Page 95 of For Your Eyes Only
“He… he said I jeopardized his business. It’s over.” I’m close enough to slide my hands forward and grab the vase, but can I hit him hard enough from this angle?
Dark eyes shoot down to my hands, and he lifts the vase quickly. “I’ll just put this out of the way for now.” He carries it to the counter. “If he’s not paying you, how do you afford to live here, in this apartment by the sea?”
“It was my mother’s place. I was able to buy it with the money I made from Private Eyes.”
“Ah…” Another sinister grin. “SoIhelped you buy it? You’re welcome.”
“You’d better go. My fiancé will be back any minute, and he’s very protective of me.”
“The drag queen?” His eyes narrow. “Don’t play games with me, Giana. He’s not your fiancé.”
“He was, and he’ll make you pay if you hurt me.”
The man begins pacing, driving his fingers into the sides of his hair. “I’m not here to hurt you, don’t you understand? I love you.”
Cramps fill my stomach as memories of my mother, of the man who was obsessed with her, the man who killed her, crowd my brain.
Inhaling slowly, I do my best to remain calm. “Let’s start over. I can’t call you Number 1 anymore. What’s your name?”
Worried eyes meet mine. “Andre Bertonelli.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Andre.” I take a cautious step to the right, in the direction of the framed picture on the wall. “Why did you come here? Do you want something from me?”
He stops pacing and looks at me. “I need money. I hoped you could help me.”
“Okay.” I nod carefully. “I can give back the money you gave me if that will help you. Then you can go back to Florida?”
“No… That was a gift. I only wantedhismoney.” His face twists. “I’ll have to find another way.”
“Another way to do what?”
“To get out.”
I’m confused, but I’m also curious. “Why do you want Trip’s money? Did he hurt you?”
“He can only hurt me if he forces my hand.” His words form a lead weight in my stomach. “I’m the only one who knows about you, and if I can get out, I won’t have to do anything. I don’t want to do that.”
Goose bumps break out on my arms, and I cross them, rubbing my palms up and down my skin. “What would you have to do?”
“Goodbye, Giana. I hope you don’t see me again.”
He dashes out the door, and I run around the table, chasing after him. “Wait! Andre, tell me what’s happening!” I’m at the top of the stairs when I run slap into Michele. “Oh, shit!”
“Hey, slow down.” He grabs my shoulders, catching me before I fall. “Where are you going so fast?”
“Did you see the man who just left here? Tall with dark hair, olive skin?”
“You just described every man in the village.” I’m shaking all over as Michele leads me back into the apartment. “What happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“A man was just here asking about Trip. He said he needed money.” Shaking my head, I turn over everything he said in my mind. “He was… unhinged.”
“Did he try to hurt you?”
“No… it was very strange. He wasn’t here to hurt me.”
He can only hurt me if he forces my hand.Looking down, I try to make sense of what he said. Something is happening, and I can’t imagine what it could be.
“I’m afraid, Misha.”