Page 136 of His Two Hidden Masks

“And some day, I want us to marry again,” I whispered. “No masks, no confusion. Just you and me. I want to look in your eyes and know that I am choosing you, the man of my dreams.”

“Please tell me you don’t want a big fucking wedding,” he said.

“The biggest,” I giggled. “I probably want an orchestra in the church.”

“Not a bloody church.”

“Or maybe on a beach,” I said.

“Now you are talking,” he whispered.

“I want to choose you for real. I want us to choose each other.”

“I will promise to marry you every day,” Dylan said, his arms growing tighter around my lower back.

His body called me and my desire answered, swelling like waves in the lagoon breaking against the stone wall, spilling into San Marco Square.

Like the rising waters of my beautiful Venice, our love could never be contained.

32

Ten months later.

I stretched my arms, up before my phone alarm, per usual. I jumped out of bed, the hardwood floor cool beneath my feet. I opened my shades and looked out into the busy Seattle street.

The sign for the Holiday Apartments sparkled in the fog. Someone had put up Christmas Lights. I wondered if it was an attempt to draw attention to the vacancy sign out front. My phone beeped. It was Leo.

This place is fucking cold. I thought you were picking me up at the airport?

I typed back.

Look for the driver

I put on one of my favorite dresses. Odessa encouraged me to show off my curves more, and I’d been working out with Shea ever since I’d agreed to take a room here. In Seattle, I exchangedthe winding streets of Venice for the flat circular walking path around Green Lake.

I opened my laptop for a quick video chat with the team in Venice. A few seconds of a wagon wheel and there was Roberto on screen.

“Ciao, Bella,” he said. “How are things in that frozen tundra.”

“It’s not a tundra,” I said, used to his teasing. “It’s quite temperate and I firmly believe the people who live here tell lies about the weather to keep people like you from moving here.”

He laughed. “Okay, so let’s go through the numbers.”

Roberto managed the Mia Sorella in Venice as well as our Florence property. My mother promoted Paolo and gave him oversight of the property in Milan. Auntie Aurora still managed Andiamo and Lissa was the head of operations for Bella Baci. I was the brand and face in North America.

“Has Leo arrived?” Roberto asked.

“Not yet. Where is Lissa? Is she joining the call?”

“Morning sickness,” Roberto said, wiping his eyes. “Bella, the twins are going to be born in about three months and I am terrified. Lissa is like a moody mama bear already, too hot, too cold.” He’d dropped his voice to a whisper.

“I heard that!” Lissa called. Her lovely and round shape come into view. “I’m a goddamn bitch, Bella,” she said. “Who knew that making two humans in my belly would take so much work.”

“Yes, darling,” Roberto said.

“I am making humans,” Lissa said, her hands landing on the blue Murano heart around her neck. “Not just one, but two. Two humans, Roberto.”

“I know, my love.” Roberto leaned over and kissed her temple, his eyes meeting mine on the screen, wide eyed. He mouthed the word “help.”

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