Page 74 of The Mastermind
I’d only indulged in the forbidden twice with Cesare and already I was crazed at the idea of it ending. At the idea of lying down and letting life – and othermen’swill – just happen to me.
‘Will you be heading back home with Ciso?’ Sofiya asked when I remained silent.
The gaze I lifted to her felt heavy. My soul was shattering. ‘Do I have a choice?’
She left without answering.
But it turned out I had a choice. A sleepless night and restless pacing churned out one option.
It was a stupidly dangerous one.
But achoicenonetheless.
22
CESARE
‘I’m taking the plane,’ I announced as I pulled out the dining chair and sat down. I placed my phone face down so I wouldn’t be tempted to look at the screen, only to pick it back up ten seconds later.
Crap, I should’ve left it in the bedroom. But I didn’t want to miss Maddelena’s next text. Especially if it showed signs of her changing her mind.
I was learning she had a habit of second-guessing herself and attempting to wriggle out of agreements hours after they’d been made.
Well, there was no light of day remorse and definitely no take-backsies on the eye-raising text she’d hit me with two hours after she left my hotel room last night.
Am I still in your crosshairs?
Is that impatience or surrender?
It’s a desire to disappear… for a while.
Are you asking me to take you somewhere, bedda?
A long pause before…
Would you?
Hell, yeah.
Yes. But a time, location and duration of my choosing. Agreed?
A shorter pause.
Agreed.
The euphoria that filled me then rivalled every race win so far.
Pack your bags. We leave in the morning.
I’d immediately put the plans in place. Hence the shocked faces staring back at me at the breakfast table.
‘What do you mean, you’re taking the plane?’ Dante asked.
‘I mean you’ll need to find your own transport home. You were going to have to anyway, since Rafa’s taking the other plane.’
‘But we were hoping to catch a ride with you,’ he replied, exchanging a horrified look with his twin.
‘So you want us to, like… flycommercial?’ Renzo said that like it was a dirty word the nuns at Sunday school would’ve boxed his ears for as a kid.
