Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18: Natalie woke to golden sunlight streaming in through the drapes, kissing a warm caress over her skin as she stretched the sleep from her limbs. She bit her lip as she sat up, wondering what Giovanni was doing at the moment. She could picture him now, a hard cast to his features to cover the inner turmoil swirling within him. She wanted to know what was weighing so heavily on him, to see if maybe-just possibly she could take some of the weight off of him and make it better. She bet that he could and would be such a better, happier person if maybe he just told someone of what was troubling him so deeply. Shaking off her seemingly never ending thoughts ALL about Giovanni, she swung her legs over the monstrous bed and slipped on a thin lace ivory silk robe and padded over to the window. She was surprised to find that it was almost noon. She usually woke up always around 7 or 8, but then again that wasn't her life anymore.

A knock sounded on the door and she about jumped out of her skin. Pulling the long silk ties tighter across her waist she shouted a soft 'Come in'. Nicholas entered and she noticed he was nervous. She was immediately on alert, her stomach a bundle of burning nerves that made her chest ache.

"What? What is it? What's wrong? Is it Giovanni?" she asked hurriedly.

Nicholas's eyes momentarily widened at the onslaught of questions before he composed himself. "No, it is nothing like that. It is umm... my wife...." He paused, shifted.

Natalie gestured impatiently for him to continue.

"She...she wants you to go to lunch with her today." He mumbled and Natalie put a hand to stifle the erratic beat of her heart.

"Oh, goodness. I thought it was something bad." She said and he mumbled something in Italian.

"When will she be here?"

"In about one hour." He said and with that he left.

Natalie stared at the spot he had just been, then shook her head as she walked over to the closet to start getting ready. Finally she decided on a strapless blue and white striped sundress that had a big bow underneath the breast.

It was fun and flirty and it didn't feel like it would crumple under her hands with the fine materials it was made of like a lot of the things Giovanni had bought her. Then she picked out some gold sandals put in some of the ivory pearls for earrings and slipped on a small bracelet that dangled on her wrist, then grabbed a tan sunhat. She stared at herself in the mirror before taking a deep breath, nodding to herself, and turning to start walking out of the room. She almost bumped into a man as she left, though.

He started mumbling apologies in Italian his eyes wide with fear. Her brows furrowed and she laid a hand on the man's shoulder.

He jumped as if her touch had scalded her.

"It's okay." She said and tried to do it in Italian, but she could tell she wasn't doing it right for the amusement that deepened the wrinkles around the old man's eyes before he sobered.

"I am sorry, Ms. Please do not tell Mr. Amaro. I am begging you." He pleaded and Natalie was completely dumbfounded for a moment. She realized that he was scared because he had ran into her.

What had Giovanni done? Ordered a no-touching zone?

She wasn't his damn property. She fumed for a moment silently and then realized the old man was still trembling with fear waiting for the moment where his life would be ripped from him. Natalie smiled reassuringly, not daring to lay a comforting hand on him for the fear she would terrify him even more.

"It is fine. Really." She whispered and his shoulders sagged with relief, but worry and weariness still worked his old face.

"What are you doing in here?" She asked.

"Mr. Amaro ordered that we move all of his fiancées things into his own room. For a minute she could only stare at him. Really? This soon? Just when she was getting comfortable.

"That man..." she muttered before taking in a deep breath.

She stepped around him, waving a small goodbye with her fingers before she began making her way down the stairs, her curls bouncing at her shoulders. She reached the bottom and already saw Ana-Marie standing next to Nicholas, speaking to him quietly. She cleared her throat to alert them of her presence and they both stiffened and then turned to her.

Ana-Marie pasted on a million watt smile as she came over to take Natalie's hands in her own and kiss her cheeks. Natalie wasn't used to this so she just stood there for a minute until she finally managed to squeeze Ana-Marie's hands.

"You look wonderful." Ana-Marie said and Natalie, blushed, smiled. "You do too." Natalie replied and it was the truth. Ana-Marie wore a sundress that was a light blush pink and a white cardigan, her long onyx hair pulled up into a high ponytail. Ana-Marie beamed at the compliment and then turned to kiss her husband. She tried to pull away, but Nicholas gripped her waist and kissed her deeper. Natalie shifted, her gaze darting around awkwardly.

Ana-Marie let out a muffled laugh against his mouth and pulled back, her cheeks tinged pink as she whispered a husky "Goodbye." A moment later, one of the other body guards stepped out from the room behind Nicholas and started to trail behind Ana-Marie and Natalie as they made their way outside. This was the first time Natalie was really going to be away from this house without Giovanni.

She was nervous, but she was anticipating it. She hadn't expected Giovanni to let her go away to have some girl time-alone-without a large body guard, but it still frustrated her that she had to have someone watching her. Both, Ana-Marie and Natalie got into the car and waited as the man following them slipped in the driver's side door and began driving. Ana-Marie reached over a delicate hand to pull out a bottle of champagne that had been in one of the cabinets of the large limo.

She poured both her and Natalie a glass before she sat back and watched Natalie for a moment, her gaze intense.

"How are you doing?" she asked as Natalie took a sip.

Natalie bit her lip and lowered the glass of champagne from her lips.

The bubbles tickled her tongue delightfully.

"I'm doing okay, I guess." She looked up to find Ana-Marie still watching her intently.

"How is Giovanni treating you?" she asked and Natalie shrugged a shoulder, even as a blush climbed to her cheeks at the memory of the ferocity of his kiss.

"He has been treating me well. I couldn't believe that he actually was allowing me out." She said with a shake of her head.

Ana-Marie let out a loud laugh at that and Natalie wondered what was so funny.

"Oh, trust me. He was not too...keen on the idea, but we finally managed to convince him." She said, her eyes twinkling. Natalie shook her head in exasperation as they pulled to a stop.

"He is so... he's so... UGH!" Natalie searched for a word to describe the infuriating man that caused her to feel pleasures she never had felt, nor expected to feel. Just the thought of him sent heat feathering across her limbs. They got out of the car and Ana-Marie linked her arm around Natalie's and began walking towards the small café that sat in front of them. Natalie tried to forget that she had men following her, watching her and checking for danger. She realized something and came to abrupt stop to take Ana-Marie by the wrists with a tight grip. Ana-Marie blinked long dark lashes across high slender cheekbones.

"Wait, you aren't safe out with me. Someone... someone wants me dead." She said and couldn't utter the words 'Father' in that sentence.

Ana-Marie let out another loud laugh that tinkled like wind chimes as she patted Natalie's cheek delicately. "Oh, sweetie, I know the trouble that you are in. I am used to trouble. Look who I am married too." She said and Natalie swallowed hard as she nodded and followed Ana-Marie into the restaurant. It was beautiful in a soft, and delicate way. Small, too.

There was an older woman standing and smiling a greeting as they walked in. Since Natalie only knew only a little bit of Italian, Ana-Marie spoke. She knew the exact moment that the woman knew who they were, because she paled and stared-wide eyed as she began to tremble with fear. Ana-Marie didn't blink, though and soon the woman began to gather menus in shaking hands. She gestured for them to follow and they did so through the small, quaint, and elegant café. They both sat down and Natalie didn't miss the body guards that still lingered and watched with cautious and aware eyes. They stared down at the menu and soon after ordered.

Natalie couldn't help but feel like all the eyes were on them and when she looked, they were. She leaned in close to Ana-Marie who didn't seem to notice as she drank a mimosa from a flute glass.

"Do people always...um...stare?" she asked quietly.

Ana-Marie stared at her like she was mental and then her gaze slid slowly, and in the most elegant way around the room.

"Oh," she waved a hand and took another sip.

"Don't mind them. People always stare." She said and plopped the raspberry that was on the rim of the glass on her tongue.

Natalie shook her head.

"But...why?"

Again with the staring as if she was a mental patient.

"Because they're scared." She said simply.

When Natalie just stared at her, Ana-Marie set down her glass and smoothed her napkin over her lap as she, too, leaned forward.

"They know who we are. They know who you are. They are scared of who we are." She said in a soft, simple voice.

Natalie swallowed hard as she glanced around at the cautious eyes watching them from various places in the small restaurant. She leaned back in her seat and sipped her own mimosa, letting the taste tingle and slide over her tongue in a tart caress. She never realized how much of an influence Giovanni and his men had. Their food came and Natalie dug in, her stomach hungry and demanding food. She moaned around her food and Ana-Marie grinned as she took a bite of her own food.

"Good, no?" she asked and Natalie could only nod as she devoured her food.

As she began to slow with the amount of food she consumed she leaned back into her chair.

"Why is Giovanni so..." she stopped when Ana-Marie looked up, paused in chewing.

"Giovanni?" she questioned and Natalie nodded. Ana-Marie chewed slowly as if deliberating what to say, gathering her thoughts before she swallowed and set her fork down.

"Giovanni had a hard time growing up... This is the only life he has ever known and this life... this life has a lot of things that are not always good for people to see. Giovanni had to become the way he is today because he needed to survive. I cannot tell you what he went through, because that his job and his job alone and I am sure he will tell you in time." She said and Natalie sighed.

"I just... I want to know him." She whispered and Ana-Marie smiled sadly as she reached out to lay a hand over Natalie's.

"And you will." She said softly.

"Give it time." Ana-Marie said as she finished her food.

"Time..." Natalie murmured to herself.

Time... The only question was how much?   ...

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Heeeeey youuuu guuuuysss! Sorry it has been so long! It has been insanely crazy in my life since the last time I updated. I hope you liked this chapter. and again I am SO sorry it took forever! I hope you enjoyed this...More to come... *Evil laugh* Vote. Comment. Follow. XX :D