by Mia Villano
I called for Isabella to come to my office before I went to greet them.
She walked in immediately, smiling.
“What’s wrong, baby?” she asked. That day she had on ripped jeans, an oversized sweatshirt, and tennis shoes. Her hair was up in a ponytail, and she wasn’t wearing any makeup. To me, she was perfect and more beautiful than ever. I couldn’t imagine another man having her the way I should be. She was mine.
“Why is he here?” I growled. He made my blood boil knowing he set foot on my vineyard again. How he had the balls to walk in this house was beyond me.
“I told you yesterday. You said dinner was fine. I even double checked to make sure you were okay with your brother coming.” She looked at me worried I was angry with her.
I don’t remember her asking me. The days were blending together, pain, work, sweat, sleep.
Unable to keep the anger from my voice, I took a deep breath to gather my thoughts. I hobbled over to her on my crutches. I leaned over and kissed the top of her head. I shouldn’t have raised my voice to her like that.
“It’s okay. I’m sorry for snapping at you. I don’t want him here. I don’t want him on this vineyard or near you.”
“Fabrice, you need to stop taking so many pain pills. I made sure yesterday you were okay with this and you said dinner was fine. What is wrong with you lately? I don’t have the patience for this. I can handle him.” She was giving me shit, and I liked when she did. I admired that she never cowered from telling me what she thought I needed to hear.
She pushed away from me and gazed into my eyes. “I have been cooking for them all morning. Who do you think I was cooking for?” She spoke in a whisper so no one would hear us.
I nodded my head toward the bedroom so she would follow me. I wanted to make myself more presentable for the guests and I needed her help. What I wanted was to make myself vanish. I didn’t want my brother to see me weak in any way. Him coming over here now while I was still not up to par, didn’t sit well with me.
She was right, something was wrong with me that I kept forgetting things. I needed to knock off the pain pills. They made me too drowsy. I could force myself to get through this without them.
I grabbed a clean pair of sweats and a white oxford from my closet. “Will you help me with these sweats?” I sighed, annoyed with myself. I didn’t let anyone help me other than Isabella. Her face showed me so much love even after I had yelled at her. My phone buzzed on my dresser. A text from Gustan.
Meeting in the am. I’ll be there at 7.
Fuck, what now? Maybe he found out who was in the coffee shop that day. I’d had him search for the child I tried to save from the terrorist.
“Is everything okay?” Isabella asked me as she helped me pull up my pants. I still had to wear sweats over my leg.
Her gaze locked onto mine. I held her hands in my hands and kissed her fingers.
“Yes, everything is fine. I love you.” I said to her. God did I love her.
“I love you. Now let’s go eat and please be nice,” she murmured, straightening my shirt and brushing my hair out of my eyes.
“You want a sweater?” She knew that since this happened, I froze all the time. Like a fucking eighty-year-old man, I needed a sweater.
“No, I’m fine. Thank you for helping me. I like you dressed like this,” I said looking her over.
“I like to dress like this. It’s me.”
“I like you better in a dress, though, with nothing under but your bare pussy.” I grinned as I recalled the night of our engagement and I brought her to the vineyard for the first time. How I’d eased the soft dress up her body and took it off her… the hot candle wax I’d dripped across her perfectly toned thighs and stomach. She loved the hot wax and had been asking when we would do that again.
“How about when our guests leave? I could put one on and we head out to the vineyard. I bought a bunch of candles.” She smiled up at me wickedly. She knew me well and read what was on my mind. I didn’t get a chance to answer because I heard Romains obnoxious mouth echoing in the kitchen.
“Hey, little brother. Are you coming out?” His voice made me cringe.
I kissed my girl one more time and hobbled down the hall to the kitchen with my crutches. My eyes shifted from my mom and dad to Romain standing by the door, his arms crossed, his hair now short. He looked a lot older, with lines in his etched in his face. I wanted to keep my distance, but he was not going to allow that. He walked up to me and kissed me on both cheeks.
“Romain,” I said. My face was expressionless. I didn’t know how I felt. I tried to forget what he did to me. Isabella told me he was sorry and he was a new man. I didn’t know how to read him yet. Isabella also didn’t know him like I did. She believed in the good in everyone, even this idiot. After a while of being around him I would be able to tell if he was still taking drugs. I always knew when he was using. His voice changed, and his expressions were different when he was high. Over the years I had grown accustomed to his differences straight and fucked up. I hoped I could still tell.
“Fabrice, it’s so good to see you.” I didn’t answer. My eyes bore into him, taking in his demeanor.
I hobbled over to my mom and dad and greeted them. My mom was crying. She took my face in her hands and kissed me.
“My baby boy. I’m so glad you two are in the same room. This is so wonderful,” she whispered in my ear. That’s when I knew what I was doing was for someone else and not myself.
“Come on and let’s sit down outside. Isabella has been cooking all morning.” I limped over to her. “The house smells wonderful,” I said nuzzling her ear.
I whispered “Well pick up our previous conversation about the candles when everyone leaves.” She smiled not looking at me. She and my mom busied themselves in the kitchen and the rest of us went to sit out in the backyard. The day was beautiful and I loved to be outside on sunny days. The sun felt welcoming on my sore body.
“Can I get some drinks for everyone?” my dad asked.
“Water for me, Dad,” Romaine answered.
“Fabrice?”
“A coffee would be wonderful, Dad, thank you.” I was so groggy from working all morning and needed to wake up to deal with this family reunion. I needed caffeine in my body as soon as possible. My dad walked back into the kitchen and I could see him kiss my mom and hug Isabella from where I sat.
“So, how are you feeling?” Romain asked. He faced me with his same dark and tortured eyes.
“I’m fine. Not like I was, but I will get there. All those years in Special Ops and I get shot in a coffee shop.”
“You had Mamma beside herself. I’ve never seen her so upset. When I heard there was an attack on Paris, I never dreamed you would be involved. I thought you were in Washington.”
“I travel back and forth quite a bit.”
“The news won’t let the attack rest. They were calling Mamma and Dad yesterday trying to find out where you are.”
“They are hounding Isabella as well. She’s not used to this.”
“She’s an amazing girl, Fabrice.” The temperature in my face shot up.
“Yes, she is.” I was exhausted, but I wasn’t going to make this easy for him to saunter back into my life as if nothing happened.
“Congratulations on the engagement,” he said. I pulled my shoulders back to show him I was still the Ambassador and still pissed at what he did to me.
“Thanks. I’m blessed she said yes. Congratulations on yours. Isabella said you’re getting married, too.”
“Yes, Andrea. She is a wonderful woman. She keeps me grounded. Listen, I wanted to say this for a while now. I hope you will let me?” Romain asked, as he gripped the arms of the chair he sat in.
My dad walked outside and handed us our drinks and walked back inside again. I took a sip of my steaming coffee. The coffee tasted perfect. Romain took a long sip of his water and stared at his glass.
“I want you to know I’m truly sorry for what I did to you.
I know you probably won’t forgive me. I probably wouldn’t forgive me for embezzlement if I were you.” He hesitated, waiting for me to respond. I didn’t. My eyes bore in to him. I wasn’t going to be easy on him. He was going to work for my forgiveness.
“I know you hate me. I could feel the tension as soon as you looked at me. What I did to you was pathetic, I know. I’ve received help, met a wonderful woman, and I’m working now. I don’t ever want to go back to that lifestyle again. I hope you know that.” Still I did not respond. I used my techniques I learned in Special Ops to intimidate him. He was uncomfortable and groveling for my forgiveness, and that is exactly what I wanted.
“I hope you can forgive me, Fabrice.”
I decided to speak now that he was done.
“This time last year, I would have bodily thrown you out of my home. I had no intentions of ever seeing you again, nor did I want to. Now that I have been with Isabella, I have a different outlook on what you did. She’s taught me to forgive. But, you’ll understand if I’m still leery of you.
“She’s a wonderful girl.” He smiled. I wanted to punch him for saying that a second time.
“I’d appreciate it if you left her alone.” I said, sternly.
“Come on, Fabrice. I’m getting married.” He finished off his glass of water and set the glass down on the grass. I noticed his hands shook a bit. I didn’t know if his shaking was because he needed a fix or he had some damage done from the drugs. He was wearing designer clothes and Gucci shoes, I’m sure my mother purchased them for him to come here.
“Trying to take my woman didn’t stop you before,” I said not taking my eyes off him. I remember the time I walked in on him getting too close to Celeste, making her uncomfortable.
“Well, I was messed up. You know that. Those days are behind me. I have made a change Fabrice and I know you don’t believe me, but I have. Later, I would like you to meet Andrea. I met her in Rome last year and she has helped me become a better man.” I ignored him, trying to think of ways to get her last name out of him. I had met so many women he said were turning his life around I didn’t care to meet another.
“Where is she from?” then before he answered I thought of something else. He dated another Andrea when he was in college. I remembered her name.
“This isn’t Andrea Montinique from college?” He looked at me shocked I remembered. He was so in love with her then. We thought for sure he would marry this girl.
He nervously chuckled. “No, this is not her. Andrea Noir is from Paris but was born in England.” Yes, he fell for the trap. He was so easy. I made a mental note to remember her name and have Gustan look her up later.
“You know I can tell if you’re using. I always could. Your face gives you away. Don’t think you can come back into my life and buffalo me again. This time I will kill you. I will give you one more chance because of Mamma and Dad, but if you fuck with me again, you will regret you ever stepped foot back in this house.” I responded. I had to get him to shut up. I fought off the urge not to lunge at him and beat the shit out of him. Looking at him put me in a worse mood and one I didn’t care to be in. The last thing I cared about was if my brother and I were on good terms or who his latest fuck was. My main concern was getting well so I could be the man I used to be.
“I understand, and another chance is all I ask. I want you to know I’m different now. I guess the love of a good woman can do that to you.”
I shrugged.
How right he was, though. The love of Isabella was so strong she could make me lose my mind if I didn’t have her. I looked in the kitchen and watched her interact with my mother. How beautiful to see the two of them laughing and cooking. My two favorite girls in my life together taking care of me. I may not be much of a man, but I had enough to make me happy. Isabella was a gift.
Romain shifted in his chair. I loved seeing him nervous. “You’re so angry, Fabrice. You have to let the shit go. It’s not good for you to keep holding grudges and being pissed off.”
Was he seriously trying to provoke me? He had no idea the rage I had pent up inside me waiting to come out. I grabbed onto the arms of my chair and pulled myself up. I had to get away from him before I ruined the night.
“You get shot with a high powered gun by some fucking terrorist and see if you aren’t pissed off.” I walked off and into the kitchen. I would be glad when this fucking night was over with.
~~~~~~~~~~~
I had been home now for almost two months. My leg was still killing me when I woke up in the mornings. I tried to sleep with my leg propped on a pillow, and during the night I moved, and the pillow must have fallen, and it was now on the floor. My Isabella wasn’t in bed with me like I was used to. Where was she? I rolled over to find a note she had left me with my various medications I took each day.
Went for a run. Be back to make you breakfast. Coffee in urn. Luv you tons, Izzy.
I was aware of the silence in the room. I was never alone anymore. It was nice just to be.
I heard Gustan down the hall. I’d forgotten about the meeting we were to have that morning. The knock on my bedroom echoed in the silence as I made an attempt to get my sorry ass out of bed. The pain shot through my leg as I reached for my crutches and pulled myself up.
“Come on in, Gustan.” I yelled so he could hear me through the door. I was naked except for the cast on my leg. I didn’t care. Gustan had seen me this way before.
“Wild night I see.” He smiled at me and tried not to look. If he knew how wrong, he was. Those nights were over for the time being. I made love to Isabella, but the sex was far from wild.
“I need to go get this cast off this morning and then I have to go to the Embassy for a while.”
“Then it’s a good day, Fabrice. No more cast. You’re getting better every day.” I shrugged. I was getting better, but not fast enough.
“Why did you want to meet me this morning?” His message sounded urgent. He had a manila envelope with him.
“You wanted your brother followed. I have been having him followed. Take a look at this” I had finished getting my sweats on and was putting on my white oxford. I pulled out a pair of dress pants and a tie. I threw them at Gustan.
“Here, I want you to bring these. Once this cast comes off these sweats are going in the trash.”
“Back to the suit and tie again. I see things are improving.” He smiled at me and folded my pants carefully and set my tie on top.
“Let’s go to my office and then give me the bad news.” I knew what he was about to tell me. My brother was still on drugs. I didn’t want Isabella to know I had him watched. She would have been pissed I had not trusted him.
I asked him to get us a cup of coffee on the way. Once we were in the office, I shut the doors and sat down behind my desk. Gustan put my folded pants down on the chair and slid the envelope in front of me. I pulled out a black and white snapshot of my brother. The picture was taken in Rome by someone Gustan had hired to follow him. Something that was completely normal. Romain leaving his office and walking home. I pulled out another one and this picture was of him shopping at the local market. Another showed him and his girlfriend walking arm and arm. There were some Gustan had taken of Romain in France. Nothing I could find that looked out of the ordinary. To my shock there wasn’t any. I looked at pictures of Romain going to work and to dinner with a plain looking tall woman. There was nothing in there that pointed to him using drugs again. I put the pictures back in the envelope and looked at Gustan shoving the envelope across my desk.
“He may have changed.” I said sipping my coffee.
“The guy I hired to follow him in Rome said he didn’t see anything other than him going to and from his work and eating out at night.
“I may have you do this again in a few months. He can go off the wagon and then get back on the wagon repeatedly. I’ve seen this before. I don’t know? Maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on him but he hasn’t been the best brother. He told me the name of his girlfriend, Andr
ea Noir. Can you dig up some information on her for me? I want to be sure Isabella and my parents are safe. I have no idea who this woman is and I would feel more comfortable knowing she checks out. I may sound paranoid, but I still don’t trust him.” Gustan wrote her name down on in a small notebook he kept in his shirt pocket.
“You have a right to be suspicious, Fabrice. He fucked you over, and you didn’t know until it was too late. I don’t blame you. Yeah, let me know if you want him followed again. In the meantime, I will see if anything comes up on her.”
He looked at his watch and started to get up. “We better get going. Is Isabella coming with us?” he asked
“No, because I’m going to the Embassy right after for a couple of hours.”
“She’s safe right now, Fabrice. I sent two guys to follow her while she is out running, and while I take you today. They are two of my best. I’m on top of everything.”
“You better make sure she is being watched. I’ll text her on our way.” We left my office and headed to the doctor’s office. Thank God this fucking cast was coming off. My doctor smiled when he came in to remove it.
“I think you are happy for today, Fabrice.”
“You have no idea. This has been a nightmare to say the least.” My thigh itched, the cast was heavy, and I wanted to take a shower like a normal person. I was still in pain and could not put much weight on my leg after they sawed the cast off.
I was officially a freak. The doctor assured me the strength in my leg would get better in time and the size would eventually increase, but probably not be as big as my other leg. The scar would be there permanently along with a slight limp to remind me of the day for the rest of my life. I needed to continue my physical therapy to strengthen my leg every day. The pain would eventually go away, the doctor promised, but not completely. He kept reassuring me how lucky I was to be alive. They were cutting off my prescription pain pills and prescribed a high dose of ibuprofen.
