Page 85 of Depths of Obsession
“Has anyone seen her or her brothers?” Pippa asks, her brow furrowing beneath the blindfold. “How did she escape with the necklace? I was never clear on that part.”
Nico chuckles, his voice tinged with a strange mix of admiration and disbelief. “She used a rope to rappel down the side of the Duomo and then disappeared. Gotta admit, it was impressive. Her brothers went down the stairs after they got up again.”
“And no one has seen them since?” I press, my grip on Pippa’s hand tightening.
Nico’s tone darkens. “Unfortunately, Natalia turned up dead. Drowned. Her body was found floating in the Mediterranean off a beach in Nice. Nothing to indicate foul play. Her brothers, though, were found in a parking garage, also in Nice. Shot. The French police are looking into everything.”
I take a moment, the news hitting me harder than I expected. Natalia was crazy, unpredictable, but she had a zest for life that was undeniable. There’s a heaviness in my chest as I say, “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Me too,” Pippa whispers, her voice softer, sadness lacing her words. She hesitates before asking, “Do you think it’s the curse?” Her voice cracks slightly, and I can sense the fear underlying the question.
I glance over at her, her lips pressed into a thin line, her forehead creased in worry. I squeeze her hand again, wishing I could take away that fear.
“It could be,” Renzo says, his voice measured. “She was holding it when we last saw it, and it hasn’t turned up anywhere else. Maybe she fell off a yacht, or maybe someone killed her for it. Either way, the necklace is gone, and we no longer have to worry about it.”
“Easy for you to say,” Pippa mutters, her shoulders slumping. “It’s not an asset in a holding company under your name.”
Renzo’s voice brightens. “It’s not in your name either, Pippa. Your husband and I worked some magic of our own and transferred it to a holding company in Calaba’s name. It’s all legal and everything. We even managed to get his signature on it. Of course, he doesn’t know it yet, but someday he will discover that he technically owns the necklace.”
“Oh my God,” Pippa gasps, squeezing my hand tightly. Her face lights up, and I can hear the relief in her voice, a tension I hadn’t even realized she’d been carrying leaving her shoulders. “Thank you both so much. You have no idea how much that was stressing me out. This is amazing. I feel so much better.”
I can’t help but laugh, the sound coming out in a rush of warmth. “I’m glad. And there’s more. I have another surprise for you.” I pause, letting the anticipation build. “With a little persuading from Nico, your former boss Marcello has decided that going back to the US is in his best interest. The gallery is yours.”
Pippa reaches up to shift the blindfold, her breath hitching in her throat, but I grab her hand, stopping her. “Not yet, little one. You can’t take it off yet—it’ll ruin the surprise.”
Her lips part in a joyful gasp, her voice trembling as she says, “You all are the most amazing… creatures. I cannot thank you enough. My own gallery! Oh my God! It’s my dream come true!”
The joy in her voice is infectious, and I find myself grinning, my heart swelling with happiness. “We’re almost there, so I’m going to let you all go,” I say, glancing at the GPS. “I’ll call you later so we can discuss the clubs. The demon has disappeared, and so has Black Heart, thank God, but I think we still need to track him down. I have a few questions about what happened. I’ve been checking into Vittoria and her holdings. As much as she hated me, I’m not sure she had the ability to do everything on her own.”
“I agree,” Renzo replies, his voice fading slightly as we begin to end the call. “But let’s talk about it later. Have fun.”
The line goes quiet, and the car fills with the hum of the engine and the anticipation hanging in the air. I glance at Pippa, her face turned toward me, a small smile playing at her lips despite remaining blindfolded.
“We’re almost there,” I say, my voice softening. She nods, squeezing my hand again, her excitement palpable, and I know in that moment that everything I’ve done—all the deals, all the sacrifices—was worth it for this. For her. To see her happy.
I park the SUV and go around to Pippa’s side, helping her out. “Keep your eyes closed under the blindfold.” I say.
Pippa giggles as she puts her hands out in front of her searching for anything to grab on to.
I guide her to the sweeping staircase. “Okay, steps.” She picks up her foot, but I sweep her off her feet and lightly run upward. She lets out a squeal and then a peel of laughter.
Nothing has ever sounded so good.
I open the door and set her down. She cocks her head. “It smells…familiar. Just like…” she reaches up and pulls off the blindfold. Her mouth drops open. “Luca!” She turns to me, and I just nod.
“Yes, little one, welcome home.”
“The summer house is mine?” Her eyes immediately sparkle with unshed tears. She leaps up and kisses me hard on the mouth. “You are the most amazing husband!” She leaps out of my arms and takes off toward the living room.
“Just remember that the next time you’re pissed at me,” I call after her.
She laughs again and I follow her into the room. “It’s the same. The new owners didn’t change it.”
“They had plans to, but I bought it before they got started.”
Pippa meets my gaze and cocks an eyebrow. “Did you get the plans by any chance?”
It’s my turn to laugh. “What? So now you want to change the place?”
