Page 34 of Till Death Do Us Part

“Yeah.” I ignored the Miss Illinois jab and took a sip of my coffee. “His business is not what it seems to be either. I don’t like their ethics.”

“Well, you better start pretending,” he said, giving me a stern eye. “That’s your husband’s business. His livelihood. Don’t go knocking it until,at least,at least, after the wedding night.”

“I have a question.”

He made a go-ahead motion.

“If giving John orders is like asking Gonzalo to move, nicely, why did you come here expecting me to do it?”

“The fossil has a name?”

“Of course.”

“Strange. Who names bones?” He shook his head, then shrugged. “I don’t know what else to do. I love John like a brother. I don’t want to see anything happen to him. It’s only a matter of time before he starts making a scene about this. When he does, Dr. Corvo will go to Tommaso, no doubt about it, and Tommaso’s hand will be forced. That’s what happens when you’re indebted. And Tommaso, he’s old school. His word still means something. Which means John ends up on the chopping block.” He made a slashing motion across his throat.

Maybe my face paled, because he nodded.

“Didn’t mean to upset you, but the truth is a cold slap to the face. Thought maybe you could change his mind. And whatever you do, don’t tell John about this meeting. He’ll putmyhead on a chopping block for talking to you.”

He left me standing there, not sure what to say.

Chapter12

Roma

It was impossible to get any work done after Cassio left. I was in an impossible situation, and I knew before it was over, blood was going to be spilled and life was going to get messy. It already was.

Elsa tried to take my mind off everything by keeping me busy, but I was having a hard time reconciling that some of the best times of my life were going to be mixed with some of the worst. What we did in the car felt so good and so right, but the visit after was a cold slap to the face, using Cassio’s expression.

I sighed for probably the hundredth time.

Elsa lifted her eyes from her desk and a stack of papers. “Go to lunch and then go home. Take a few personal days, which will give you an extended Thanksgiving break.”

I was supposed to have lunch with some of the women who competed in the Miss Illinois pageant with me. We stayed close and had lunch or dinner every so often to catch up. They were all beautiful, and most people assumed that was all they were, but they went much deeper than the surface. They were passionate about causes and education and the arts and so much more.

Today, though, I wasn’t in the mood to be in my own skin, much less be good company to anyone else. And the thought of taking time off depressed me. Then I’d be forced to think this all through when I was sure there was no solution.

“Seriously, Roma, go have lunch, then go home and think about what you want. Not what everyone else wants, but whatyouwant.”

I knew what I wanted, but I couldn’t have him. Not without hurting my family.

As I was packing up my things, Kerry Hall, the events coordinator, came into the office. Her amber silk blouse shimmered against her black skin. Her hair was pulled away from her face, showcasing her perfect features. Her cheekbones were high and defined and her smile was so warm.

She was so striking and elegant, it was hard not watch her every move.

She took the seat across from Elsa and crossed her legs. “Are you feeling okay, Roma?”

I made a so-so gesture with my hand.

“A lot of nasty stuff has been going around.” She scrunched up her nose. “I was actually coming to see if you could help me with a gala we have coming up in December. It’s for an Italian American foundation. They’re raising money for various charities. I expected to see your father’s name on the list, but I didn’t. One of the yearly beneficiaries is Salvatore Maggio’s Heart Foundation. Seemed like something Dr. Corvo would be part of.”

I inwardly groaned. “When did they book?”

“In August. Last minute. They weren’t happy with another venue.”

This had Felice’s name written all over it. What was he playing at? Was he going to try to go public with this thing between us at the event? I didn’t buy a coincidence.

“So,” Kerry said, waving at me to get me to focus. “Can you do it?”

---