Page 26 of Heart's Temptation
“There’s something about the way the perp is going about it. Making direct threats, like in the message left in her apartment, but continuing to do things that can cause an accident. Why bother if you’ve already made your intentions clear?”
All three nodded their heads.
“I would almost think that this person was a female,” I said.
“A disgruntled ballerina. Someone Niki Swan beat out for the part of the prima ballerina in Sergei’s ballet?” Gio questioned. “I checked them all, but maybe we missed something.”
“I have the I-Rock manager sending a list of the supposed staff that had access to the building and the video footage,” I supplied.
Romeo’s eyes lit like a shark smelling blood. “Good. Get a list of all the performers as well, and send that along to Simon. I’ll have him go through everyone with a fine-toothed comb. Someone is pissed off with Niki, enough to want to see her dead, or at least crippled.” His phone pinged as he and Simo stood to leave.
“Vittoria is in labor. Get security in place, Simo, I want the hospital wing closed off for this. Damn, I wish Tano wasn’t on the other side of the world.” He alternated between English and Italian as they hustled away.
“I better let everyone know it's all hands on deck at Mercy Hospital,” Gio said with a sigh, standing and turning to leave. I understood that the timing of welcoming a new family member couldn’t have been worse.
“Wait!” I called to his retreating back. “What did Niki tell you tonight?”
I could see Gio weighing and measuring how he wanted to answer me, his emotions over whatever had happened between them warring with his need to leave and be at the hospital with the rest of the family.
“Give it to me straight.”
Gio scrubbed his fists down his face and I saw past the façade to the fatigue and sadness hiding behind it. “She left because she had feelings for someone else. And while I’d love to discuss this in more detail with you, that’s all she said.”
His words shocked me to my core. “I don’t believe it. If that was the case, then why not part amicably? There was no evidence of a man in her life, trust me I looked.”
Gio smirked, but his eyes held a sadness I’d not seen in years. “I don’t believe her either. She has a secret that she is hanging on tightly to. Maybe whoever this guy is, she’s protecting him.”
He patted me on the shoulder on his way past, the way Simo had his knee earlier. Like that made anything better. Maybe Gio was right, and she was protecting someone… Could it be she knew who her stalker was? Pain replaced the exhaustion I was feeling, and as I pondered what to think about Nicolette Angelucci and this latest information, that pain fueled my anger.
I headed to my club to do my job, but soon, I promised myself, our little ballerina would confess everything. Until then I’d play along with whatever game she was playing.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Nicolette
Despite the coolness of the evening, a thin trail of sweat trickled down my spine. I prayed it wasn’t visible through the champagne-colored dress I wore. The Sunday dinner with Mama Vitale had been canceled with Vittoria going into labor, but like a true champion, she’d had no complications and had been released from the hospital, brand-new baby in her arms, within forty-eight hours, to Romeo’s shock and delight.
I’d heard from Marko that Romeo had thrown a fit over what he felt was the lack of proper attention until Tano and Gaby arrived and took over at the hospital. The doctors and nurses available were perfectly capable, but Romeo wanted Tano and Gaby and no one else would do. They left Italy immediately to come home and set Don Vitale’s mind at ease.
Now, here we were, on the threshold of the mansion for the promised dinner. I was about to step inside and surround myself with the family I’d left behind. I was even more nervous than before the arrival of the baby. But maybe the cute little bundle would have softened their hearts and I could avoid the death stares I was fully expecting to receive.
Gio stalked behind Marko and me to the entrance of the Vitale Mansion. I traced a finger over the beautiful insignia etched into the stone pillars. remembering how impressed I’d been by the Tuscan-style villa and the massive three-story portico held by the thick stone columns when I’d first seen it.
Their family home had ramped up its security measures since the last time I’d been here, and I shuddered at what must have transpired for them to add an identity scanner to their front door. Marko mistook my shiver for being cold and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, before reaching out his other hand as if to ring the doorbell. Gio glared at him and placed his thumb on the scanner. The door immediately swung open.
Shouts and laughter met us from deeper inside the mansion, the dining room most likely.
I stayed rooted to the spot, not sure if I was ready to face the adopted family I’d left behind without a word.
“Having second thoughts, tesorina?” Gio’s hard cerulean-blue eyes were at odds with the deceptively quiet smoky tone of his voice. “I bet she’s praying to Mary right now,” he chided, looking at Marko whose lips had drawn up at one corner in acknowledgement of his jest. Neither man looked happy to be here but once their word was given, they always kept it.
A deep sadness at how things had turned out pulled at me. I was about to say I was leaving, deciding this was way too much for me, especially with things so estranged between the three of us, when Vinnie came around the corner.
“There you are.” His eyes were lit with his ready positivity, and he swept me up in a hearty embrace. His athletic frame felt solid, and I clung onto him a moment longer than a friendly hug would normally last. He pulled back, looking puzzled, his gaze shifting from me to Marko and landing on Gio.
“Mother is so excited to see you. Come on, I’ll introduce you to the newest member of the family.” Their gazes felt like daggers being thrown into my back as I followed Vinnie to the dining room. The faces were mostly the same, but the positions had shifted since the last time.
Romeo now sat in Luciano’s seat, with a drop-dead gorgeous woman at his side holding a sleeping baby. That had to be Vittoria. On his other side sat their mother, Isabella, and beside Isabella sat a tiny woman whose hand was being held by Gaetano. The tiny woman must be his new wife. Gaetano looked more relaxed than I’d ever seen him, and I decided marriage looked good on him. Fausto was next to Tano, and the empty seat beside him with a half-full glass of wine was probably Vinnie’s spot.