Page 24 of Isle of Seduction
“Someone died.”
“People die every day, Lewis. Get to the point,” I say, my tone clipped.
“They were dumped yesterday behind a store in the financial district, but they did not die there. The body was transported. We don’t know how far, and we don’t have the identity of the victim yet.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“It could be linked to organised crime,” Taylor says, like the natural consequence of his sentence is that I understand what he means. I do, but if he wants help with anything, I’ll have him begging for it.
“So?”
“You might be on your way to politics now, but we know your roots. And in any case, you’re a cyber genius and have more ways than we do at the station to help us find the culprit,” Taylor says.
I laugh forcefully. “You want me to keep it quiet. You don’t want to alert the good people of West Hill that someone is dumping dead bodies on the town.”
Those fuckers still won’t accept me into the fray, but at every turn, they ask for my help.
“If I help, I want to be guaranteed to win.”
“You know it doesn’t work like that, Capaldi. Don’t you want to win fair and square?” Lewis asks.
“Oh, I will. But you will help me by telling all your friends and lackeys to pledge millions to my campaign and fund the fucking projects I tell you to, helping the communities I tell you to instead of spending town money on golf trips.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“Of course not, Lewis. I’m your friend, am I not? I’m simply laying out the land.”
Someone dying in one place and ending up in another is never a good thing, especially since I have spies within every outfit in the city and this has nothing to do with me. It could be an isolated crime, but I have a fucking bad feeling about it. I text Nico that we have a situation on our hands, then pocket my phone.
I storm out and trace my steps back to where Giulia sits and entertains a crowd of people. I haven’t caught sight of Addams yet, but I don’t want her anywhere near him.
When she sees me, her whole face lights up and I don’t know what’s true and what’s not anymore. I place a hand on her lower back, resisting the urge to caress her curves. My fingers singe with the heat of her body.
“Andrea, I was just talking about you.”
“Only good things I hope,” I smile at the crowd.
“Only ever good,” she says before kissing the corner of my lips. The place zaps with a charge of electricity and I resist keeping her lips where they landed with a hand at the back of her head. They look soft, but I refuse to have our first kiss out in the open for everyone to see.
I bunch my hand in a fist instead. Anything to prevent me from reaching towards her. The swoons of the onlookers mean nothing to me; I’m too ensnared in Giulia’s green eyes.
She reflects deep confusion at me and I clear my throat, unsure what this means. “If you don’t mind, ladies and gentlemen, we’re going to go find our table. Enjoy your meal.”
As I guide my little wife to our table, Addams comes into view. His eyes are like saucers as he takes in the woman on my arm, devouring her with his lecherous gaze. I make a show of pulling out Giulia’s chair and can’t resist kissing her neck, just under her left ear. I barely register Addams’s sneer when goosebumps erupt all over her skin. Her reactions to me are my victories tonight.
* * *
“Your rings are rather simple,” someone comments from the other side of the table.
I clench my jaw, wanting to punch the asshole who asked. This marriage was never real, so I did the bare minimum to make it look authentic and it fucking shows. With every day that passes, it’s getting harder and harder to distinguish the lies from the truth, especially when my little wife plays her role so fucking well.
Giulia jumps to my rescue when no answer comes, placing her left hand on mine. The gold band glints in the light like a beacon. “Our wedding rings are at the jeweller, getting resized. Andrea went all the way to my father to get my deceased mother’s wedding ring. These are our promises to each other.” She laughs and if I didn’t know it’s utter bullshit, I’d believe every word.
“That’s so romantic,” Jane quips.
“He’s a secret romantic, my Andrea,” Giulia says while looking at me. There’s the fire of challenge there and I live for it. I lift her hand to my lips and stay a second too long, delighted in the soft blush creeping up her decolletage.
Remember to go get her the family ring.