever hand you over to him you’re completely insane.”

“I don’t think he would hand me over, but I do think he would lure Carlo back here by threatening to hurt me.”

“Valentino would never hurt you?”

“But does Carlo know that?” My eyes hold hers. “I mean, there is so much bad blood between them. Let’s be real for a moment and think about it. Perhaps they were just waiting for Giuliano to come back from your trip to execute their plan. They need to find him and what is the one and only thing they have over him?”

She shrugs, unconvinced. “I mean…. I’m guessing, but….”

“Think about it,” I continue. “Put yourself in their shoes for a moment. They need him caught. They don’t know where he is. But they do have me.”

Her eyes hold mine.

“If they know that Carlo is close…. What’s the one thing that’s going to bring him out of hiding?”

She frowns as she listens.

“I had this thought overnight that if Val is playing with Carlo then I know for a fact he wouldn’t be….” I raise my eyebrows.