Terza was sitting down on a sofa going through the Italian tv channels. She sighed in frustration as she was getting bored. Vincenzo had locked her in the room after their last conversation had offended him. He had wordlessly left leaving her under lock and key. She didn't even want to bother to break out. There was no point. Vincenzo was the inventor of security systems in that place from what she could tell. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of defeating her. So she just decided to wait for him after he had ignored her calls to unlock the door. She wasn't sure how long went past before a knock came on the door. She knew it wasn't Vincenzo because he wasn't going to knock. She called "Come in." She was right. Vitale came inside and she could see the guards surrounding the door too.
Vitale closed the door and smiled politely "Hello Miss O'Neil."
Terza laughed "Don't call me that. I am Clarissa to you and Terza only to Vincenzo. As long as you don't call me Terza, he won't mind."
Vitale was standing at the door like a statue "I haven't been instructed what to address you while I am in business mode so I take the safe option. Others are meant to call you ma'am if they wish to keep their tongues but family can call you abit less formally ... for now. When we reach Home I might try to call you Clarissa. I will see if it is approved."
Terza stood up and faced him "Where is he?"
Vitale said "He is talking to scorpious and Andreas. The meeting ended awhile ago. Now he is having his personal talk with those two cousins."
Terza asked "Why did you leave to come here?"
Vitale said "Vincenzo sent me here to ask if you needed anything for your overnight stay. I can go to town and get any supplies you need."
Terza said "I am fine. If I needed anything I will just ask your sister. Tiziana is here the last I heard."
Vitale said "That's what I told him. But then scorpious had a rant at me that he wants her out of Sicily now and he will take her to his ship."
Clarissa said "Over Vincenzo's dead body. He is traditional. He won't let Tiziana out of his sight alone with scorpious."
Vitale said "Exactly. But Andreas is brought along for peace. He is our cousin and scorpious's cousin. We are lucky Andreas is close to his aunt Alicia and likewise scorpious is remaining close to uncle Arturo. I say it's a bizzare situation. Who would have thought Ambrogio Voltolini's nephew remains close to Arturo Agostini of all the people. Anyway. Back to the topic. Do you need anything?"
Terza said "No. like I said, if I need anything I would ask Tiziana."
Vitale said "Very well. I will pass it on." He then turned to leave.
Terza walked towards him "Wait."
Vitale turned to her quickly "At your service. Demand. Miss O'Neil."
Terza rolled her eyes "That's enough. You are doing this on purpose to annoy Vincenzo so he is reminded I am still an O'Neil and no where near becoming his. You get away with it unlike many just because you are his favourite Rosario."
Vitale gave her a smile " I am loyal to the new don. What can I say?"
Terza crossed her arms over her chest as she walked closer to him "Its way deeper than that. He trusts you so much. I can't even compare his treatment of you to how he treats his brother. He sees you as different. I don't know why."
Vitale said "That makes two of us. I guess I am lucky. May I be dismissed now ... ma'am."
Terza sighed "Now you are annoying me by addressing me so formally.. No you can't go as a matter of fact. You need to stay and make it up to me. Go take a seat."
Vitale was looking at her with his mouth open. His smile was long gone now "Really? I offended you? I am very sorry. I was joking."
Terza didn't feel bad about doing this. She needed some company while waiting and she did this because she could "I demand it that you stay Vitale. If you are instructed to do as I wish, you will have to stay. Otherwise I am sure your boss won't mind you leaving me here disobeying me. Then I will have a talk with him when he comes back."
Vitale didn't want to take any chances "As you wish ... Ma'am." He then walked silently to the sofa that Terza had pointed at. He didn't think Terza was going to get him into trouble deliberately. But she could do even if she didn't mean to. Vincenzo cared the most for three women in his life. He lived to protect them and respected them so much. He cared for his mother, his sister and his Terza that only he was allowed to call by this name. No one wanted to meet gruesome ends at Vincenzo's hands so dissatisfaction of any of these women was out of question.
Vitale leaned back on the sofa as he watched Terza walking to stand in front of him. Vitale asked "How can I be of service Miss O'Neil."
Terza put her hands behind her back and held her head high similar to the posture that her mother Sancia Giovanni used. She demanded "Vitale. All I want is honesty from you."
Vitale put his hand on his heart "Honesty is all you will get."
Terza declared "I want you to tell me the truth."
Vitale said with a hint of a smile "I don't have a reason to lie."
Terza asked "Who is Cristina to Vincenzo?"
Vitale shrugged "His best friend."
Terza said "She is and I need to know how she met Vincenzo."
Vitale asked "Why don't you ask Vincenzo? He can explain his relationships better."
Terza said "He refuses to."
Vitale asked "If he has not told you about his past there must be a reason. I am not sure I should answer this..."
Terza started walking around the sofa "You have to. I am issuing you a threat Vitale. If you don't tell me the truth, there are consequences."
Vitale declared "I don't think you need to threaten me when you can easily get the answers from Vincenzo. Cristina is nothing but a friend. Vincenzo is the most loyal man I have met. He will never cheat on you."
Terza put her hands on Vitale's shoulders as she was standing behind him making him freeze "I know that Vitale. I know that very well." She then leaned down and whispered in his ear "My problem is not Vincenzo's loyalty. I never liked to be Vincenzo's side dish to Letizia and Cristina. My problem is ... I don't like sharing."
Vitale gave out a shaky breath. He sighed. He didn't want to speak. He closed his eyes "Neither does Vincenzo so please ... refrain from touching other males including me... He may not kill me but will kill Letizia in a heart beat if he is provoked in the slightest by my actions or hers..."
Terza slightly retreated her hands from his shoulders "Letizia was his girl. He loved her."
Vitale stood up from his seat and turned around "No. He didn't. He hates her in fact for coming between you and him. Do you have any idea how many times I have had to ... beg on my knees to stop him from giving an order to hurt her? Do you have any idea how close he has come to punish her every time you ignore his phone calls or mention Letizia as the reason you don't like to be close to him. You make him work for this relationship you have with him. This is how you see it. He already had worked for you. He already has spent his days fighting off my Uncle Paulo and the old don for you. They don't like an Irish in the family. If you had any idea how hard he has fought for you so you can step foot here all free and happy, you would not even ask about Cristina. You actually think you would have gotten close to Sicily if it wasn't for his orders to let you and your people through. He has changed the ethics of the business that my family has set up. He has changed the rules just for you...."
Terza said "I never asked him to make it easy."
Vitale said "He wants you to be respected. He has fought hard for you to be respected."
Terza Said "It doesn't matter to me. You don't have to tell me details I don't wish to know. I told you I wish to know about Cristina and how she met Vincenzo..."
Vitale sighed "I can't discuss that ..."
Terza said "If Vincenzo had nothing to hide he would discuss her freely... I tell you this Vitale... one day the truth will come out. When it does, I will take revenge. I don't share my man. I have given my trust to Vincenzo. I won't be second side dish in his love life. I accept that he may not love Letizia right now since you testify... I give you that ... But if Vincenzo is only Christina's best friend and has been, why doesn't he tell me how he met her?"
Vitale said "It's not what you think..."
Terza asked "Then tell me. What is it Vitale." She walked around the sofa to Vitale and stood in front of him. "If he has nothing to hide he should reveal the truth. I fail to believe it's not what I think unless I am proven otherwise. I will dig deep until I find the truth."
Vitale pleaded "Don't. Please."
Terza said "What are you protecting? Vincenzo's affair with Cristina?"
Vitale took a step back and his eyes widened. He said "No. How can you doubt Vincenzo. He is a devoted catholic. He would never betray his woman. Why do you keep doubting him. It's not about you. It is not what you think..."
Terza asked "Then you tell me what is it? I can't wait any longer..."
Vitale took a deep breath and pressed his lips. He put his hands on his hips and looked around. He then looked at Terza and whispered "He can't tell you how he met her. Not yet. He will tell you one day ..."
Terza asked "Let me guess? When he marries me?"
Vitale said "No. By not telling you his secret he is protecting some people. He will tell you when he is powerful enough to protect those who he is protecting with that secret."
Terza asked "Why can't he tell me now? Who is he protecting them from?"
Vitale stated "You don't understand how many people will be in trouble.... He can't tell you yet. He is not powerful enough to protect those who are involved in the secret."
Terza asked "Who is more powerful than Vincenzo."
Vitale whispered "His father. He is protecting those in that secret against his father..." He then turned around "I have said too much. I have to go."
Terza gasped and took a step close to him. "Wait. I am sorry to have asked..."
Just then the door opened soundly and Vincenzo walked in. He took the scene in front of him as Vitale and Terza were standing close frozen in their spots noticing Vincenzo's arrival.
Vincenzo looked between the two "Vitale. Did you just make my woman say sorry to you for asking for something?"
Terza saw the deadly threat in his eyes "Vitale didn't do anything..."
Vincenzo said "Vitale go outside and wait for me ... "
Vitale nodded politely and then silently left the room.
Terza sighed and walked towards Vincenzo "Why did you do that. He did nothing wrong. I asked for too much."
Vincenzo said "Terza. Don't question me. I will go find out what he did..." As he turned around to leave, he found her holding his hand from behind "Wait. Vincenzo." Her touch and her voice calling his name was driving him mad. She didn't even have to say anything to have that effect on him. Just her touch was enough. He slowly turned around "Don't."
Terza asked "Why can't you just accept my word. He didn't do anything to upset me."
Vincenzo said "Oh. I accept your word."
Terza asked "Good. Then you don't have to interrogate him."
Vincenzo said "Interrogate him. No... I wasn't going to. I was going to slaughter him."
Terza gasped "He is innocent."
Vincenzo said "I am not." He then couldn't resist it. He freed his hand from hers and said "I want to kiss you now... If you don't mind it, touch my hand again. If permission is denied just leave the room and call back Vitale."
Terza touched his chest with her hand and then within seconds she found his lips on hers and his hands on her hips.