It was going to be a good day; I could feel it.
Chapter Eight
Barbara
Driving out to my condo, which was situated in the cheap area of Sunrise, so early in the morning, was something I hadn’t appreciated in a very long time. It meant that Vegas was bathed in the red and gold light from the beautiful colouring in the sky. Various hotels shimmered under their metallic coverings and their colours bled into my soul, making me feel warm inside. This morning my heart felt just that little bit lighter as for the first time in what seemed like forever, I contemplated that I might have a chance at a future.
Out of the corner of my eye, I took a look at the devastatingly handsome man sat beside me and then moved my eyes quickly back to the front. His reputation preceded him, but I couldn’t believe that the man who’d shown me so much compassion earlier could be all bad. Although, I was nervous at just what game he was going to play once we got back to my home. I continued to look over at Nico sporadically, and I tried to comprehend what I’d agreed to and just what it would involve.
The man himself was quiet on our journey, occasionally singing the odd few words to an Elvis soundtrack he had playing quietly in the car. I felt he was probably contemplating the exact same questions as me, but I felt sure, having witnessed the corners of his mouth twitch on more than one occasion, that he was much happier or at least more comfortable than I was about the deal we had made.
In fact, it appeared that he was almost enjoying our charade.
‘It’s beautiful, don’t you think?’ I asked trying to break through the silence.
‘The sunrise?’ he questioned.
‘Yes, I’ve always thought it would make a stunning photo.’
‘Are you into photography, Barbara?’
‘No, I don’t even own a camera.’ I laughed at the question. ‘Maybe in a different life I could have been.’ I trailed my finger on the crystal-clear glass of the passenger window. ‘I used to think how stunning the colours would look against the backdrop of the hills around us.’ Not wanting to mark his pristine car I pulled my finger back in quickly and clasped my hands together on my lap as I tried hard to relax.
‘Well, maybe this might be the start of your different life.’
‘You think?’ I turned to focus on Nico, while his eyes remained fixed on the road ahead.
The fact he was driving the two of us had come as a complete surprise. I’d seen his limo with its blacked-out windows and personalised number plate sweep up and down The Boulevard on numerous occasions before and expected to travel in that. He’d informed me in his large private garage underneath the casino, that whenever he could he liked to be in charge of his own fate, and he was also studying to become a pilot. As his words sunk home, I understood just how much I could get used to someone helping me steer my own fate and the thought was sobering.
‘Our marriage, this year together, well… it’s to help us both out. There is no reason why you can’t do something for you as well, while you concentrate on getting better.’
I was momentarily stunned at his thoughtfulness.
‘It’s the next right,’ I offered, breaking through the companionable yet contemplative quiet.
For the first time, he turned his head towards me and without answering me he nodded.
‘You knew that already, didn’t you?’
‘Yes,’ he answered truthfully.
‘Why that doesn’t freak me out… I have no idea.’
He competently turned the steering wheel of the navy Lamborghini Veneno with absolute precision and the engine roared its disgust at having to slow down.
‘The reason it doesn’t freak you out, as you put it, is because the longer you think on this, the more you’re coming to terms with the best decision you ever made.’
‘Mmmm.’ I wasn’t convinced I could carry this off in front of Pearl, let alone his overbearing grandmother. ‘Have you ever actually been here yourself before now?’ I asked, suddenly feeling the answer was important.
‘What would you prefer me to say?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Second lie,’ he challenged with a smile spreading over his gorgeous features.
‘Okay, okay. In truth, I’d prefer that you’d only ever had your security here. Them making sure I was alright and reporting back to you somehow sits better with me.’
‘Then, that’s the answer.’ He turned his head to look at me and with a broad smile over his face, showing me a dimple I hadn’t seen before in person or in the media, he offered me a quick conspirator’s wink. His usual composed persona had dissolved a little around the edges. Standing next to anyone else in a suit, Nico would have still looked the better dressed and the more perfectly put together. But against his own crazily high standards, little things were beginning to look less than perfect, and God did it suit him.
I felt my mouth fall open agog. He looked relaxed and could it be said, almost playful. It was as though I’d been allowed to catch a glimpse of the boy beneath the man his well-publicised life had turned him into.
Close your mouth and stop looking at him.
As we pulled up outside my scruffy looking condo, I closed my eyes quickly to compose myself. It was one thing having people know just how desperate your life had become, but it was completely different having them see it with their own eyes. The two small windows at the front at least looked a little more decent than they had yesterday. Pearl had hung my new drapes and although they weren’t in a fabric I’d have chosen by choice, I was more grateful than she would ever know.
Nico pushed a button on his console and spoke loudly. ‘We’re here, area clean?’
‘Yes, Boss.’
‘Good. Leave a couple of teams local, Fran.’
‘Already done, Boss,’ came the very direct reply from a microphone hidden somewhere in the state-of-the-art car.
He’s staying here with me. I could almost see myself with wide open eyes, like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Don’t be stupid, what did you expect?
‘Stay there,’ he demanded without turning his head to look at me.
I watched him get out of the car. He buttoned up his suit jacket, took a good look around the area, then walked around the front of his prized vehicle and opened up my door. I looked up nervously from the passenger seat as he offered his hand for me to take hold of.
As his hand hovered there in mid-air, and as I stared at his well-manicured fingernails and the Morello family signet ring on his finger, I knew that by taking hold of his hand I was truly accepting everything he was coercing me into. For a split second, I contemplated my next move, but understanding that he really did seem to have thought of everything, and that we truly could help each other out of the difficult situations we were in, I lifted up my hand and took hold of his fingers.
Jesus.
It took all I had not to pull my hand away, as what felt like a jolt of static electricity travelled up my arm and into my very obviously extremely tired body. Instead, I took in a deep breath and offered him a small smile as he closed the door to his Lamborghini behind me. After threading his large fingers in between my smaller ones, he pulled me in closely to his side, so close that his cologne engulfed me. Then he walked us up to the metal fence that surrounded my tiny property.