Page 65 of His Vow
“I’ll be there,” Nico confirms before ending the call.
Picking up my cell from the table, I drop it into my suit jacket pocket, but before I start to pack my laptop away, I turn to Gio. “I’m coming too.”
“No, Antonio.” His tone is firm. “We’ll handle this. You’re still recovering. And you need to go and see Lucia.”
I look up at him, and he’s grinning.
“Sorry, bro, but you’ve been a fucking nightmare to be around since she went with her father.”
I want to argue with him, but I can’t when he’s right. Lucia and our unborn baby are everything, and I need to be giving them my full attention rather than the fucker who threatened them. I trust my brothers will serve up a special brand of justice so we never have to see Bruno again.
“Take security with you. This isn’t over yet,” Gio warns as I walk to the door.
I stop, turn around, and walk back to him, then give him a hug. Not a half hug or a slap on the back like we’d usually do as brothers, but one with both arms around his shoulders. “Thank you, brother.”
He doesn’t say anything; he simply hugs me back, careful not to squeeze too hard. And that’s enough—it’s all the acknowledgment I need to know we’ve got each other’s back like we’ve always had.
Stepping back, I inch toward the door—not because of my injuries, which are a little better each day, but because there’s a boulder-sized lump lodged in my throat.
Before leaving, I turn and find Gio standing by the window, staring down at the cobbled street while watching the people of Florence go about their business.
“Good luck and stay safe,” I say, then leave.
On the other side of the door, I’m met by my security guys. Will and Parker are not only my constant shadows since I left the hospital a few days ago, but they’ve become friends.
Hunter Carlson, one of Gio’s partners in his club, recommended the guys. They run a private security company out of DC with other former military buddies. Gio has another team protecting him.
“Hope you guys packed your board shorts, because we’re going to Capri,” I joke.
“Sweet. This job just keeps getting better,” Will replies as they fall into step on either side of me.
I chuckle, knowing the truth behind their words. This week, we’ve had plenty of time sitting around in my suite at the Forbes Hotel talking, and they’ve shared some funny stories about the crazier personal security jobs they’ve had.
“What’s in Capri?” Parker asks. There’s more behind the question than curiosity. The laid-back demeanor of Will and Parker hides two absolute professionals who don’t leave anything to chance. They already know who’s in Capri, but I say it anyway.
“My wife.”
Will tilts his head in my direction like he knows I was about to say more. I was going to mention the baby, but I’m not sure I need to.
“Let’s talk about the layout of your villa as we travel,” he says, and I don’t know why I’m surprised they even know I own one.
Parker remains silent because we’ve hit street level and have turned out of the office to walk the short distance to the hotel, and his focus is fully engaged on what’s going on around us.
I’ve got total faith that Will and Parker can keep Lucia and me safe until Bruno and his band of thugs are dealt with by my brothers or the law.
I’m not sure whose punishment will be worse.
***
Capri
It’s early afternoon by the time the car pulls up to the gates of the Romano family villa. I don’t remember ever seeing these gates shut, but today, they’re locked, and a security guard stands on the inside of them.
Lucia and her father are expecting me, and once my ID is checked, the guard opens the smaller side entrance to let me through. With the Romano property secure, Will and Parker drive on to do a sweep of my villa.
If they don’t think it’s safe enough, Lucia and I will stay here. But I’m confident that with the surveillance cameras I installed a couple of years ago and the fact that it’s also gated, we’ll be at our own villa tonight.
Chapter twenty-eight
