Page 48 of His Two Hidden Masks

“Of course. Of course.”

Leo wore a long, black overcoat. He looked handsome and ready for a night out, even though I was pretty sure he’d been about to go to bed or binge watch Antiques Roadshow. He was so in love with David that it had been a long time since Leo had prioritized the nightlife in Venice above David or sleep.

“Hi,” Leo said, introducing himself. “I’m Leo.”

“I’m Dylan.”

“He’s a twin,” I said, as they shook hands.

“Of course, he is,” Leo said, shaking Dylan’s hand vigorously. “Good firm hand shake, too.”

“Thank you,” Dylan said.

“You are welcome. And my very best friend, Bella, says that you are a lovely person, and if she is a fan, then I am a fan.”

“Lovely,” Dylan said, giving me a sideways glance.

Leo took out a big metal key ring. “Let’s get you both inside the factory before someone notices us.” He opened the ancient door, the locks clicking and sliding as if powering a machine inside the polished black wood.

An alarm beeped, but Leo keyed in a code right by the entrance to ensure the carabinieri didn’t come running. As the barn doors closed behind us, we stepped into a darkened stone lobby.

“Hold, please,” Leo said. He strode across the room and flipped a switch, turning on a series of gas-powered lights that ran up and down the hall. The flickering flames illuminated a series of glass lights and art pieces that encircled the ancient stone room.

In the center of the room hung a blue-and-green chandelier, the tubular strands of glass formed a sea-like creature that shimmered as it rotated. Along the wall stood a series of full-sized glass women in different poses.

Around the archway to another room, glass shelves covered with tiny vases, created a rainbow of reds, purple, and gold. They formed a grand entrance of light and vibrant color.

“It’s extraordinary,” Dylan said, his gaze moving throughout the room. “The art. You can almost hear the music in it.”

“You hear music?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.

“Tonight, I do,” he said, under his breath. “It’s been a long time.”

“I love this room, especially at night,” Leo said. “This is when the glass really shows herself.” He looked confident and proud, wiggling his hips as he pointed to the beautiful pieces.

I understood why he was so successful as a salesman. He loved his art. “If you must know, my evening tours are when I make most of my sales.”

“I bet they are,” Dylan said. “I want absolutely everything in this room.” His eyes moved along the wall of sculptures and stopped on me. He was not talking about the art.

“And this is not a sales event,” Leo said. “Although if you see anything you want to purchase, Dylan, I’m your man. I mean not your man, but you know what I mean.” Even Leo was flustered by Dylan’s handsome face.

“Thank you, Leo,” I said.

“Don’t turn on any more lights, Bella. I have the best ones set.” He handed me the key ring. “Be out of here by midnight, just like Cinderella.”

“What? You aren’t staying to give us the tour?” I said.

“Please, you know your way through here, plus I’m waiting for David to call. We have a FaceTime chat tonight, if you know what I mean,” Leo said, suggestively.

He turned his back to Dylan, eyes bugging out of his head. “Oh, my God,” he mouthed. He leaned in to give me a hug and whispered, “He is gorgeous, so fucking gorgeous. What the actual hell?”

I wanted to laugh, but I kept my lips in a tight line. Leo was right. Dylan was gorgeous, and of all the beautiful women in Venice, he was here with me.

I knew Leo would lose his mind if he knew about Dylan’s other identity, but that secret was not mine to tell. I glanced back at Dylan, trailing his fingers across the ancient brick walls.

“So, how good?” Leo said, then just as fast, added, “Never mind. You already told me.”

“The. Best.”

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