Still, it shook me to see his personal things left behind every time he went away. For some reason, seeing them this time seemed more significant. With a sigh, I placed his ring on top of his wallet and got dressed. I knew I wouldn’t be sleeping anymore tonight.
Hours later, Lila, Gianna, and Roza arrived together with Geo. He smiled and accepted a cup of coffee and a muffin.
“There are guards on the grounds and two inside. They will be discreet, but if you need them, you only have to call. I’ll be back around six.”
“You’ll be here until Matteo returns?” I asked, my nerves getting the better of me.
He smiled kindly. “Yes, we all will be.” He covered my hand with a gentle squeeze. “Be at ease, Evie. Matteo and his team are professionals. They are cautious, have backup plans, and will be covered. He will come home safe to you.”
“Thank you, Geo.”
“I’m only working today, then I’m off until they are back. Perhaps we can find something to entertain us this evening. Matteo has a large movie collection. Maybe a comedy?”
“That sounds good.”
We stayed busy all day, all of us on edge. Gianna looked especially stressed, so I sat beside her, asking her to explain in more detail how they used the monies to help women and children. She was glad for the distraction, and she explained how they managed the large portfolio. I was still shocked when I saw the vast amount of money they handled.
“Roza is a savvy investor. Lila heads up the charity aspect, and I look after the individual requests.” She offered me a shy smile. “Maybe you would like to work with me?”
“Yes, definitely,” I said. “What do you do exactly?”
She pulled a file close. “Some of the people Matteo and his team rescue have no place to go or no family. We help set them up. A new identity, a home, anything they need.” She sighed. “Some, like me, can never get over what happened to them, so we make sure they are set for life.”
“How?” I asked. “That would be enormous to track.”
“We own a dozen large properties all over the world. We let people live there, have a new life. Sort of like small communities, really. We have staff that run them. There are gardens they work in, farms, vineyards—a variety of places, all legal. They are employed, safe, happy, and looked after. That’s what we strive to do.”
“You use bad money to do something worthwhile.”
“Yes.”
I nodded. “I’m in.”
Four days passed. I missed Matteo terribly. The sound of his voice. His touch. The way it felt to wake beside him. He was always so warm, and I felt safe with him close. I knew Gianna and Roza missed Vince and Alex as well. We kept one another’s spirits up in the daytime, but once I headed to bed, I felt the sadness creep in.
I was also worried. Matteo had thought he would be gone two days, maybe three. Although Geo assured me this happened on occasion, I noticed even he seemed tense.
I couldn’t sleep. At night, I paced our room, wearing one of Matteo’s shirts. I jumped at every noise. I couldn’t concentrate during the day. One night, I went downstairs and slipped into Matteo’s office. It was deserted and silent. I sat behind his desk, pulling my legs up to my chest. There in this chair, I could smell his rich scent. It was soaked into the leather. His desk was in perfect order—he always left it that way, and no one used it while he was gone. Curious, I opened the top drawer, smiling when I saw a picture of me he kept there. He had obviously taken it on our honeymoon. I was sitting on the sand, my face lifted to the sun with a smile on my lips. The edges were worn as if he picked it up a lot, and it made my chest warm with the knowledge of how much I meant to him. I also discovered a stash of chocolate, and I shook my head. His sweet tooth must be even stronger than I knew. The picture I was holding dropped from my fingers, and I bent to pick it up, glancing at the underside of his desk. A gun was fastened to the wood on the bottom of the drawer, not visible to anyone, but easily accessed if needed. Right behind the drawer was another gun—smaller and even more concealed. I swallowed, suddenly fearful once again. It shouldn’t surprise me Matteo had a gun at his desk. Even two. For all I knew, there were guns hidden in various places all over the house.
He always said I was safe here. There were men outside. Gates. Guns in the house. I wasn’t sure if it made me feel safer—or more anxious.