I exhale, she’s right. “Yeah, okay.”
She knocks quietly.
“Come in,” he calls.
She opens the door and peers in, his leg is all bandaged and he is sitting up in bed. He smiles broadly and holds his arms out for her and she rushes to him as she half laughs and half cries.
They hug each other in a long-lost greeting and it’s all I can do not to roll my eyes as I hang back.
“You’re alive.” She smiles down at him.
“I am.” He holds her hands in his. “Look how beautiful you turned out to be.” He pulls her close and hugs her again. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“And Olivia?” she asks.
“Is alive and well, we have five children.”
“Five.” She gasps. “Oh my gosh, you must be so busy.” She laughs as she sits on the bed beside him.
What else is there to do on an island but reproduce?
I bite my bottom lip to hold my snarky tongue.
Enrico’s eyes find mine at the bottom of the bed and he gives me the first genuine smile I’ve ever seen from him. “Giuliano.”
I nod.
“Thank you.”
I nod again, I get a vision of myself walking over and punching him until I knock the fucker clean out.
Knock, knock sounds at the door.
“Come in,” he calls.
Bianca puts her head around the corner. “Room for one more?” She smiles.
No actually…there isn’t.
Fuck off.
Great, this is the visit from hell.
Stop it.
This is Francesca’s family. Be nice…for her. Hold your tongue and get the fuck out of here.
Bianca goos and gushes. “My two children together again.” She kisses them both. “I’ve been so terrified. I could have lost you both.”
I clench my jaw. Fuck, I hate this woman.
She turns to me. “Giuliano.”
I stare at her blankly.
“Thank you, my dear boy, you saved them both.”
Francesca raises her eyebrow as a warning and I fake a smile. “Glad things worked out.”
A nurse comes into the room. “Francesca?”
“Yes,” she replies.
“You didn’t sign the discharge forms, can you come down to the office now and do it.”
“Oh sure.”
“I’ll come,” I offer.
“No, no.” Francesca smiles. “You stay here, I’ll be right back.”
I poke my head out the door to the guards. “Go with her, please.”
“Sure thing.” They follow Francesca and the nurse down the corridor and I go back into the room.
Great.
Enrico and Bianca both smile over at me.
I roll my eyes. “Oh please, fuck off, you two. You can cut the act now, she’s gone.”
“Whatever do you mean?” Bianca acts shocked.
“Stop pretending to like me, you only wanted me to run the company so that darling little Enrico didn’t have to come out of hiding.”
Enrico chuckles, clearly amused.
“And don’t you laugh, prick, you’re a fucking coward. Thanks very much for leaving a nineteen-year-old kid to take over the company and clean up your mess. If I knew you were still alive I would have found you and killed you myself.”
“I didn’t run.”
“Yes, you fucking did,” I snap. “You’re a coward.”
“Olivia was pregnant, I wasn’t going to risk her and our child’s life for a company I didn’t even want.”
“So, you risked Francesca’s instead. Nice brother you are.”
“When Francesca falls pregnant, you will understand why I did what I did.”
I already understand. Not that I’ll ever admit it.
“I admire you, Giuliano.” Bianca smiles. “You stand by your beliefs and I meant what I said. You are the best person for this job.”
I roll my eyes. “Let’s get this straight, Bianca, I tolerate you for Francesca’s sake only. You piss me off and we are not friends.”
She smiles. “Not yet.”
I turn to Enrico. “Move your family home, you’re not going anywhere until Carlo is caught.”
He frowns. “I don’t want a part of this business.”
“Oh, don’t worry, you’re not fucking getting it.”
“Then what do you need me for?” he snaps.
“Protect your sister for me. I can’t do it all. When I get Carlo you can go, until then I’m not giving you a choice.”
“And if I choose to leave?”
“Then I will kill you myself.”
“Giuliano,” Bianca gasps. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me.”
Enrico smiles, seemingly impressed.
We stare at each other while he contemplates his answer.
“Last chance,” I snap.
“Alright, I’ll stay. But only until he is caught.”
The door opens back up and Francesca appears, she smiles broadly at me and my heart somersaults in my chest. “Ready to go?” I ask her.
Her eyes flick to Enrico.
“I’ll see you back in Milan?” he asks her.
“You’re staying?” She gasps.
He nods. “Olivia and the children will be coming home too.”
“Oh,” Francesca cries in excitement as she pulls him into a hug. “I can’t wait to see Olivia and meet the children. It’s a dream come true.”
Oh please….
I roll my eyes and Bianca flicks me on the leg. “Stop it,” she whispers.
I flick her back. “You stop it.”
She smiles over at me and I nearly smile back.
Nearly.
Francesca
We sit in the airport private lounge waiting to board our plane.
My mother and Lorenzo and our guards are with us, they are sitting by the bar.
Lorenzo is on his laptop and he stands and walks over. “Look at this.”
He passes his laptop to Giuliano and we both concentrate to try to make out the footage.
“It’s security footage from an airport in Belgium.” he says.
We watch as a man in a black cap boards a plane alone.
“Got him,” Giuliano whispers darkly.
I look harder to see that it’s Carlo. “Where is he going?”
“New York.”
Giuliano frowns. “New York?” He thinks for a moment. “Get a team to New York immediately.”
“On it.” Lorenzo walks back over to the bar and my mind is racing a million miles per minute. I really need to speak to Anna.
“I’m just going to call Anna,” I say.
Giuliano nods. “Do you want a drink?”
“Yes, please.”
He gets up and walks to the bar and I dial Anna’s number.
“Chesk,” she answers, I can tell she’s been crying. “Are you okay?”
My heart sinks hearing how sad she sounds. “I am. Are you?”
“Did he really do this?” she whispers.
My eyes well with tears. “Yes,” I whisper sadly.
“I don’t understand how…how is this possible? Carlo is a good man, I know he is. I just….” She cuts herself off before she says anything else.