The Italian

I exhale heavily. “I have some things going down here. A threat has been made on Olivia. A madman has threatened her life if I don’t do as he asks. He knows where she works. He knows everything about her. We are handling it, but not as fast as I would like.”

“Okay.” He listens.

“If I need to, can I send Olivia to you in the states? I may have to get her out of Italy in a hurry, but I need somewhere that I know she will be well guarded.”

“Of course. Send her. You know I have impeccable security.”

“Thank you.” I smile sadly. “How are you?”

“All right.” He pauses. “I have a lot to tell you when we catch up next.”

“And your family?”

“Are all well. Yours?”

“Good, everything is great, except for this madman murdering my working girls.”

“Jesus, Enrico.”

“I know.” I sigh. “Look, I’ll let you know if I’m sending her. Maybe this week for a few days.”

“I will guard her with my life, Enrico. You have my word.”

“Thank you.” I close my eyes. We both linger on the line, not wanting to hang up the call.

“Are you really all right?” he finally asks.

“As long as Olivia’s safe, I will be fine.”

“Take the threat out.”

“I will. He’s gone into hiding.” I get a vision of the name carved into her face, and contempt fills my every pore. “Once I find him, there’ll be hell to pay.”

“I look forward to hearing his screams.” He chuckles.

I smile. Gabriel is the only civilian I know who can deal with my lifestyle.

He gets it.

Nothing comes as a shock to him. He is a Ferrara, after all. “Thank you. I’ll let you know if I’m sending Olivia. If she does come, I may send her friend or her mother with her so that she’s not alone.”

“Send whoever you want. Speak soon.”

I hang up and sit in the silence of my office for a while. I go over the last forty-eight hours in my mind.

A whirlwind of emotions rush through me.

I’m marrying the love of my life. We’ve been blessed with a child. There’s so much love and light in my life, and yet all I can feel is an overwhelming fear that I’m about to lose everything.

An eerie sense of calm hangs in the air. I can feel it—like a storm brewing on a mountain ready to fall. Something is coming.

I close my eyes. Please… don’t let it be that.

Olivia. My darling Olivia.

“Rici?” I hear her call from the stairs. “Where are you, baby?”

“Here, my love.” I jump to my feet and rush out into the living area. I find her coming down the steps in her nightgown.