Vittoria's POV
"It is okay to not follow me all the time." I looked over my shoulder at Damian. "You must have things to do."
"You ate my only assignment Signorina. You pay my bills."
I slowed down. "Then walk beside me." He caught up. "I miss Italy. Do you miss Italy?"
"Honestly, no. I like it here."
"Why?"
"Because there's a roof above my head that is not leaking and it's paid for. I don't have to buy food. I can save all my money. Life is easier here. Why don't you like it? The penthouse is twenty times the size of your little house."
"It's not material for me. I miss the slow life in Naples. Our little neighborhood, where we all knew each other and life was simple... I miss that. Here people are not so honest. I have many fake friends in college who like me because I am dating a billionaire. I miss me without him."
"Don't say that."
"I care for Marcelle but I also wish he wasn't ... rich. I wish he wasn't who he is. I wish he didn't have children so that I can have all his attention. We live simply. But he's not simple."
"But you know you can only wish."
"Si!" I laughed.
I have decided to go to Sydney, Australia. There's a performance by the ballet I was invited to join. My instructors insist that I should go see it.
I didn't intend to study dance. I was meeting Sherry for the first time at her engagement. Marcelle made the introduction and she told me she's coming to New York and we can be friends. She invited me to see where she will go to college. I liked it and we both signed up for dance classes. She said it would be fun. While she ended up dropping them I happened to enjoy it. When I told Marcelle about it, he paid for a whole year and encouraged me to go. I learn fast. I'm doing well. I occasionally dance for him. He said he will buy me a pole. I'm not sure for what.
We got back to the penthouse after walking for a while. I like walking but the chauffeur drives along in case I decide I want to board the car.
"Damian?"
"Si Signorina?"
"My phone is off." I showed him the dark screen. I have to tell the truth so I switch it off first. "Can I borrow yours? I want to do something." He offered me his phone. "Can you please change the light bulb in the pantry? It's not working anymore."
I flicked it on and off many times repeatedly until the bulb went poof! I did not want to lie.
"Yes of course." He opened a utility closet and got a new bulb. As soon as he walked in and tried the light, it did not come on. "Signorina, is there a ladder-"
I slammed the door shut and turned the lock.
"Signorina! Vittoria! This is not funny!" He tried to open. I left the key on the kitchen counter. I went to the bedroom and took my bag. I'm going to Sydney. Damian will tell Marcelle and he already forbid me from going. I'm not dancing, I have been invited to watch.
My instructor believes I have potential I should not waste.
The bath tub is already overflowing.
"Scusi Signors." I greeted the guards outside. They won't let me leave alone. "My bathroom... There is big big problem with water! Per favore, is no working. Come see? Work for two. Damian needs help."
They followed me to the master bedroom. When they went in to check on their boss I closed and locked the door.
"Dio! Mi dispiace! Please forgive me. I mean no harm. Per favore, you forgive me." I pleaded with them before I left in a hurry.
I'll meet my instructor at the airport.
Marcelle's POV
"And what are you looking at now?" I gazed down at the blue eyes looking up at me. I don't know what kind of car this is but it likes to stare. I don't hate pets, I just don't like them. That's why I have never bothered to have any. Miki is a dog lover. He owns several dogs. Matt also likes dogs although he favors cats more.
This little cat followed me home while I was taking a walk. I tried to chase it away but it just kept following me so I brought it home. It's been comfortable since although it stalks me. I'm thinking of taking it to Vee but I don't see why it should be in an apartment. Here it can go wherever it wants.
I offered it a whole piece of bacon from my plate. It took the bacon and left me. "So you were hungry." I smiled to myself.
"No name yet?" Lupe asked. "It is not a name. You can't call a pet It."
"Actually I can. I'll call it It." I chuckled.
I'm so happy Lupe chose to stay. Matt demanded I pay him a hardship allowance of having to adjust to life without Lupe.
"I didn't expect you back so soon! You do know that when you leave, I have this house under control, right? You don't have to be mother hen. You can go be a boyfriend and forget you're a dad for a moment."
"I can't forget to be a dad."
"You have to when you are with her. One week a month I'd not enough to sustain a relationship. You do know you are setting it up to fail, right?"
"How will it fail?"
"What does she do when you're gone?"
"She goes to college."
"And can you account for the rest of the time?"
"She's mostly home."
"And how do you know this?"
"Surveillance and daily reports from Damian, her bodyguard. Lupe,I'm not foolish enough to leave a 25 years old beauty unattended and unsupervised."
"Unattended and supervised. Do you hear yourself? This sounds like a project."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Trust her enough to remove the supervising part. It's not healthy to spy on her."
"I trust Vee. It's the little boys I don't trust."
There was an incident where Damian had to beat up a guy because he was coming on too strong. Vee didn't tell me and till now she hasn't. I don't think she knows I'm aware of it. She's a beautiful and soft spoken woman. That guy wasn't the first one to notice her in that way and he won't be the last. As much as I'm not close by, I have to keep tabs on her.
"Bring her here."
It's not that I haven't thought of having my girlfriend and my children under the same roof. The problem is more on the lines of how they correlate. I dint want to make either one uncomfortable hence the separation.
"You know it work."
"Them give her more than a week. Let her have you every weekend. It's better than three weeks of you being gone."
"And my children-"
"See you everyday. Let them miss you too. Sometimes they take you for granted."
It's true. Nerina and I coexist but we are not friends and even when I'm putting myself out there to rekindle something like the relationship we used to have, she's busy ignoring me. She only talks to me when she wants something. Gio and I are fine but he's often entangled in his own life. Gian moved out, he has never come back. Juan is living his own life with Sherry in Manhattan. The dynamic duo seem to be getting busier as they get older.
"That's true."
Maybe I should surprise Vee this weekend. She was sad when I left. She always is sad whenever I leave. It's not my wish to be separated from her. There are a lot if things I wish I had control over.
"This weekend?"
"Yeah. I think I'll surprise her."
*
There are no guards at the front door. Maybe she went out and she needed all of them. I opened the door and found it strange that it's unlocked.
"Stay sharp." I informed my bodyguards. We walked into the quiet house. The aroma of food usually welcomes me home. She wasn't aware I'm coming by. There's nothing but silence.
"Vee?" I called out.
No response.
I made my way to the bedroom. It's clean, the bed is made. It's quiet. But the carpet under my feet is wet. I checked the closet where water has spilled over. All her clothes are still there. But I can hear something from the bathroom. Moments later the door caved and it fell back. The two bodyguards usually at the front paid attention to me. They were both surprised to see me. "Signor Balotelli."
There's water all over.
"What are you doing in my bathroom?"
"We apologize for the door, we had no choice."
"Where's Vee?"
"Signorina locked us in here. We have been trying to open the door." The penthouse doors aren't easy to break into or even out once locked. "We will fix it right away."
"Vee locked you in here."
"Si."
"How long ago?"
"About two hours. She said there was a problem with the water but we closed the taps without a problem. I think she left them open on purpose."
"Where is Damian?" I asked.
"We don't know. She said he's in here and he needed help. But he wasn't."
"Look for him. He must be somewhere in this house."
They scattered at once. I called Vee but it went straight to voicemail. "It's Vee, I'm sorry I missed your call. I'll call you back."
"Vee... sweetheart." I clenched my jaw. "Call me, okay? As soon as you get this, call me."
"Signor," Damian came to the bedroom. "I apologize. She tricked me into the pantry to change the bulb and then she locked me in. She took my phone."
"How did she take your phone?"
"She said her phone is off and she needs to use mine."
My little bambina is telling lies now?
"Do you know where she is?"
"No Signor."
This part where Vee tricks people into things is what I'm not processing. But I have a rough idea of where she could have gone. I just need to make a few phone calls and the first one is to the damn college I'm paying for.