Page 91 of La Dolce Vita

"I won't. I swear."

"Let's go home," he said. "Now."

He put his arm around her neck and started to walk her back toward the path. She went without resistance. Only once did she look back to the grave and the surrounding forest. And from somewhere in the woods, Armando watched.

ChapterSixteen

A Tale of Two Sons

Chianti, Italy

The wet heat from the rag against her face soothed her. Mirabella wiped off the makeup she'd worn during the day. She turned off the tap and reached for another hand towel to blot her skin. The hour was late, but she wasn't sure of the time. So many people went in and out of the villa. It took forever for her and Cecilia to get the children to settle down. Her babies were to excited to sleep. Now she was exhausted. Once done with her grooming routine, she turned off the light and walked out of the bathroom. The moment she stepped into the hall a man's large hands grabbed her. In one dizzying move, she was swept off her feet and thrown over the stranger’s shoulder. Stunned she didn't scream. Not at first. In all her nightmares none of them felt this real.

Emotion clogged her throat. And then her attacker smacked her on the rump and chuckled. Mirabella howled with fury now able to name the perpetrator.

"Giovanni!" she yelped.

"You're coming with me."

"Put me down. Are you insane?" she asked.

He didn't comply. The worst of it was his carrying her down the stairs. She flopped on his back like a sack of laundry. She punched and pinched him in a feeble attempt to make him stop. The blood in her body rushed to her head. At the beginning of their marriage, they play fought. And she liked it. When she gave birth to his sons, he turned his attention of rough housing to his progeny. And since her kidnapping he treated her like some delicate flower. Now he was wild and unpredictable? Her husband bit her on the thigh to remind her to behave. The bite hurt, a little, enough for her to stop resisting. And when they stopped on the landing she waited for him to release her.

“Will you be a good girl?” he asked.

“Put me down, Gio,” she said.

“Promise me you won’t be mad.”

“Put me down!”

He pulled her off his shoulder to set her down on her feet. She punched him in the chest the moment her feet were on the ground. She knew it didn't hurt him, but he folded and clutched his chest as if it did.

She hid her smile. Mirabella could never stay mad at him for long.

"Don't ever do that again. You could have given me a heart attack." She huffed. Her hair was all over her face. She brushed it down with her hands, but was stopped when Giovanni grabbed her wrists and yanked her toward him. Captured by him she looked up at him as if she were mad.

"Come away with me?" he asked.

She didn't know how to respond. The question was simple enough, but it held a deeper meaning.

"Vuoi venire con me--do you want to come with me, Bella?"

"Where are we going?” she asked and crossed her arms.

He smiled, slightly. "I have a surprise for you tonight."

"No. Not tonight, Giovanni. It's late. I just put the kids to bed, and I'm tired. I was hoping to read my book."

"Book?" His nose wrinkled, and he let go of her wrists. "Bella, you surprise me. You’d rather read a book than run away with me?"

"Run away? Out here? To where, the fields?"

"You'll like this surprise. I promise. Read a fucking book when I'm dead. Come away with me now."

She threw up her hands in defeat. He pulled her by the hand and walked her through the house, out the side door, and into the night. Several men gathered around a car listening to the radio. They all nodded or waved at Giovanni. He ignored them. He marched through the grass, and she had to half run, half walk, to keep up. Above her lightning flashed inside the dark clouds. The heady scent of rain wafted up in the air. The strange thing was they were headed toward the road.

He pointed. Mirabella looked to the side of the villa. There were two bicycles propped up against the wall.

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