Page 42 of Under Her Skin
“I’m sorry, baby. Look, we can call this off anytime, you knowthat.”
Hero smiled down at the burner phone she was using. “I do know that, but while Melly is still missing, I’ll do anything. Turo,” she faltered a little, “getting a read on George might mean…me going along with what he wants…to a point ofcourse.”
Arturo was silent, and Hero felt her heart clench. “Baby, I love you, only you. But I might need to appear to be…God…submitting to his ‘charms.’ Sogross.”
Arturo gave a half-laugh, and she relaxed a little. “Be careful, Hero, I couldn’t bear the thought of him touching you. What’s your read on him sofar?”
“Creepy asshole, hates you, wants to fuck me just because I’m yours—or, to his knowledge, your ex. Following my gut? I just don’t know yet. I need to get a little more information. See if he gives anythingup.”
“Mio Dio,” Arturo sighed. “Do what you have to do,cara mia, but please, takecare.”
“I will. What’s yourplan?”
“Going to my uncle. Besides you, he’s the only person I trust to be honest withme.”
Hero bit her lip. “You’re going to talk to him aboutPete?”
“Yep. God, I hate, hate,hatethat I have to question my oldest friend’s motives. He’s been nothing but a rock tome.”
“I know, baby, I’msorry.”
“But, like you, I have to follow my gut, if only to rule himout.”
She sighed. “Iknow.”
“Listen, the rooms next to your suite have my people in them. You get scared at all—scream. They’ll be rightthere.”
Hero sighed. “God, I miss youalready.”
“And I you, my darling. Do we really have any idea what we’redoing?”
Hero gave a half-sob, half-laugh. “No. But we have to do something, and this isit.”
“I know. You should hear some of the ridiculous notions going around my head about who could be targeting you andme.”
“Like?”
Arturo hesitated. “Like…Tom. What if he faked his death? What if…blah blah blah. You see? Ridiculous—and I feel bad for even thinking that about your husband. I’msorry.”
“No, I get it. I’m having crazy thoughts like that as well. I didn’t get to see Tom and Beth buried, so there’s always going to be that lack of closure for me. But they’re just that—crazy thoughts. …AndArturo?”
“Yes,caramia?”
“Youare my husbandnow.”
Arturo laughed, a deep, rich sound which warmed her soul. “You bet I am. I loveyou.”
“I love you, baby. Sleepwell.”
“Goodnight,il miaamore.”
Arturo wasn’t surprisedwhen George Galiano showed up at Villa Bachi the next morning. George’s smile wasinsidious.
“I come on behalf of a friend to ask you to send her belongings on to her. She asked that I take possession of them as she doesn’t wish for you to know where sheis.”
Arturo ground his teeth together and had to remind himself this was all a ruse, or else he would have punched the smug smile off of George’s face. “Drop the bullshit, Galiano. Hero can fight her own battles; she doesn’t needyou.”
George smirked a little. “You abandoned her in tears in a restaurant. She’s utterlyhumiliated.”
