Page 20 of Secret Match
Calm down, Gio.He quickly dressed so when she came out, he only needed a minute.
The limo waited outside and whisked them off the field.
Once they were inside the limo, Kiwi’s eyes fluttered closed after a short time. The drive to his villa took a few hours so he let her sleep, and again took out his tablet. When they got nearer, he’d let the fantasy of carrying her into his bed and keeping her there fully play across his mind.
Gio worked until they were parked before the front door, and he stroked her arm until she woke, bringing the imagery of his fantasy back. Her eyes opened wide as she stared at his ivory three-story villa, in particular, the red doors with ancient marble statue angels on either side on the pillars. She took his hand and they both shuffled out of the car. “Benvenuta a casa, mi bella.”
Her sandals clicked on the white marble bricks outside as she gazed up at the blue sky. “Casa? No. This is an estate.”
Her head swiveled from left to right as she took in the various wings and additions that had been added on a few hundred years after the initial house was built. They stepped onto his veranda and he pointed toward the back, past the reflecting pool that was meant for visual relaxation. “It’s my villa, with a small vineyard.”
“Vineyard?” She repeated like she needed to say the words out loud in order to understand. She breathed in. and only let it out when he opened the doors. Kiwi became transfixed with the original Emma Ciardi impressionist painting on the wall. She didn’t comment but instead asked, “You grow your own grapes for wine?”
He showed her inside the foyer, laid with impeccably polished ancient white marble. He pressed his palm on her lower back to bring her through the house and show her the grounds. “For pleasure, and locals only. I’m not interested in growing for profit.”
“It’s still impressive.” She peeked into the library that had stacks of books from ceiling to the floor.
Gio led her back into the hall to show her the sitting room. “Working in the field keeps me grounded and I get fresh ideas this way.”
He paused as he heard what sounded like American pop music. His ears focused on the female singer as Kiwi said, “Sure, because the house isn’t… wait is someone in here?”
Someone bounced against the marble tile making it sound like they tap-danced on the floor instead of staying on one of the area rugs. His entire body stilled as he stepped in front of Kiwi and reached for the door handle. “Sounds like it. I didn’t invite anyone.” He cautiously opened the sitting room door and saw a long-legged brunette in yoga pants and a man’s t-shirt with a slight bump following an aerobics video with visible pregnant ladies on the screen. His gaze narrowed as he asked, “Who are you?”
“Jennifer Gonzales,” the woman answered.
Ah. His mind instantly clicked in recognition of her name. Jennifer was attractive with dark brown eyes and a face that made everyone want to look at her, but she wasn’t nearly as beautiful as the woman who had just walked in beside him. Kiwi’s kind face made her way more beautiful and she tugged at his heart strings.
Jennifer stopped her exercise to give Kiwi a hug. “Kiwi Washington? I’m a big fan of your shoes.”
Kiwi’s brow wrinkled as she glanced at him. Once the hug ended she asked Jennifer, “What are you doing here?”
Jennifer tilted her head to look at them both. “Anthony brought me.”
Gio understood at once. Anthony had whisked Jennifer away from Peter and somehow ended up in Gio’s home. “Where is my brother?”
“On the terrace.” Jennifer used his remote to turn off the television.
His lips pressed together. Once he found his brother he would remind him not to use Gio’s house as his own property. Anthony had plenty of his own. Gio narrowed his eyes in preparation of a confrontation, but then felt a slight sting that today wasn’t what he’d planned for Kiwi. “Kiwi, I’ll be right back. It seems I have unexpected guests.”
He hugged Kiwi’s side and moved toward the door. With his back to the women, he heard Jennifer tell Kiwi, “Please don’t tell Victoria I’m here.”
“Too late,” Kiwi said. He turned his head and saw Kiwi with her phone in hand as she stared at Jennifer without malice. “She’s my boss and she’s looking for you.”
Okay, Kiwi was clearly loyal to her boss. Gio squared his shoulders and continued toward the back terrace.
Passing through the ballroom and dining areas that overlooked the terrace and vineyard, he strode right outside into the warm sunshine of Lombardy. He saw his brother enjoying a glass of Gio’s summer red wine and snacking on a plate of grapes as he talked on his cell phone.
Anthony’s gaze flashed at him and his brother hung up the phone.
Gio stormed over and stood taller as he asked, “Anthony, what are you doing here?”
Anthony rose to his full height. “I thought you were in Miami for another few days.”
Invading Gio’s home wasn’t Anthony’s usual style as they’d both gone their separate ways over the past ten years. He widened his stance. If Anthony had asked, Gio would have welcomed him. “You brought your guest here? What about your own house?”
Anthony motioned toward the table and the bottle of wine like he didn’t see what he’d done wrong. “Jennifer was being tracked. I couldn’t bring her to any of my villas.”
And family is the only one you can trust.Their father’s words haunted Gio and his shoulders slumped. Anthony was his younger brother, who his mother had thought simply misguided. On the day she died, she’d had Anthony on her mind. Gio gestured for them both to sit as he settled in. “Couldn’t or wouldn’t? You have the power to transform your own villa into an army base if you want.”
