by M. L. Ray
And she stalked off to find Knox. His smile faded when he saw her flushed face. “You okay?”
“Just hot,” she said. Nook decided she didn’t want Knox thrown out of Venice’s most famous church for brawling and so she deftly maneuvered him out of the church and into the street.
Exhaustion hit her then, and she rubbed her belly. Knox kissed her gently. “Home?”
She nodded. “Yes. Let’s go home.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Cat sent Juno and Levi home that evening. “You’ve been more than friends to me and Isa, I cannot thank you enough. And I’m so sorry I’ve taken a whole day away from your visit with your brother.”
Levi hugged her. “Don’t be silly, we wouldn’t have done anything else. I’m just so glad Isa’s going to be okay.”
Juno was hugging Arturo, then she looked in on the sleeping Isa. “Take care of them,” she whispered to Arturo, who nodded.
“I promise.”
In the water taxi, Juno leaned against Levi. “Are you okay, honey?”
He nodded, and she kissed him. “Did it bring it all back? You can talk to me, you know.”
“I know I can.” He hesitated. “Juno… Isa came to talk to me. She had some… theories. Some of them, about Arturo, have been put to rest but there’s still a lot of stuff that doesn’t make sense. Stuff I think she might be right about.”
“Like what?”
Levi blew out his cheeks. “Like Tudor Welch. Why would he try to kill Isa? As far as he knows, she has nothing to do with you, me, Arturo… Federico.”
Juno stiffened. “What about Federico?”
“Juno, some of this may be hard to hear.”
Her face was stone. “Then it’ll have to wait until we’re alone. We’re home.”
Levi hadn’t even noticed the water taxi had pulled up to Santa Croce. Juno was silent on their walk back to his apartment building and when they went inside, Nook and Knox were there and the four of them ate together.
Juno was chatty and hid her distress well but Levi could tell she was conflicted. Nook noticed too, and when she and Levi were in the kitchen alone, she asked what was wrong.
Levi shook his head. “Just some stuff we need to talk about. I think the shock of seeing Isa hurt has affected her.”
“And you?”
He nodded. “And me.”
Nook hugged him. “You’ll get through it. Remember when your Dad died and Knox lost his mind for a while? We got through that.”
“I know. Thank you, honey.”
Later, when they had gone to bed, and the apartment was silent, Levi undressed down to his underwear and waited in the bedroom for Juno to come out of the shower. The evening had been hot and so the large windows were open. Levi turned the overhead light off and switched on the lamps, casting a soft glow across the room.
Juno stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her naked, wet body and Levi’s heart thumped, his blood pumped as she dropped the towel and came to him. He pulled her to him, kissing her breasts and burying his face in her belly. “Make love to me,” she whispered, “before we talk. I have a horrible feeling I’m not going to feel like it after you tell me what you have to tell me.”
Levi gathered her into his arms and lowered her to the bed. Their mouths were hungry against the other’s, their hands roaming each other’s skin. They made love, but it was with a quiet desperation and soon Juno started to cry.
“What is it, my love?”
“Please don’t tell me something bad about my brother… I can’t bear it, Levi.”
“Oh, darling, it’s not like that…” But she was sobbing now and Levi realized that she had been building up to this for a while now. He held her as she cried herself out, then dried her eyes with his hand.
Juno took in a couple of deep breaths then smiled. Her eyes were red. Levi held her close. “Okay,” she said finally, “I’m ready.”
“Sure?”
“Yes.”
So, Levi told her about Lucy Graziano, Federico and Isa, and Arturo and Tudor Welch aka Kevin Hawkes at his alma matar. He told her about Lucy and Ferdie’s relationship, Isa’s suspicions about Arturo and the fact he lied—but had admitted to lying—about knowing Lucy.
“But we know for sure he was with Cat when Isa was stabbed, and Isa herself now knows he’s not to blame. So…”
“So, Tudor Welch is Kevin Hawkes and for some reason, he’s obsessed with my family.”
“With you, yes.”
Juno was silent for a time. “None of this makes sense.”
“I know.”
“Why would he kill Fausta?”
Levi shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe she got to be too much trouble.”
“I saw him kiss her the same night she was killed. Why kiss her…” She trailed off. “He saw me. He kissed her thinking he was making me jealous or maybe it was a warning. A ‘I control life and death’ thing. He’s already threatened my life once, but I didn’t think he was serious nor capable of violence like that.” She shivered. “The man’s a psycho.”
“There’s a lot of it about,” Levi said grimly.
Juno looked at him and her eyes softened. “Oh, Levi. You’ve been through so much already. With Nook… I’m so sorry you’ve been dragged into this.”
Levi put his hands on her shoulders, made her look at him. “Listen to me, Juno Martello. You are the love of my life. I never, ever thought I’d find that, ever. I came to Venice to see my best friend and found the woman I want to spend my life with. I would not change one thing except to keep you safe from harm forever. And that’s what I intend to do.”
He crushed his lips against hers. “I am yours, forever. We will fight this together, okay?”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
***
Isa Papini woke, her throat dry and scratchy. Cat had laid her head on the side of Isa’s bed and had fallen asleep. Arturo was slumped, asleep in a chair, across the room. Isa reached for the cup of water on the nightstand, every movement agony. The morphine had worn off now, and her abdomen screamed in pain. She still couldn’t believe she was alive. When her attacker had knifed her, just once, she thought she would die. She was still conscious when she went into the canal, and it seemed like hours before she was pulled out, but it could only have been moments. There had been people helping her lay on the street, hands pressing against her wound, asking her questions. She managed to blurt out “Man, red-head” before darkness came for her.
She woke up once in the ambulance but then it wasn’t until she’d been operated on that she came around again. She was more distressed at seeing how panicked and upset Cat was than for herself—she was just glad she made it.
But none of it made sense. When they told her who they thought had attacked her, Isa had been astonished. And she had felt terrible about suspecting Arturo…
The cup of water slipped out of her hand and hit the floor, waking Arturo, who darted forward to grab it. “You want some more water, piccolo?”
“Yes, please. Don’t slip on that.”
He smiled at her. “Trust you to think of others before yourself. Typical Isa. I’ll be right back.”
Isa frowned. What had he meant by that? He was back and handed her a full cup of ice-cold water. She gulped it down gratefully.
“How are you feeling?”
“Groggy. Sore.” She tried to sit up, but he pushed her back gently.
“Doctor said you had to rest, Isa.”
Isa relaxed back against the pillows. Arturo quietly moved his chair to sit next to her, glancing over at Cat’s sleeping form fondly. He took Isa’s hand. “I’m so sorry this happened to you, Isabella.”
“And I’m sorry for… you know.”
“You already apologized.”
She blinked. “I did?”
Arturo smiled. “You did, and you were already forgiven. I’m… I’m an arrogant man, I know
that, and I admit, I have been less than truthful about my college days. Mostly because I’m ashamed of the person I was back then.”
His thumb was stroking the back of her hand and it felt nice, soothing. “Isa, I would like to be a friend to you, a brother maybe.”
He grinned shyly as her eyes widened. “I didn’t mean…. Well, maybe I did. Cat and I are very close.”
Isa chuckled, then winced as the movement pulled at her wound. “Ouch.”
“Sorry.”
Cat stirred then, sitting up, her eyes blinking, her dark hair sticking up in every direction. “What did I miss?”
Isa and Arturo exchanged an amused glance. “Nothing,” Isa said, “we were just talking about family.”
***
Isabella Papini was supposed to have died. That’s what he kept telling himself. Why hadn’t he gone ham on her like he had Fausta? But he’d been so cocky. One thrust of his knife into her soft abdomen, then a push into the dirty, swirling water of the canals. Certain that would be enough. He should have tried harder to hit a major artery. The girl was supposed to be collateral damage. He sat in the bar watching the television news, trying to translate the subtitles. His balls still ached from that bitch in the church today. He’d followed them from Zapata’s place, figured the guy was Zapata’s brother. His wife was a cutie, and he’d been genuine about hitting on her but now, after the debacle in the church, he wanted to sink his knife into her too. Hell, maybe he’d kill the whole bunch of them. Assholes.
He watched the news anchor report on the stabbing of one of Venice’s local artists and how Isabella Papini had been saved by brave passers-by. Fuck them. The girl should be dead, that was the plan. He wasn’t happy.
Tudor Welch slipped from the bar. This afternoon, after attracting attention in the church, he’d gone back to the motel where he’d rented a room with cash, and shaved his head, stuck on a pair of weak eyeglasses. The polizia were looking for him, yes, but they didn’t seem to be looking very hard. What’s one more dead girl in a world where it was common place?
Still… Juno’s ballet performance was in three days and that was his deadline. She would not see her encore. She would not live to take the applause.
He couldn’t wait.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
It was Nook’s idea. “I mean, what better way to celebrate your performance? Unless you were planning on a whole big thing.”
Juno and Levi stared at her while Knox chuckled. He turned from the window to look at them. “And the scary thing is, she means it.”
“I do, I do mean it. Why not?”
Levi looked at Juno, who started to laugh. “What do you think?”
Juno grinned. “I’m up for it.”
“Seriously?”
She laughed again and came to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Really. Why not? It wouldn’t be any crazier than my life has been, than our love story has been up to now.”
He looked down at her, then at his brother and sister-in-law, who took the hint and melted quietly from the room, leaving them alone.
Levi kissed Juno’s lips. “Think about this, honestly, Juno. It’s a big step.”
“I don’t care.” She gazed up at him with such love in her eyes that it took his breath away. “I want to marry you, Levi.”
Levi threw his head back and laughed. “Well, then, I guess we’re getting married.”
“Whoop!” Nook came bounding back into the room, making them both laugh.
Knox followed her, grinning. “I told her she shouldn’t be listening… You realize she’s only doing this so she can be there. This pregnancy has made her even more mushy than normal.”
Nook pouted. “So sue me.” She beamed at Juno. “Now, really, being Mom now… I’m not railroading you into this?”
Juno hugged her. “No.” She looked at Levi, who was smiling. “Him, I can’t vouch for.”
“Just go with whatever they say,” Knox stage-whispered to his brother, “it’s easier that way.”
“Ha ha. Listen, I have no idea what it takes to get married in Italy—do I have to have lived here for a certain period?”
“No idea.”
The men left the women to look things up online while they went to the balcony. Knox grinned at his brother. “I knew Nook would go randomly crazy during this pregnancy but this is a new one.”
Levi shrugged. “As far as I’m concerned, the sooner I’m Juno’s husband the better.”
Knox smiled. “She’s a sweetheart, all right.”
Levi noticed a little hesitation in his brother’s eyes. “But?”
“But nothing. Just thinking… the Zapata boys don’t ever pick the easy way out when it comes to love, huh?”
“Nope.” Levi’s smile faded. “I have an ulterior motive in marrying her. If we were to get out of Venice while Tudor Welch is still at large, it wouldn’t be the worst thing for me.”
“Hmm, careful, bro. The worst thing you can do is try to control her life, even if it’s to keep her safe. Believe me, I know.”
“I realize that. And, of course, I would never try to tell Juno what to do. But an extended honeymoon—”
“Man, don’t. I know you’re only thinking of her but…”
Levi’s shoulders slumped. “I know. I’m just… God, man, if anything were to happen to her.”
“Juno’s not an idiot. She knows she has to be careful right now, while that jackass is still at large. She’s smart, kiddo, street-wise.”
As if hearing her name, Juno stuck her head around the door. “Hey, we could always honeymoon in Seattle. Just something to think about. We’re still figuring it all out.”
She disappeared again and Knox smirked at his brother. “Well, there you go.”
Levi laughed, shaking his head. “Oh, yeah, brother, problem solved.”
Anouk was feeling wiped out by lunchtime and so she and Knox went to relax in bed for the afternoon. Levi and Juno decided to go to City Hall and get the documentation for their impending marriage. As they sat on the vaporetto, Levi put his arm around her shoulders. “Are you absolutely sure about this?”
Juno grinned at him. “More sure than I’ve ever been in my life. I’m starting to really follow my gut these days—thanks to you—and I have no doubts at all that this was meant to be. Even more than my career… which, forgive me, The Sisterhood, has always been my priority. Until now.”
“The Sisterhood will be coming for me.” Levi dropped his head into his hands and Juno laughed.
“I’ll protect you. I have ninja skills.”
“I know you do.” He smiled down at her then pressed his lips to hers. “Despite everything that’s happening, we’re going to make it through this.”
“Damn right, we are.”
They went to City Hall, completed all the paperwork they needed to, and booked an appointment to get married in two days’ time, on the morning of Juno’s performance, then Levi walked her to the ballet company.
“Listen… what you were saying about gut instinct?”
“Yes?”
Levi nodded. “I think I need to do that too. This thing with Ferdie and Tudor and Arturo at school is bugging me. I think I need to go there myself, talk to some people.”
“If that’s what you need to do, go for it.”
Levi hesitated. “Juno, whatever I find out… do you want me to tell you everything? Even if it casts a bad light on your brother?”
She nodded. “Yes. Everything, Levi. I know how flawed Ferdie was, of course, and if he was in any way responsible for what’s happening now, I need to know. It won’t stop me loving and missing him for the rest of my life. But I need to know the truth.”
He kissed her then. “You’re my heroine, you know that?”
“I haven’t done anything to deserve that, but thank you.”
She nuzzled her nose against his. “You take care of yourself out there.”
“You too. You’ll
get Jake or call Knox when you leave here?”
“I promise.”
Levi hated to leave her alone but at least she was in the safety of the ballet company all day. He went to the train station and bought a ticket to Pisa and as the train sped through the Italian countryside, he stared out of the window and cursed the fact that Tudor Welch had decided to ruin their idyll. Levi loved this country so much, and he really didn’t want to leave… but if Juno was in any kind of danger here while Tudor Welch was at large, they couldn’t stay.
He called ahead and the Dean of the college came to meet him personally. Levi was grateful that his family name obviously still meant something. He knew that his father had left a sizable donation to the college in his will, and the Dean was proud of the new wing his money had built. He gave Levi the tour and then they went back to the Dean’s office.
Levi could tell that the Dean was nervous, and when Levi asked his first question, the Dean sighed.
“Dean… did you know of Kevin Hawkes, now known as Tudor Welch?”
The Dean nodded. “He was a gifted student, but not as gifted as some of his peers. It made him bitter, resentful. I understand he carved quite a career for himself in America.”
“He did. He even taught at Julliard for a time. I know for a fact he abused some of the students.”
The Dean looked upset. “Levi, let’s be frank here. I know that you are in a relationship with Juno Martello. I assume she is one of the students you are talking about? Federico was so proud she won that scholarship to Julliard.”
“You kept in touch with Federico?”
“I did. I liked him immensely. I knew he had demons, of course, but at his essence, he was a good man. Is Juno doing well?”
Levi took in a deep breath. “Yes and no. You heard about the murder of her colleague?”
“I did, terrible thing.”
“The main suspect is Tudor Welch.”
The Dean rocked back. “No.”
“That detail hasn’t been released by the police.” Levi studied the other man. “Actually, you don’t seem that surprised.”
The Dean sighed. “Tudor… Kevin always had a way about him. He didn’t get into arguments with the other boys, but he would be overly aggressive in his manner towards women. I remember Federico calling him out on more than one occasion.”
