Page 41 of Enduring Caine
“I don’t know. Cristian says Gio had a brush with death two years ago that changed him. He does seem different, but the two of them are masters of manipulation.” I encouraged her to lie down. “He claims the Ferraro’s expansion is about giving back and reconciling with my father and Zio Andrea.”
“Johann mentioned the staff’s been cut almost in half over the last couple of years and that his job’s changed in that time.” Her hand rose to her mouth, fingers tapping against her lips. “What else could it be?”
I wrapped my good arm around her, pulling her against me. “A restorer could just as easily conceal a painting for illegal transport using our tools as they could repair it. They could cut apart a looted krater and prepare it for shipping in multiple containers, then have another company put it back together at its destination. No one would catch them. What if that’s what he’s doing?”
Her head snapped up to look at me again. The switch had flicked so soundly in her brain I could have heard it if something had not been exploding on the television. My investigator was back. “Or switchingwhathe’s smuggling? What if the conservation studio is a front to hide drugs inside frames or sandwiched between layers of canvas?”
I sighed. “Or what if he’s simply telling the truth?”
Samantha’s eyes twinkled in the dim light and she slowly lay her head down again. “Elliot in town, an undercover TPC agent inside the villa, and your uncle wants to get out of the business.”
“Ifhe’s telling the truth.” My eyes drifted closed. Elliot said that’s what the rumors were. How wonderful would it be? If my family could be whole again and the mention of Giovanni didn’t send my parents into a rage?
“Why would Vin lie about that, though?”
I tapped her back so she sat up again, and I could see her face. “I meant my uncle. But I’m guessing you have doubts about Vincenzo, as well?”
She stifled a laugh. “Who am I not suspicious of?”
“Your sister, her children, and your ridiculously sexy boyfriend?”
Rolling her eyes, she leaned over to the bedside table and used the remote to turn off the television. “I guess we’ll just have to—”
“No snooping,” I whispered as she settled onto my shoulder once more.
“Vincenzo’s got a device of some sort down in the cave to disable the security camera.”
“I don’t believe this is Samantha-speak for, ‘Yes, my love, I understand and I will not snoop.’”
“Yes, my love, I understand.” She let out long, slow breath, her body growing heavy against me.
The rest of the words didn’t come.
Not that I’d expected them to.
I couldn’t blame her. Because I wanted to snoop, as well. I wanted to discover whether Giovanni was telling the truth or simply using me for some other purpose.
Chapter 18
Antonio
Anearth-shatteringboomrockedthe bed and my eyes shot open.
Samantha bolted upright, eyes scanning the dark room. “What the fuck?”
A brilliant white light lit the room from around the curtains over the terrace doors. It flashed three times and the world shook again. A light rain pattered across the glass in the doors, growing stronger and fiercer until it was the clatter of hailstones.
Another flash of lightning and tremendous crash of thunder.
“Welcome to January in Roma,” I yawned. “Just be happy you got sun yesterday.”
She rose from the bed and tiptoed first to the main door—she’d sworn far too loud, but anyone outside likely thought it came from her room—then to the terrace doors. As she pulled one curtain aside, the lightning flashed again, illuminating her naked form. Long and lithe, with subtle curves and strong muscles I’d memorized months ago. My rock climber.
“Marone, you’re gorgeous,” I whispered, my brain waking enough to remember to keep my voice down since we were secret lovers.
Mmm, secret lovers. I liked that.
The curtain slid shut, but her silhouette was burned into my brain.