Page 91 of Loving Lucia

It doesn’t matter. I don’t have time to worry about Victor. I rush into the ladies’ room and quickly tidy up my hair and straighten my panties, then I head back out to the lobby.

I almost stumble when I notice Angelo is chatting with Pavone near the hotel entrance. Angelo notices me and waves me over.

“Sorry. Were you waiting long?” I ask, going up to Pavone. If he were anybody else, I might have kissed him in greeting, but I can’t get myself to go that far with this stupid game.

“Just arrived. Angelo told me you’d popped into the restroom.” Pavone’s eyes rove over me. “That’s the kind of bombshell I like to see. Can’t wait to push that dress up higher.”

I’m disgusted with myself. I shouldn’t have taken Victor’s bait. I’d known he didn’t want to talk logistics or anything practical, but I’d gone anyway because I’d wanted… What? Why do I ever want Victor, after all he’s done to me?

And now I’m desperate to know, again, why he’d let me go. He said he’d told me already, but no matter how often I go over my memory, I can’t figure it out.

I push the memories down and force a laugh for Pavone’s sake. “I can’t wait,” I say. “If only we didn’t have reservations here… but I do love this restaurant.”

“It’d be a waste not to enjoy the food.” Pavone slaps my ass before turning his attention to Angelo. “Hang around until we’re done. Keep an eye out for Don Marino’s men. Or Corvi’s. Y’know what, just make sure we aren’t interrupted. I don’t get to go on a date with my babe often enough.”

“Yessir,” Angelo answers. He’s so nonchalant, it’d be impossible to guess that he’s been actively undermining Pavone this entire time.

I suppose that’s how Vanessa sees me, too. Lying so easily, without any remorse. Sleeping around for a few thrills.

Well, what remorse am I supposed to feel, Vanessa? These men are all monsters, and it’s only by lying to them, by using them, that we can stay alive.

I smile at Pavone and take his arm as he leads me to the restaurant. He gives our name at the hostess stand, and we’re quickly seated at a cozy table near the windows. He sits so he’s facing the room as a whole, so he can see anyone who might come in, and I feel the hair on the back of my neck tingle like someone’s watching me from behind.

But that’s ridiculous. Victor’s long gone, and Angelo won’t let anyone in to fuck with Pavone and his good mood.

“So how was your day?” I ask with my best flirty smile. I don’t care how his day was, except for whether it was good enough for him to treat me decently or not.

“Good, good. I’ve been looking forward to this all day,” he says, taking my hand. He strokes the back of it with his thumb, watching me, and I fight not to fidget as he studies me. I’d fixed my hair, and my makeup had looked fine… but what if I’d missed something? What if my lipstick did smear and I hadn’t noticed?

“Me too,” I assure him.

He lets go of my hand to pick up the wine menu, ordering a bottle of something outlandishly expensive to go with our meal.

I relax. He doesn’t suspect anything, and I can deal with my own self-loathing later on. For now, I just have to get through this dinner with Pavone.

Simple.

24

VICTOR

Iwait until the waiter has brought the wine and appetizers before I go to make my entrance.

“Good evening, Mr. Pavone,” I say, pulling out one of the empty chairs and sitting down at the table. I already have my own wine glass in hand, and I raise it in a mock toast. “How are you tonight?”

Pavone glares at me for a few seconds before bursting out laughing. “Victor Corvi, is it?”

Lucia, sitting opposite of Pavone, doesn’t laugh. Her eyes are stuck to me, and I know she must be extremely wary of what I could possibly be doing here.

“I might have to fire Angelo, if this is his idea of security,” Pavone says, shaking his head. “And tell the hotel they need to pay more attention to what kind of trash they let in.”

The insult is so crude as to be ineffective. We both know that we’ve got the same social clout.

“Don’t blame Angelo. I sent a few people his way to distract him.” I had, too, to give Angelo a good excuse, although I’m sure he and Celio are just chatting about old times rather than having an all-out brawl.

Pavone snorts and makes a dismissive gesture. “Fine. What do you want, Corvi? And make it quick, because I’m trying to enjoy my date here.”

I take a slow slip of my wine to draw out the silence. I can tell Lucia wants to interject, but she’s finally learned how to bide her time.

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