Page 78 of The Hitman

“Of course, it is, but I think you know exactly who I’m talking about.”

“Have you had supper?” I ask.

She reels back and shakes her head. “I’m not hungry. I’m just looking for my husband.”

“I understand, but it will be easier to search for him on a full stomach. And if you’re telling the truth, maybe he’ll show up here while you wait.”

“That sounds ridiculous,” she whispers, but I can see her calculating her options and then deciding to accept my offer.

“Okay,” she says.

“Wonderful. Join me.”

She wheels her two large suitcases across the restaurant and pushes them against the wall. I stand and pull out her chair, ushering her into the unused seat at my table. I send the waitress in search of menus and nod surreptitiously at Massimo, knowing he’ll understand my silent command.

I return to my seat and clear the evening paper out of the way. Up close, unfortunately, she looks enough like Shae that if she weren’t here to find Giulio, I might try and convince myself to take her home. Try.

“What’s your name, bella?”

“Zahra.”

“And where do you come from?”

“New York.”

“Is this your first time in Italy?”

“Yes.”

“So, on your first trip to Italy, you meet a man, marry him, get pregnant, he leaves you, and you chase after him? This has been an eventful holiday.”

“When you say it like that, it sounds better than I thought.”

My eyebrows lift, and I can’t help but chuckle, “Better?”

“Yeah, much better. You don’t even know this was supposed to be my honeymoon with another man.”

I can’t help myself. I laugh so hard and loud that for a few minutes, I forget about Flavia and her deceitful family, about the mole, and about my own boredom. I don’t forget about Shae, but the ache I feel in my chest from missing her lessens the tiniest bit.

* * *

Giulio

I just want to crawl into bed and try to sleep tonight instead of thinking about Zahra.

I’m on call twenty-four hours a day because Salvo’s summons is never a suggestion. I haul myself out of bed, throw on a pair of joggers and a t-shirt, and return to the restaurant.

When I walk through the front door, my eyes move immediately to Salvo’s table.

I stop walking and breathing.

I think she’s an apparition. She better be a fucking apparition.

“What are you doing here?” I yell across the restaurant.

She turns at the sound of my voice, and her beautiful mouth breaks into a smile.

I feel like I’m floating just having her look so excited to see me, but then I crash back to Earth. “You shouldn’t be here.”