Petals & Bullets

20 - i am not afraid to show you what real love is.

I try to register the information as the panic starts to set in. Luca notices and takes my hand in his. "I'm not sure the reasoning behind my father's refusal, but we believe Corwin may have a secret, and I need to figure out if my father is alive or not."

How long have I been in the scheme of things? Honestly, I'm surprised I'm not dead yet.

"Do you think that secret has to do with the fact that he isn't my real father?"

"That's a possibility. At this point, we're just waiting for Corwin to slip up." Armando chimes in.

"Luca," I say, placing my hand against his cheek. "I'm so sorry."

He grabs my hand that is over his cheek and kisses the inside of my palm. "It's okay, fiore mio."

"Okay, I'm out of here, so you two can get lovey-dovey." Armando gives us a thumbs up with a lively smile.

"Same." Sebastian stands up at the same time, and the two walk out as Armando comments about how Luca is acting like some real-life prince.

"Idiot." Luca sits back, rests his head on the back of the couch, and brings his hand to the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. I notice how worn out he looks as a question comes to mind.

"Did you know I would be in Venice?"

Luca starts to explain that it was a coincidence. He went to Venice to visit his grandparents with his family for his grandmother's birthday and make sure everything was running smoothly in Italy business-wise. When he was planning to gather information about Corwin, he knew my name but not my appearance. The hopeless romantic in me feels relief that our encounter wasn't set up, and I can't help but wonder if our lives are connected for a purpose.

"We're not out of the woods, so we'll have to follow some protocols, and that means I'll have a security team escort you wherever you go." Luca stands up and pulls me up along with him. He holds my hand while the other goes around my waist.

"You're going to make me look like somebody important."

"Tesoro, you're very important to me. From the moment I laid my eyes on you. You have no idea."

"Did I make the big bad mafia boss fall in love at first sight?" A sly smirk appears on my face.

He lets go of my hand and places it on the nape of my neck. "Don't tease me, Tesoro. I am not afraid to show you what real love is."

—

The two-day traditional Japanese funeral that Mr. Satoh and Ms. Miyazaki requested upon their passing takes place throughout the course of the weekend.

The funeral features the recitation of sutras by a Buddhist monk, and an abundance of white lilies surrounds their grave as incense emits a tiny stream of smoke that burns constantly. I stand with Ms. Miyazaki's family and funeral guests as we all mourn for the deceased. Ms. Miyazaki's daughter cries silently next to her husband and teenage daughter. The guilt is consuming me because I know the true account of their deaths. Luca used his connections in the police force to keep the real reason hidden from the authorities.

Once the service is done, I say my good-byes to Ms. Miyazaki's family. Her daughter's eyes are brimming with red as I give her a firm hug. "Take care of yourself. Make sure to call me if you guys ever need anything."

She nods with a wistful smile and looks past me at Luca. "You too, dear. Make sure to live a happy life with your husband. You never know what will happen in life. We'll head out first, if that's okay. We'd like to get things done at my mother's house before we head home in the morning. "