Page 85 of Mafiosa
‘A Falcone switchblade,’ I whispered. ‘My own switchblade.’ I glanced up at him, a smirk twisting my lips as a flurry of giddy energy rushed through me. ‘Val, you simply must stop giving me weapons like this, you’re absolutelyspoilingme.’
He gaped at me for half a second, and I instantly regretted the levity of my response.
Then he laughed, and the sound was open and honest. ‘I was trying to think of an appropriate time to give it to you. This seemed like a good diversion.’
I fingered the engraving. ‘You got me this even though you know I didn’t go through with killing Libero Marino. Why?’
‘I need allies,’ Valentino told me plainly. ‘I know you’re loyal. I trust everything you just told me. Luca fought hard to have you accepted here, and I trust his judgement too. I wouldn’t deny him that. I wouldn’t deny him anything, in fact. But I want you on my side, Sophie.’
I nodded, probably a bit too enthusiastically. ‘Of course I’m on your side.’
‘Good.’ Valentino’s smile was fleeting this time. ‘Because I need you to stay here, with us.’ There was an unexpected intensity to his words. I glanced up at him. ‘I’m afraid I might be losing him,’ he said.
‘Who?’
‘You know who,’ he said.
‘You’re not losing Luca. He loves you. You’re loyal to each other.’
‘I am losing him,’ Valentino insisted. ‘To you.’
‘It’s not a competition, Valentino.’
His eyes creased, sadness brimming at the surface. ‘Don’t make him choose.’
‘I won’t.’ I pressed my hand to my heart, without quite knowing why.
We fell into silence then, Valentino’s thoughts turning to somewhere beyond that room, the switchblade heavy and sure in my hand.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONENOTES
Paulie and Luca were on their way into the city by the time I was done in Valentino’s office. Nic had tried to attack Luca again, and then a call had come through about a logistics meeting with a Marino emissary ahead of next week’s peace talk. I wandered upstairs feeling incomplete, and a little anxious. Luca had said he loved me and I didn’t get to say it back.
I paced back and forth in my room, and ate an entire bag of Cheetos. I didn’t want to go downstairs – Nic was there, and I wasn’t ready to have that talk with him, and it was more than obvious he wasn’t ready to have that talk with me. Luca wasn’t due home until much later.
I decided to go back to basics.
I was going to leave him a note.
A poem.
But I was going to out-gesture him and make my own.
I opened my notepad and started scribbling, and before I could talk myself out of it, I slid the note under his door and scurried back to bed.
Luca, I think it’s time I told you something true, Like how your eyes are the most amazing sapphire blue, Or how your smile makes me giddy and silly and shy, How I love your voice and the way that you sigh. I swear my heart jumps whenever I’m with you, Because you are my favourite, and I love you, too. P.S. I almost forgot this last message from me, I will still never respect your authority
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWODORK
When I rolled out of bed in the morning, a piece of paper had been shoved under my door. I unfolded it, glee quickly replacing exhaustion.
Sophie,
You are such a dork.
I’m keeping that in my wallet for ever.
Come get me when you wake up.
