Page 8 of Twisted Obsession

It was all too much.

First Serafina, and now Mia.

Surely, I wasn’t going to end up the unhappy bastard who had two fucking De Lucas for brothers-in-law?

Marco, ever the loyal friend, turned at the same time as me and, after knocking his shoulder into mine, spoke again.

‘It’s just a couple of hours. All you need to do is to make polite conversation andbefriendly. Then you’ll have done your bit. The plane is ready to go back to England just as soon as you are. Once there, you can find yourself a gorgeous virginal English rose, as seems to be your preference.’ He tried to make light of the tense atmosphere.

‘Fuck off,’ I retorted, then acknowledged what he’d just said. ‘I know you’re right,’ I conceded, as I tipped the bottle I was holding up high once again and drained the remaining beer.

‘Giovanna… you look stunning!’ I heard Mia shout above the low, continuous rumble of the many guests making small talk.

As I finished the last drops and released the bottle from my mouth, I turned to look over my shoulder. Having removed the brown glass from my view and turned fully around, my eyes fell on the adult version of the terrified little girl I’d met on a few occasions. Suddenly, my red mist dispersed, and my path forward became clearer.

‘Wow, would you look at that,’ I heard Marco’s words of approval. ‘She’snice,’ he added, putting extra emphasis on the last word out of his mouth, letting me know he was also conscious of the woman I was watching intently.

‘She’s not justnice,’ I replied. ‘She’s so beautiful, she reminds me of a piece of artwork.’ I could feel the subtle shake of my head as I ran my eyes over her, appreciating her in her entirety.

‘If you say so.’ I heard the laughter in his voice and felt his shoulder knock against mine again.

‘And art was never meant to looknice…’ Words I would have normally kept inside my head fell without a care from my mouth. Marco spoke the rest of the saying at the exact same time it fell from my lips, ‘It was made to make you feel something.’

Fuck! She is a vision.

The grown-up version of Giovanna stirred up something visceral inside me.

‘Thanks, mate.’ I passed my now empty beer bottle in Marco’s direction and began to move.

‘What’s happening?’ he questioned in disbelief, with a hint of a warning tone.

‘I’m off to be friendly and make polite conversation. Apparently, it’s all I have to do.’

‘No,’ Marco offered in response, as he slowly shook his head.

I offered him a laugh in reply.

Looking down at myself, I checked my appearance and then lifted a hand to smooth back my longer lengths of hair. Within seconds, I was walking towards the only person on the whole terrace who would help me keep my promise, but equally one who might be able to help me with so very much more.

Chapter Four

Giovanna

‘Gi.’ A deep, resonating voice found me just as soon as we stepped inside Salvatore and Serafina’s villa.

Coming around the side of the large sweeping staircase I found my elder brother and offered him a smile. Knowing he was never one for making meaningless pleasantries, when his arms opened wide to engulf me, I willingly stepped inside to receive his embrace.

‘Good to see you, Gi.’ He placed a quick kiss on the top of my head as his arms squeezed the breath from me and then just as suddenly released me.

‘And you... looking, dare I say it—happy?’ I replied.

‘She’s back.’

‘She is and I’m so pleased for you both,’ I answered, while staring up at him with what I knew was obvious adulation.

I loved all three of my brothers, but Salvatore and I had a special connection. The only explanation was that although we were two out of the four children our papa had sired, we were for very different reasons the misfits. And in that knowledge, we had found our strength and love for each other.

‘Learnt that new piece yet?’ he teased.

---