The Italian
“Yes, yes, I know who you are.” He laughs as he opens the car door.
No, actually, you don’t.
Once we’re all in the car, Bobby chats away happily as he drives. Enrico’s eyes float over to me and I smile. This is such a weird experience for us—having a chatty driver.
After half an hour, Bobby pulls up at a dock by the ocean. “This way.” He smiles as he grabs my things. “The boat is waiting.”
“Boat?” I frown over to Rici.
“Last one.” He taps me on the ass. “I promise.” We board the flashy looking speedboat, and Enrico
puts a life jacket on me before he carefully sits me down.
I’m sure he thinks I’m three years old. Either that or that I’m just too exhausted to function. He could be onto something there.
I’m damn right delirious.
Bobby takes off fast. He crosses the waves at record speed, and I hold on for dear life. The boat bounces around, and my hair is flying loose everywhere.
Enrico smirks, and I look around in wonder with a goofy grin plastered on my face.
This is actually pretty cool.
The sun is low over the water now, casting a beautiful shade of pink in the sky. I know there’s not long left of daylight.
Eventually, Bobby begins to slow down, and I look up ahead to see white beaches, palm trees, and a huge white mansion that sits along on a small island. It has its own jetty and everything. Bobby slowly pulls up to it, settles the engine, and ties the boat in place.
“Here we are. Your new home.” He looks up at the island in awe. “Perfect, isn’t she?”
Hope blooms in my chest. This is our new home?
Enrico stands and takes my hand. “Come, bella.”
He leads me off the boat and down the ramp. The closer we get to the house, the more in awe I become.
It’s like a plantation mansion, straight out of a movie set. It’s made of white weatherboards with a big balcony around the perimeter, and there is wicker furniture scattered everywhere.
The pool is huge, and the gardens are manicured to perfection.
Enrico leads me into the grand house, and I look around in awe again. The tiles on the floor are black and white. The trimmings are all timber, with huge potted palm trees all around. “Wow.”
Enrico turns to Bobby. “Thank you.”
Bobby nods with a huge smile. “The kitchen is stocked. The supplies you asked for are in the safe. I will be about two hundred meters away if you need me.” He passes over a card. “Here’s my number. Do you need anything else, sir?”
“No,” Enrico replies.
Bobby gives a polite nod before he leaves us alone.
“This will do,” Enrico says.
“You haven’t been here before?” I ask.
“No. I bought it sight unseen when I took over two years ago. Just in case…”
“Just in case you needed to hide.”
He smirks as his eyes roam over the interior, and he turns his attention back to me. “You. Dinner. Shower. Bed. You’re exhausted.”