Page 91 of Beautiful Devil

What am I going to do?

I can’t stay here.

I won’t.

He’s clearly using me as leverage over Dante. But how can I leave? Fabi has made it very clear that I can have the run of the house as long as I abide by his rules, which are no leaving without him or his say and to stay out of certain rooms and areas. I can’t just open the front door and hop in the car and tell Luigi or Santino to take me home.

Think, Gia. How can I leave?

I can’t climb out of a window. For one, it won’t open, and two, there are guards at every turn. Even if there weren’t, I would break my neck trying. How else can I get out of here? Maybe I can sneak out at night?

Yes, that’s it!

I’ll do it tonight after Fabi comes to bed and falls asleep. I’ll make sure to have what I need all ready to go when it’s time, which won’t be much, since nothing here is mine. I’ll wait until shift change when their guards are low and not paying attention to make my slip past them. There’s a dead area on the east side of the property that doesn’t get picked up by the security cameras. I overheard two of his guards talking about it while I was walking in the garden one day. One of them was bragging to the other how he was able to sneak a girl in to fuck her on the east side of the property because there was no CCTV coverage.

Idiot.

I should be thanking that idiot, because his stupidity just might allow me to have my freedom back. Pain lances through my chest at just the thought of leaving and never seeing Fabi again. But it doesn’t matter, because I can’t stay here anymore.

Now I have my plan, but in the meantime, I need to go about this as just another ordinary day. I can’t draw any attention to myself, and I can’t make it look like I’m suspicious or up to something. I have to act as if I didn’t hear all of those hurtful things that Fabi said.

Building up the courage to leave this bathroom, I unlock the door, and open it quietly, trying to hear if anyone is possibly in the room. A breath of relief rushes out of me as I look around and find that I’m still alone.

Making my way to the bedroom door, I shake my hands out and give myself a little pep talk. I open the door, peer around into the hallway and listen for any sound. I don’t want to get caught exiting my old room.

I step out of the room and shut the door quietly behind me, praying that nothing is out of place inside. Now comes the hard part: act normal.

Let’s hope I can pull that off.

CHAPTER30

FABRIZIO

It’s almost2 a.m. when I decide to give in and call it a night. It's been another day spent trying to keep busy, avoiding Gia, and ignoring the folder Luca gave me earlier.

Leaving my office, I head toward the stairs, taking them two at a time. As I trudge down the hallway toward our bedroom door, I come to a halt before opening it.

Today has felt like the longest and hardest day, not talking to Gia, and I know deep down I need to talk to her to find out the truth. It's taking too much energy to be this angry with her. I'll sit down with her tomorrow and talk to her, or at least I'll try to.

I get into bed and turn to look at my sleeping wife. The scowl I noted on her face previously is gone, replaced with a look of something resembling sadness, and I know we can't go on like this. I need to know the truth. I shut my eyes and will my body to sleep.

I startle awake with panic gasping for breath. I quickly look around to see Gia laying soundly asleep beside me.

It was just a bad dream.

Thank fuck for that. The need to wrap myself around her almost consumes me, but I resist the urge with every fiber in my body, knowing that I need answers from her before I can allow myself to open myself up to her again. I need answers. I roll over, turning my back to her, and close my eyes, praying that sleep will soon take over and thankfully it doesn’t take long.

Slowly opening my eyes, I roll over to greet my wife, only to find the space beside me empty. Of course, the day I'm setting myself up to talk to Gia and get the truth out of her, is the morning she's decided to make herself scarce. I pull myself out of bed and into the bathroom, taking a quick shower before getting dressed and heading down to my office.

My coffee is freshly poured and waiting on my desk when I arrive, meaning Maria has only just left. This early in the morning, I have no doubt Gia is in the kitchen with her, avoiding me and eating her breakfast. I take an enjoyable sip of my coffee and I start to feel a little lighter at the thought of speaking to Gia today and finally getting to the bottom of this. A knock comes from my office door and Luca walks in with an uneasy look on his face.

“Capo.”

I study him briefly before inviting him to sit.

“Cos’e Luca?”What is it, Luca?

“We figured out who was behind the attack.”

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