Page 78 of Enduring Caine
Vincenzo placed a hand on my shoulder and gestured toward my cup. “Don’t worry, Antonio. I’ll go so you can finish your breakfast.”
“Good idea,” said Giovanni, cutting off my argument before I could voice it. “You need your strength, my boy.”
Chapter 35
Samantha
I’dpackedmostofmy things into my carry-on, ready to finally leave, as soon as Giovanni’s mysterious surprise arrived. Antonio had already seen the first surprise—the new conservation studio. What else could possibly be so important to keep us in this hellhole for so much longer?
My room was too damn small. I stepped out onto the terrace, the damp morning air invading every cell of my body. The chill was no match for my Michigan-winter-ready jacket, but I hadn’t been able to shake the prickles at the back of my neck since I woke.
It wasn’t the cold; it was the wrongness.
Antonio had warned me before we left the airport that there would be lies, but the sheer weight of them was overwhelming. And more than the lies were the secrets.
An undercover agent, a stolen painting, my stupid ex-boyfriend, and a murder.
Four stories below me, a dozen men made slow circuits of the property, walking in pairs with their M4s. Last night’s chaos had transformed into an organized response. From what Antonio told me, it was all under Leo’s careful watch.
Now here I stood, unable to leave my room until Antonio gave me the all-clear. He was still nervous over Giovanni’s promise about the camera. I should have been, too, but what about Johann? What if he was murdered and there was a killer on the loose? They’d found my secret camera, so that was done with. The bigger question was who would—who could—kill the huge German?
Ifhe was killed, I reminded myself for the hundredth time.
I re-entered the room, closing the door and throwing my jacket onto the bed on my way to the bathroom.
The mirror reflected a woman as tired as I felt. The bruising around my neck had faded enough it didn’t stand out. No one had mentioned it when we arrived and no one’s eyes had lingered on it, so hopefully no one was silently wondering what had caused the bruises. Or whether Antonio had done it, for that matter.
Calm down and put on some makeup. Antonio will like that.I didn’t have much in my bag, but anything would be a nice surprise for him. And a way to celebrate our freedom.
By tonight, we’d be in Naples. It was Friday, so Mario would probably force us to go to La Fiamma together and dance the night away. I paused with the eye shadow brush over my lid. Maybe I’d wear that Versace dress Antonio bought me in September. It would be chilly outside, but Mario would have us past the bouncers fast enough, I’d barely notice. And Antonio would definitely put his jacket around me.
God, I love that man.
A light knock came at the door.
“One sec,” I called, finishing the eye shadow. Unfortunately, when I opened the door, it wasn’t the man I’d hoped for. “Vincenzo. What can I do for you?”
His mouth tensed, eyes crinkling at their corners. “Can I come in?”
No. But someone was watching, always watching, and he’d been into my room before. I stepped back and waved him in. Anything else might raise suspicions.
Once the door clicked closed, he turned and took me in his arms. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you and what happened last night.”
The embrace just increased the awkward feeling in my neck. I broke his hold and pushed him away. “Don’t do that.”
It was as though Vin expected we could still be friends. “I thought you were staying with your boyfriend?”
“His name’s Antonio, and yes, I am.” I returned to the bathroom, to applying makeup that would make my boyfriend happy. Did I have to continue with the fake face in front of Vincenzo? Pretend I was the weepy woman who was distressed over finding a body, rather than the one who wanted to do something about it? “I was still upset this morning, and Antonio thought a little extra sleep would help.”
“But instead you packed?”
“We’re leaving today, so I should be ready.” Next came eyeliner, which I’d never been able to put on straight. Miraculously, this time, it came out perfectly. Maybe I should rage-decorate my face more often. “Are you really here to see how I’m doing? Or was there something else?”
“I’m worried, Sam.” He leaned against the doorframe, inspiring memories of getting ready in the mornings when I stayed at his apartment. “I heard the crates arrived yesterday?”
“They did.” Next, mascara, which drew out the color of my eyes. Yeah, Antonio would love this. “Giovanni was pissed, too. Said they weren’t supposed to arrive until tomorrow.”
“One of them must be what the TPC was waiting for.”