Page 80 of The Bonventi Hitman
"Stay there. I'm coming now. No. Don't fucking leave." I peek my head into the bathroom and see Gabriel leaning over the sink, taking a few deep breaths.
"Is everything alright?" I ask timidly.
Gabriel turns to look at me. "Yes, I have to leave for a while. Let's find Lydia to get you settled in."
We walk so fast I feel like we're sprinting. We arrive back in the kitchen, and Lydia is there hovering over the stove.
"Lydia, I need to leave for a while. Please make sure Sofia is looked after. If she needs anything, just add it to our shopping list."
He turns and looks at me.
"Sorry, Bella, I must leave. I will be back this evening at the latest. You're in good hands. Anything you need, Lydia can get for you."
He leans in and gives me a soft kiss on the lips.
"Thank you, Lydia," he says and walks out of the room.
"Well, dear, you hungry now?" she asks me with her warm smile.
"Yes, yes, I am," I say and move the chair out to take a seat at the counter.
I had worked up an appetite.
Before I know it, Lydia places a gourmet-looking sandwich down before me.
"Lydia, do you have a few moments to sit and keep me company?" I ask pleasantly.
"Sure, I can spare a few," she says and takes a seat opposite me.
"So, how long have you been working for Gabriel?" I ask, genuinely interested in getting a better sense of the people around him.
"Oh, gosh, about ten years now," Lydia responds with a faint smile. "He's a good man. Now, don't go on thinking we've never had some mishaps over things, but he treats me fair," she says with a laugh.
"Ten years? Wow, so you must know his sister well then?"
Lydia looks somewhat surprised by my question.
"It's just that he's told me it's only him and her now," I say to try and calm her.
"Oh…um, yes, Livia. She's a kind, beautiful young lady. Smart as a whip. He'd do anything for her," she says cheerily.
Livia. A name not found in his FBI file—he must have gone to great lengths to keep her out of the mafia life.
"Yes, Gabriel did mention her intelligence, being in grad school after all," I say.
"Yes, that's right. UCLA out in California. PhD in literature. Always has her head in books, a trait, maybe the only one, her and her brother share."
"I've learned that Gabriel likes to read," I say, taking a bite of food.
"Oh, yes. Many a time I'd see him in his study reading a book she'd told him about just so he could have a conversation with her about it. You know, to connect with her. They live different lives, but he tries. And the beauty in it is that she notices."
"Well, she seems like a nice person. I hope I get the chance to meet her," I say.
Lydia knocks on the island and smiles. "Well, you just might. She's due to visit and stay with us very soon."
I almost choke on my food when she says this. I don't know why, but it kind of scared me. I swallow hard and reach for a glass of water, taking a big sip.
I'm positive Lydia knows that rattled me a bit. She stands and slides in her chair.
