Page 81 of Till Death Do Us Part

“Business,” I murmured. I stared at his heartbreakingly gorgeous face, wondering how many secrets he was keeping from me, and would always keep from me. I knew it was the nature of his business, but I wanted in on his life. “You didn’t tell me Babbo denied Sal care.”

“What goes on between me and Corvo is between us.” His tone was final, and I knew his words were too. As final as any last words spoken.

“Well then,” I whispered.

He chuckled, but it barely had any breath to it. “You drank a lot of wine tonight.”

“It’s not the wine. This all feels like a dream. You’re here.”

I remembered Lo after Sandro had sent her the text. She was delirious with happiness. Even the thought of Felice got me that way. The thought of him leaving made me feel torn in half.

He pulled me to him so hard, I gasped. “I am always with you,” he said in Italian, kissing my face.

“Didn’t feel like it.” I yawned. “When you were gone, you were gone.”

“Sleep,” he whispered in Italian, moving his lips over my temple.

A few seconds later, I couldn’t keep my eyes open. I fell asleep in his arms. What seemed like seconds later, but was probably hours, he dislodged himself from my hold and got dressed.

“Will I see you in Italy soon?” I whispered.

He kissed me slowly and tamed my hair down. “Sì.” He went to stand by the door, watching me.

“What?”

He did the dance we’d been doing at the bar earlier. “I’m always with you, Roma.”

“In Edgartown? While I was biking to the restaurant?”

“The entire time.”

A smile I had no control over came to my face. It was probably goofy as shit. He left me like that.

I listened for any noises in the house, like screeching from Isabella or a tackle from Talia, but the house was silent. A few minutes later, a phone chimed. It was a different sounding alert than my usual. A phone sat on the bedside table. The one he’d given me before.

He’d sent me a text:

My Carnivore:I’m out.

I had weeks—no, months—full of text messages from him. He’d sent me texts every day we were apart. He’d comment on my clothes (he loved me in red) or how being apart from me felt like he was being severed in half again. He sent me Plato quotes or snippets of poems. I laughed at all the funny dinosaur memes and jokes.

Me:I’m in. For the rest of my life.

* * *

I couldn’t stop yawning. The night had caught up to me, and I was ready to be on the plane to Italy already. Though I was a little on edge. What if Isabella brought up me leaving with Jack last night in front of Jack? What could I say? I decided to take an Uber home and Lo got it wrong?

We were waiting at the private airport, getting ready to board the plane. Isabella kept looking between us, a smile on her face. Jack was texting someone and laughing with his friends.

He looked up at the noise my roller carrier made when it went flying sideways. A man wearing an official-looking windbreaker hustling to get inside almost knocked it over. A few seconds later, a bunch of FBI agents stormed through the airport, drug-sniffing dogs with them. The head agent showed the woman behind the desk his badge, and she went to get whoever was in charge.

Our party moved closer together, watching the drama unfold.

“What the hell is going on?” Lo said.

“Doesn’t seem good,” Alina said.

“Wow.You’re so observant, Lina,” Talia said, sarcastically. She laughed at the look Alina gave her.

---