Page 29 of Reign of Commotion

I also discover that my husband has some keen senses and felt the danger before even seeing the car.I try to relax and enjoy the day with family and friends.It’s strange to feel this way, to have a family to call my own.Lilliana has been more of a mother to me than my own.Even when she hovers and coddles, though some might think she’s being bossy, I find it endearing.It’s her way of showing how much she cares and wants to take care of me.As a child, I never felt safe in my own home.I was happiest at school, away from my greedy father and cowardly mother.

Lilliana settles me onto the couch, quickly putting a cup of tea in my hand and wrapping her arms around me.Valentina and Josie are with us and quickly distract me, reliving all the highlights of the wedding.They took pictures with their phones, and we look through them.

“Your dress was stunning and suited you perfectly,” Josie says.Lilliana gives me a knowing look that says,I told you so.I giggle, and Lilliana leaves the room to prepare the table for our meal.

“Thank you,” I reply.

“Look at this one outside the church.The lighting is perfect.It’s a great shot of you and Julian getting into the car,” Valentina says.I look at the picture of Julian tenderly guiding me into the car and the smile on his face.He looks happy, well and truly so.My heart does a little lurch.I can make him happy.In the photo, his eyes are bright, and he looks at me with joy.I see my own expression, and I feel it in my heart: I’ve fallen in love with Julian.Now, under normal circumstances, you fall in love and get married.I think I fell in love with Julian the moment I pulled him from danger, and I didn’t even know it.My chest constricts.This could be very good or very bad.

My mother fell in love with my father, and the result was total heartache.Years of trying to please a man who would never be happy because he didn’t know how wonderful his life was because he always wanted more.All Dad did was get her killed.

Then again, Julian isn’t my father, and he’s been handling me with care.I hold hope in my heart.He may never love me, but he does care for me.

I look a little closer and see the lovely trees around the church making a pretty background for the photo.Then I notice what seems to be a head peeking out from behind a tree.

“May I?”I ask Valentina.She hands me the phone, and I expand the photo, trying to focus on the person.The larger I make it, the blurrier it becomes, but it’s definitely a head.

“Oh my God, is that a person?What on earth could they be doing way over there?”Josie asks.Then she calls out for Alessio, who makes his way swiftly into the room.“We were looking at photos, and Milana saw something in this picture.Someone is standing behind that tree.”

Alessio looks over my shoulder and snatches the phone out of my hand.He hits a few buttons on the phone and hands it back to his wife.

“I’ve sent it to my phone.Send me the rest of the pictures you took, gattina.This may be helpful,” Alessio says to Josie, then drops a soft kiss onto the top of her head.

When Lilliana returns, she tells us that brunch is being served and doesn’t see any of the men around.“What now?”she asks with frustration.“It would be nice if for one meal, just one, there would be no drama.”She throws her arms out, marches to Joe’s study, and raps on the door.“Mangia è pronto.”She announces that food is ready as a helpful nudge to come to the table.Not that I think for one second it will make them move any faster, but I love her feistiness.She returns to gather Josie, Valentina, and me, and we all help to bring out the platters of food, setting them down on the perfectly arranged table.

Thankfully, the men come out of Joe’s office and join us at the table.Joe bends and kisses his wife on the cheek with a mischievous grin.“Bella mia, you can pout, but you know that you can’t stay angry for long,” he teases.Lilliana tries to hold her pout for a moment longer, but fails miserably and lovingly reaches for Joe’s arm.

The meal is delicious, and the men devour their plates and go for seconds.I can hardly eat and keep thinking of the picture of the man behind the tree.I’m shaken out of my thoughts when Lilliana sets a dessert plate before me with a huge slice of tiramisu cake.

“This is too big,” I whisper to Julian, sitting next to me.I swear Lilliana has super hearing.

“You barely touched your food.You need to eat,” she says with a tone that tells me there’s no use arguing with her.

Julian puts his fork in my tiramisu, swipes off a huge hunk, and puts it in his mouth.After swallowing, he leans close to my ear and murmurs, “I got you,” making me smile.

* * *

It’s not until we’re in the car and on our way that I see we’re not heading back to the condo.Alessio’s car is ahead of us, with another car leading and one behind us.

“Where are we going?”I ask, looking at the passing streets.

“We’re staying at Alessio’s tonight as a precaution,” Julian responds.I look out the window and lean my head against the glass.Julian glances at me.“What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“It would be easier to just give me up.Or I can disappear.Leave the country, maybe.Find a quiet town somewhere and?—”

“Don’t even think about leaving me,” Julian barks.“You are my wife, and you will remain by my side.”He grips the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles whiten.

“You’re not safe with me here.None of you are,” I try to explain.

He twists his head to briefly catch my eyes.“It’s insulting that you think I can’t protect my own wife,” he growls.

“That’s not true!”I cry.“I trust you, but what if something happens to you because of me?I’d have to live with that.Look what happened to Barry.He’s lucky to be alive.”Tears well in my eyes, and my voice trembles.“I couldn’t bear it if they hurt you again.”

“We have a plan.This will be over soon, and things will become more normal.Spending the night at Alessio’s is only to ensure we don’t have to extend our men any more than we need to so we can use them to find the guy in the picture.”

“Who do you think he is?”

“We’re having the photo blown up and cleaned up.We’re hoping to get a positive ID on the guy in a couple of hours.”

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