Ben stopped walking and led me away from the walkway. “Of course we can return to Valentini if you’d be more comfortable, and no, you cannot cover the cost of the hotel room.”
“But—”
He grasped the back of my neck and brought his face close to mine. “We’re going to talk when we get back to Val d’Orcia, but know this, I don’t intend for you to spend another night in your casina alone.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’ll stay with me in the farmhouse.”
With scrunched eyes, I studied him. “Who are you?”
What he said next was the last thing I expected. “Maybe I’ll answer that when you tell me who you are.”
Neither of us spoke during the two-hour drive back to Valentini. After a while, I rested my head against the seat and closed my eyes, trying not to let my paranoia over what Ben had said spin out of control.
Did he know who I really was? There was so much about him that reminded me not just of Ava’s husband, Razor, but of all the men he worked with. Was that who Ben really was? Was he here in Tuscany to find me? Or, like Razor had with Ava, was he here to protect me?
No. That couldn’t be. What reason would anyone have to protect me? Which meant if his cryptic comment implied what I feared it did, he was either here to find me or use me to find my father.
I couldn’t stay in the farmhouse with him, though; I had to talk to Brand. After Ben had insinuated himself into my plans to visit Florence, I’d sent him a message explaining why I’d be unable to meet him. Although, my plan hadn’t been to do as he asked. I’m sure he assumed I’d be traveling back to New York as he demanded; however, I wasn’t going anywhere until I found my father.
Maybe it would be better if I left Val d’Orcia and traveled to a different part of Italy. It was only that Vi believed my father would be in Tuscany that led me here.
When we pulled through the gates of Valentini, Ben drove straight up to the casina. When he cut the car’s engine, I got out and waited near the back of it.
“Let’s get your things,” he said, motioning to the front door.
“I’m not staying with you.”
“The man you saw, the one that scared the shit out of you, wasn’t after me, sweetheart.”
“What makes you think he was after either of us?”
He raised a brow. “Do you really want to have this conversation now? Here?”
“Why not?”
“You know the answer to that.” Ben walked over, put his hand on the doorknob, and it fell open. He took two steps backwards and drew his gun.
“Get back in the car,” he said in a hushed tone.
“Was someone in there?” I asked as he drove down to the farmhouse.
“I don’t know, but I’m not going to risk it.”
Ben drove down, parked in front of the farmhouse, turned off the car, but didn’t get out. He pulled his cell out of his pocket. I heard a man’s voice with an Italian accent answer.
“Who else do you have at Valentini?” Ben asked. I couldn’t hear the man’s response.
“At least two, as soon as possible.”
“What are we doing?” I asked when he dropped the phone into his lap.
“Waiting.”
“For?”
“Backup.”