Page 48 of Vow of Desire

“Enough,” Gabriel warns. “Let’s end this meeting here. Matteo, you should leave first. Rocco, stay behind. I need to talk with you.”

I leave the restaurant to give Gabriel and Rocco some space. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what they’re going to talk about: me and Luciana. Rocco needs to learn that I am on her side – his side – before he does something stupid neither one of us can come back from.

Because if I have to kill Rocco, then Luciana will never forgive me and any progress I have made with her will be over.

Luciana

When I attend the next tea function, the first thing I notice is that Alexandra isn’t there. Normally, her loud voice draws all of the attention towards her but she’s nowhere to be found.

I sit down next to Sienna, who looks like she has more color in her cheeks today. “How are you?”

“Better. Today’s been a good day so far.”

“I’m glad.” I glance around the room full of other mafia women enjoying their tea inside the five star hotel. “Where is Alexandra?”

“Are you worried she’s going to come at you again?”

“Yes. But I also don’t see her. She’s here every week. I wonder what happened?”

“I haven’t heard anything but then again, no one really tells me or my mom anything. We’re usually left alone.”

I flag down a few other mafia ladies – all friends of Alexandra. “Joan,” I say, greeting Alexandra’s best friend. “Where’s Alexandra?”

She sniffs, turning her nose up at me. “Like you care.”

“I’m sorry,” I say as my face turns to fire. “I know what I did was wrong. I never should have slapped her. I wasn’t… perfect that day. But where is she? She’s always here.”

Joan walks away without telling me anything. One of the other mafia women – Eliza – offers me a sympathetic smile.

“No one fully blames you, sweetie, for hitting Alexandra. She was always a judgmental menace.”

“Do you know where she is today?”

“I was just as surprised by you that she wasn’t here. But I haven’t heard anything. She lives alone now that her husband is dead. I don’t know anything.”

“Thanks.”

She leaves with her small group of women.

“Why do you care about Alexandra’s whereabouts?” Sienna asks.

“I don’t. I just thought it was strange she wasn’t here. I guess I’m feeling bad about hitting her. I wanted to apologize again. Things have been… better between me and Matteo. I guess I didn’t feel as worried.”

Sienna’s smile is soft and open. “That’s good. I’m glad you’re getting along with your husband. I don’t want you to be miserable.”

“And I don’t want you to be miserable either.”

“I’m trying. I miss my father every day. But it also hurts less too.”

I squeeze her hand and she squeezes mine back. I know that no matter what happens, I’ll always have my best friend.

I tell Enzo to take me to Alexandra’s house. If I’m going to make progress with Matteo, I need to make amends for my past mistakes. Hitting Alexandra never should have happened.

He waits in the car while I walk to her front door. I knock and ring the doorbell but no one answers. Alexandra loves a party. Loves being the center attention. She always answers her front door, no matter who comes by.

If she saw me standing here, she’d want to tell me off to my face again. So why isn’t she answering? Something in my gut is telling me to worry.

I peek through the small window in the door and that’s when I see it: someone lying on the ground. Not getting up. Alexandra.