Page 47 of Under Her Skin
“Only if Peter…youknow…”
She watched as a million emotions flitted through her lover’s eyes. “Turo, for what it’s worth, I can’t imagine it’s Peter. He just doesn’t seem like the type, and why would he turn on you after all these years? For money, power? I don’t buyit.”
“Me either. He knows…God, he knows that if it was a choice between having you safe and alive or having the business, he could have it all. So why? Why would he dothis?”
Hero nodded. “I agree. If he wanted me dead, he could have just done it quietly, and still gotten the same result. Why would he keep calling me and risk discovery? No, I don’t buy it’s Petereither.”
They sat in silence for a long time, both lost in thought. Finally, Arturo turned to Hero and shrugged. “Thenwho?”
But she had no answer forhim.
Chapter Twenty-Three
When Hero woke in the morning, Arturo had gone. He’d left a note forher.
It’sunlucky to see the bride before the wedding…also, we don’t want Galiano to catchus.
Meet me at the City Hall in Milan at six p.m. A car is waiting to take you to the consulate and will bring you to the courtroomafterward.
I love you so much, Hero. See you at the end of theaisle.
A
xo
She smiled to herself.After she’d showered and dressed, there was a knock at the door. A woman with a dress bag smiled at her. “Signore Bachi sent thisover.”
Hero thanked her and took the dress bag. Inside was the sweetest little white dress with anothernote.
Forgive my presumption.When all this is over, we’ll do this again, and you’ll have everything you ever dreamed about. But for now…this reminded me of you. Axo
The dress was perfect—nothingover the top—just a light cotton dress that fell to just above her knees, a scoop neck, and sweet bell sleeves. It was perfect. Another two knocks on the door, and she had little white pumps with delicate beading and a thin gold chain which fell between her breasts.He knows me in his bones, Hero thought as she studied her reflection.He knows me so wellalready.
She felt vaguely tearful, and for a moment, scared. She grabbed her purse and pulled out her wallet, taking from it the photo of Beth and Tom. “I miss you both so much, but I’m going to be happy. I’m going to live the lives you should have had in your honor, my loves. I’ll never, ever forget you. You are part ofme.”
She kissed the photo and traced the cheek of her lost daughter. “Sweet pea…maybe you’ll have a brother or sistersoon.”
A few tears escaped then, and she quickly put the photo away. Another knock at the door, but when she opened it, her smile faded. “Oh.”
George smiled at her. “And good morning to you, too. You looksensational.”
Hero quickly recovered. “Dressing for summer. Hi, George, how areyou?”
“Wondering if you’d like to spend the day together.” He walked in without being asked, and Hero felt her body tense with irritation. She arranged her face into a friendlysmile.
“I’d love to, but I have to go talk with the American Consulate in Milan. My car should be here in awhile.”
George waved his hand. “Cancel it. I can takeyou.”
“No, thank you. They’re used to seeing me with Arturo, and if I turn up with another man, they might think…well…”
“Ah, I see. They might suspect you flit from man to man and aren’t a reliablewitness?”
Hero’s eyes narrowed. “That wasn’t where I was going, but thank you, that’s verycomforting.”
George wasn’t in the least bit sorry for his slight.Ah,Hero thought,still smarting from me outplaying him last night. She sighed to herself.Go away, little boy, I don’t have time for yourgames.
“Well, can I at least reserve some time for dinner tonight? Then perhaps we can continue the conversation we had lastnight.”
