When they arrived at Barberini Square, Katherine couldn’t get over how many people were out and about. The city was bustling at eleven-thirty at night. Was it always like this or was it a busy time of year?
Tony guided her through the subway station impressively, and found a taxi to take them to their hotel. The drive was a little longer than she had expected; she figured he would have gotten them something right in the heart of Barberini Square.
“How much longer?”
“We should be pulling up shortly.”
“Why didn’t you get one near the embassy?”
“Because they were all booked, and I wanted to surprise you with where we’re staying,” he said as he squeezed her hand.
“Where’s that?”
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”
“I don’t like surprises.” Most of the time she loved to be surprised. But after what she had learned over the past few days, she was just looking forward to some normalcy.
“Don’t worry. I think you’ll like this one.” He kissed the back of her hand.
The anxiety, which had taken hold of her chest like a vise grip, was starting to release its grasp as she looked out the window. She couldn’t see much because it was dark, and they seemed to be surrounded by trees and going up a long hill. The lights from the city shined bright below and the Vatican was glowing in the night’s sky. What she could see of Rome was something out of a picture book. While Katherine expected the city to be grand, what was standing before her exceeded anything she could’ve imagined.
Katherine was still shell-shocked from everything she’d learned. Was she thinking clearly? Was she making the right decisions where Tony was concerned? Could she trust him? If Katherine were smart, she would’ve beelined straight to the embassy.
Some of what was happening was exciting and thrilling; it was nothing like she’d ever experienced. The element of danger got her heart racing and made her forget the life she came from. The life she no longer wanted.
Her parents had made sure she didn’t experience anything unpleasant. She remembered a time where a girl had been bullying her. When Katherine came home from school crying one day, her mother asked what was wrong. And when she went back to school the next day, the girl had been removed from the school. Apparently, her father agreed to pay for a new building at the school if the girl was excused from attending.
When she decided she wanted to be a food critic, her father pulled some strings and made it easy for her voice to be heard. She really hadn’t had any formal training to be a food critic. However, growing up in a family that owned multiple restaurants, she talked with many chefs who taught her about blending flavors and the different uses for herbs. She did have a good palate, and could identify ingredients and what was right or wrong about a dish. It came easy to her and within a relatively short amount of time, she had become well known in the New York City area.
Needless to say, when her parents found out about Mike, he was immediately fired from their company, and her dad slapped a restraining order on him. He also made sure Mike wouldn’t get employment anywhere in the city. In a way, she felt sorry for Mike because she didn’t want him run out of town. However, she wasn’t interested in seeing him again either. Mike made his bed, and now he needed to lie in it—literally.
Being in a foreign country was liberating; she didn’t have her parents watching every move, which also meant they weren’t there to bail her out of any trouble. She was on her own to make decisions. Sure, she could call her dad and he would probably send a private jet with some armed bodyguards and have her safely tucked into bed by the end of the day. But she didn’t want that. This was her time to figure out the world on her own. She was responsible for the decisions she made, good or bad.
This was by far the most thrilling thing that ever happened to her. She was running from someone mysterious and her life was possibly in danger. She met a charming Italian man who had made her feel things she never had before. She wasn’t ready to go home to her ordinary sheltered life—she was enjoying the thrill. She enjoyed her heart racing and the fear of the unknown.
“We’re here.”
Katherine looked at the enormous building before her. At the top of the tall structure, she read Waldorf Astoria. A little piece of home.
“How did you get a reservation here?”
“I used my charm. You know how persuasive I can be.” He winked before he turned to open the car door.
She chuckled as she remembered him convincing her to go to dinner with him the first time. “Yes, I do.”
Even in the dark, she could see how lush and green the property was. It wasn’t like anything she’d seen in Italy; all of the other hotels she stayed in had no grounds. There had only been the building.
“I’ve never stayed here before, but my understanding is the hotel looks over the entire city. Depending on where you’re standing, you can see the Vatican, the Colosseum, and other notable areas.”
As they walked into the lobby, a smile forged its way across Katherine’s face. She had seen large upscale hotels like this one in New York City, but this was different. It appeared to have the design of any other large American hotel, but it was decorated with an emphasis on the Renaissance period. The hotel felt homey and more of what she was accustomed to. The check-in desk was made of a rich chestnut wood. An ornate spiral staircase leading to the floor above and below was positioned in the center of the room, making it the first thing noticed as guests entered the grand lobby.
Once Tony obtained their key, they crossed the lobby to the elevators. The lifts were vacant, and once inside, she thought it was safe to speak. “I noticed you checked in under the name Anthony Candelloni. Where did you get those documents?”
“When my family started working with the Guardia di Finanza, my dad talked about having a backup plan in case of emergency for our family.”
“Now that you have the documents, why don’t you just leave? You could go anywhere. You could even stay with me until you are able to establish yourself.” She could only imagine the field day her dad would have if she brought him home.
“I have some unfinished business to take care of. My father has left notes guiding me to certain spots. I need to make sure I recover everything before I leave. I don’t want anything to get in the wrong hands. I’d also like to put the bastards who did this behind bars.”
“You could get killed.”
“I don’t really have anything to live for anymore; my family has been taken from me, I have no work, and my life as I knew it is gone. If I die trying to right this wrong, then maybe it’ll be worth it.”
Her heart sank. Katherine knew it was a reach, but she wished he wanted to live for her. She realized it was silly because they only just met, and she was certainly rebounding. Jumping into a new relationship was probably the last thing she needed, but she wanted him to need and want her. Maybe she just needed any man to want her. Surely the rejection from Mike caused this insecurity.
“Your father seems to have gone through a lot of trouble getting you the things you need so you can escape. I’m sure it would break his heart if you stuck around trying to seek justice only to get killed.”
Tony was pensive and remained silent until the elevator stopped. “This is our floor.” He held out his arm for her as the doors opened.
She walked slowly, observing the intricate artwork and decorations lining the halls. There were statues replicating some of the real ones throughout Italy, the wallpaper mimicked paintings from the Renaissance, and the carpets were just as ornate with gold patterns intricately placed throughout.
Tony stopped at one of the last rooms on the left where he placed the key card in the door and opened it up. She stepped in and was thrilled by what she saw. “It’s beautiful! The walls, they’re amazing.” She put her hand up to the dark blue walls with gold patterns painted on them. The king-sized bed had a gold down comforter and layers of accent pillows. She walked to the bed and found an order form describing each type of pillow.
“Look at this. If you like one of the pillows, you can order more, and you can even purchase them to take home. This is amazing.”
She put down the form, walked around the bed, and headed to the glass door. She slid it open and stepped onto the balcony and saw that their room overlooked an Olympic-sized infinity pool that was completely lit up. Beyond the grounds, Rome glistened in the night’s sky. Tony walked behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Do you like it?”
“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s so magical. I could stay here forever.”
“I think we had better get some good jobs if this is where you want to live. This place would cost a fortune to live in.”
“How much do I owe you for my part of the room?”
“Don’t be absurd. I’m the one making you cut your trip short. It’s the least I can do.”
She gazed at him. “Thank you for making my last night in Italy special. This is just over the top.”
“You’re welcome. I also picked this place because it’s known for being very considerate of their guests’ privacy. They don’t release information without a warrant.”
“That’s reassuring.”
“Yes, it is. Come on, they have a lounge down the hall. We can get a bite to eat and something to drink. It’s been a long day.”
He latched onto her hand and eased her back inside the room. She took another look at the pillows and longed to try each one out. Fatigue was setting in, the pillows were calling her name ready to whisper a lullaby, and comfort her into a blissful sleep.
“Don’t worry. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“Huh?”
“Isn’t that what you were staring at? I would’ve gotten two beds, but I wanted it to look like we were a couple. I didn’t want to raise any suspicions.”
“Tony, that bed is big enough for us and two other people. You will not sleep on the couch. You can sleep in the bed.”
“I don’t know if I feel right about it.”
“Don’t be silly. We’re both adults and I’m sure we can handle this situation.” She squeezed his hand and flashed him a smile. If this was her last night in Italy—her last night with Tony—she was definitely taking advantage of the situation.
They walked to the lounge, used their key to get inside, and found several other guests enjoying the amenities. There were multiple televisions throughout, some sofas and tables with chairs for people to eat at, and a small kitchen with snacks and appetizers for the guests to enjoy. Tony looked around for an empty table.
He pointed toward some doors. “Hey, it looks like there is a patio. Let’s see if we can eat out there.”
“That would be great. I’d love to see the view from here.”
They found a small empty table with two chairs. Katherine pointed over the edge of the balcony. “Is that the Vatican?”
He looked in the direction she was pointing. “Yes, that’s it.”
“It’s so large and beautiful. Look at all the lights. I can’t believe that’s where the Pope lives.”
“He doesn’t actually live in the Vatican. The Pope Francis stays in a small apartment outside of it. However, the Cardinals stay in the Vatican when selecting the new pope.”
“That’s fascinating. I had no idea. Why doesn’t he live in the Vatican?”
“I’m not sure; a personal choice, I guess. You wait here, and I’ll get you something to drink. What would you like?”
“Mmm, a glass of Prosecco. I’d like to drink to a wonderful last night in Rome.”
“One Prosecco coming up. I’ll be right back.”
She continued to look down at the city, and tried to pick out various sites she read about in the guidebooks. While her honeymoon trip hadn’t turned out how she expected, she felt content for the moment. She had a great view, even better company, and despite what was going on around them, a sense of safety.