Turn Towards the Sun Book Two: After the Rain

by Jennifer Domenico

“Absolutely epic,” Cassie adds, and cackles once more.

  Love this girl.

  16 CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “When we get home, I expect to hear exactly how much money you spent in Vegas.”

  “I know, Enzo.” I roll my eyes as we climb into the back of the car.

  “What are you two whispering about now?” Cassie asks.

  “Nothing important, nosy pants,” I reply.

  “I heard something about money. I’d love to hear how much money you spent in Vegas too,” she says.

  I blanch. I don’t want to tell her knowing as she will freak out. Enzo just smiles and rubs my hand.

  “It’s safe to tell her now, amore.”

  I shoot him a look. Great, now I have no choice.

  “Tell me what?”

  Cassie is on pins and needles now, and even Chris looks interested. I’m just thankful we all took separate cars to get home from the airport, and I don’t have to have this conversation in front of everyone.

  “Spill it, Ava,” she presses, shoving my arm.

  I sigh. “I was given a challenge to spend a certain amount of money while we were on our trip.”

  “Ha! I knew you were up to something. You were being way too spendy.” She laughs.

  “So how much was it?” Chris asks.

  “I’d rather not say.” I’d really, really rather not say.

  “I don’t mind telling you,” Enzo says, even though I’m glaring at him. “I asked her to spend fifty thousand dollars.”

  “What?” Cassie’s voice goes up about twenty octaves.

  I cover my face in my hands. “Cassie, calm down.”

  “Why was I not in on this mission?” she asks.

  “You were,” I reply. “I just didn’t tell you, but you helped.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Rules of the challenge,” Enzo explains. “I wanted her to look for the opportunities herself.”

  “Wow. How did you do? I’m dying to know now,” she says.

  “I don’t know. I need to do the math.”

  “But how do you think you did?” Cassie asks again.

  “I think I was successful.” I grin, in spite of my embarrassment.

  “Right on sister. Work it!” Cassie slaps my hand in a high five while Enzo laughs.

  Our driver pulls up outside our house. There has been so much excitement over the last couple of weeks that I’m looking forward to getting back to a normal routine. Camilla and Franco are waiting for us, having watched the house and Maximus while we were away.

  The air is very chilly outside, so I am glad to see the fire going and a pot of coffee waiting. We all say hello to Camilla and Franco. Then Enzo chats with his family, telling them all about our trip, while Cassie and I drop to the floor to get showered in puppy kisses.

  “Everything was fine while you were gone. We’ll let you all get settled and see you soon,” Franco says, as they gather their things. “Oh, and Alex called a few hours ago. He said your phone was still off. Call him when you get a chance,” he adds.

  “Grazie,” Enzo says, pulling out his phone.

  I head into our bedroom, peel off my travel clothes, and put on a sweatshirt and thick socks, which makes me feel so much better. A week of fancy clothes was fun, but I’m ready for my comfy gear. When I walk back into the living room, I find Enzo sitting on the couch, his face creased with concern.

  “What’s going on?” I ask, dreading the answer.

  “They’ve set a court date,” he says quietly.

  “For what?”

  “For Anna.”

  Oh shit. I slump down next to my husband. “I thought it wouldn’t go to trial.”

  “It’s not a trial. It’s to determine whether she is competent to stand trial. Alex thinks we need to be there. You may have to testify.” He runs his hand through his hair.

  I thought I would never have to look at her again, but now I will have to sit in a courtroom with her.

  “Do we know how she is doing, uh, mentally?” I ask.

  “Not sure. But it must be well enough if they want to have this hearing.”

  “Great.”

  “I’m sorry, amore. But we need to finish this off.”

  “I know. When is it?” I ask.

  “In two weeks.”

  “Fabulous.”

  He rubs my hand. “Don’t let this ruin our happiness. We’ve come so far.”

  “I won’t. I’ll deal with it.”

  “I know.”

  “Do you have to work today?” I ask.

  “No. Everyone, including me, has the day off. It’s still a holiday.”

  “Good. I just want to relax and pretend the outside world isn’t creeping in yet. Does this mean the media is going to be all over us again?”

  “I don’t know yet,” he sighs. “We’ll get through this though. Our bond is invincible.”

  “Yes, invincible.”

  “Now,” he says, placing his hands on my shoulders, “I want to know if you met the challenge. Let’s see how you did.”

  “Okay.”

  I reach inside my handbag and pull out the little red leather change purse I’ve been keeping my receipts in. This is the tough part for me, being faced with how much money I actually blew. I lay all of the pieces of paper out on the coffee table and Enzo picks up his phone to use the calculator. His face bears a grin a mile wide.

  “You tell me the totals and I’ll add them up,” he suggests.

  I nod and start listing the amounts. By the time I get to the hair barrette and shoes, I’m having a little fun with it. After all, it was his challenge.

  After Enzo finishes the last few additions, he smiles and shows me his phone screen. “Very impressive, amore,” he says. “You certainly know how to win a challenge.”

  I look at the phone and realize I exceeded my goal by three hundred dollars. Damn, I’m good.

  “You know, babe, what you said to me about making someone’s life easier? Well, I really took that to heart. I bought things for other people that I know they wouldn’t or couldn’t buy for themselves. It was an awesome feeling.” I tell him all about the handbags I bought for the two unsuspecting women.

  “Very creative, Ava. It is a very nice feeling to give things to people.” He reaches out and rubs my cheek. “There is one thing I noticed though, bella. It seems you were much more successful buying gifts for others but had a harder time getting things for yourself until the end.”

  I nod my head. “Yeah, at first I was just buying a lot of gifts. I ended up getting myself some really nice things though. I wore diamonds in my hair, for God’s sake.” I laugh.

  “Yes, you did. Now that you’ve seen how much fun it is, maybe it will come a little easier to you in the future.”

  “I think the paycheck will help.” I kiss the tip of his nose. “So, besides all the stuff I bought, what do I get for meeting your challenge?” I grin.

  “What do you want? You can have anything you desire.”

  “I already have everything I want. There’s only one thing I desire.”

  “And that is?”

  “You.”

  He kisses the back of my hand. “Oh, my beautiful wife, you have me wrapped around your perfect little finger.”

  “At this moment, I desire you.”

  “Spending money turns you on? This is a revelation.” He chuckles softly.

  “No, meeting your expectations and pleasing you is a turn on.”

  “Signora, you far exceed my expectations and your very presence is pleasing to me. In fact I’m damn near in a constant state of arousal because of you.”

  I lean closer to him and caress his thighs. “Then let’s do something about that. No more talk. I want you now.”

  “Mmm, I do love it when you get bossy. You know what turns me on? Watching you have an orgasm, so let’s go.” Taking my hand, he leads me into the bedroom. “Prepare yourself, Mrs. Milano.” He grins as he starts to undress.

  Gigglin
g, I climb onto the bed, feeling absolutely giddy with joy. Enzo soon joins me and pulls me into his arms, staring into my eyes with those gorgeous blues.

  “Amore, I love you so much that I can’t even describe it. Your love fills me up and courses through my veins. Loving you is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me.”

  “Enzo, my love…”

  “Shush, you don’t have to say anything back. I just needed to tell you again, just to make sure you know.” He kisses my cheek and all the way down my neck.

  I run my hands through his hair, whispering, “I know, baby. I know.” Then I throw back my head, and enjoy the feeling of his hands and mouth all over me.

  ****

  “So, I’ve been waiting to hear if you met Enzo’s crazy challenge or not.” Cassie says, handing me a cup of coffee.

  I smile. “Yeah, I met it, and even went over a bit.”

  “Seriously? I can’t believe you spent that kind of money. What did it feel like?”

  “At first it was awkward for me, but then I just decided to enjoy it. I bought things for other people, gave out crazy tips, and just felt uninhibited. It was actually a lot of fun.”

  “So now you’re going to embrace being a rich girl?” she asks, giggling.

  “I don’t think it changed anything about me, except to help me understand that it’s okay to have nice things,” I reply. “Now I appreciate what having money allows me to do. It was a lesson I needed to learn. Enzo’s a pretty smart guy.”

  “I’ll say. I’m proud of you. Not just for that, but for everything. You’re really coming into your own and it’s nice to see. He brings out the best in you, girl.” She kisses my cheek.

  “I agree. We had some rough times and the money thing has always been an issue. But I’m starting to see that I can still be my own woman in Enzo’s world.”

  “Finally. I’m so glad I don’t have to deliver any more verbal smack downs on you!”

  “Me too, Cass. Me too. Want to watch a movie with me? I’m just gonna sit on the couch and chillax.” I smile, using her word.

  She throws her head back in laughter. “Absolutely. Hey, so are you nervous about the hearing next week?”

  “I’m not sure. I sort of feel nothing about it. It’s just something we have to do.”

  “That’s a good attitude. You’ll be okay. You’re pretty tough.”

  That I am. I smile at my friend and click ‘play’ on the DVD player.

  ****

  “You’re clear on how everything is going to go today?” Alex asks me, as he flicks through some paperwork.

  I nod. “I’m clear.”

  “Don’t answer anything that makes you uncomfortable. Look to me for guidance,” he adds.

  “I will.”

  “Enzo and I will be in the front row. Jason Lucas is an amazing attorney. I trust him without hesitation.”

  “Okay.”

  Enzo rubs my back. “Just tell the truth.”

  “I know.”

  I take a deep breath as we step out of the car and walk into the courthouse. There is not one single media person here. I have no idea how Alex has kept this quiet, but he has, and I’m beyond thankful. I couldn’t handle another mess like the one we had over that notorious book.

  Enzo squeezes my hand as we enter the courtroom. Taking our seats, we wait nervously for the judge and Anna to come into the room. I’m really nervous. I just don’t know what to expect at this point.

  The doors open and in walks Anna, looking frail and pathetic, dressed in what appears to be some sort of hospital clothing. Her hair is a soft brown color, but her skin is astonishingly pale, and she looks like she weighs all of ninety pounds. Her face is drawn and gaunt, and her eyes seem vacant and lost. In spite of everything, I feel sorry for her.

  Anna is led in by two guards, who lead her to her seat. She doesn’t look at us or acknowledge our presence in any way. I glance around the room for her family or friends, but see no one. Is she going through all this alone?

  The judge walks in, takes a seat, and begins the proceedings. Alex said it is likely that Anna will plead temporary insanity if she is found fit to stand trial, so I brace myself to hear that nothing is going to happen to her except more medical care.

  “The charges against Miss Pierce are breaking and entering, aggravated assault, unlawful stalking and attempted first-degree murder. How does the defendant plead to these charges?” The judge asks.

  Anna’s lawyer stands. “Guilty by reason of temporary insanity,” he says. “Your honor, Miss Pierce has a statement, if she is allowed to make it.”

  “I will allow it.”

  I immediately look at Alex, who looks surprised, but pleased, which calms me.

  Anna stands, wobbling slightly, and picks up a piece of paper. She looks so weak that I cannot quite believe that this is the same spiteful woman with whom I used to have verbal showdowns on a regular basis. She looks like a cat could knock her over.

  She clears her throat. “I would like to apologize to Mr. and Mrs. Milano,” she begins, her voice so soft that it is almost a whisper. “My actions leading up to the events on October twentieth were those of a desperate woman clinging to a delusional dream. In my current state of clarity, I would like to say that I am very sorry if I hurt Mrs. Milano in any way. I would also like to say to Mr. Milano that the years I worked for you were my best professionally, and I deeply regret that my poor choices and behavior led to my termination. I know I cannot change the things I did. I can only hope that you can find a way to forgive me.”

  When Anna finishes reading, her eyes look up to meet ours briefly, before looking down again.

  The judge addresses another man in the courtroom. “What is your opinion of the mental state of the defendant, Dr. Ross?”

  “Your honor, as you can see, Miss Pierce is aware of her actions and expresses regret. Psychological evaluations indicate she is competent.”

  “Your Honor, may I approach the bench?” Anna’s lawyer, Mason Gentry, asks.

  “You may.”

  The man walks up and has a brief conversation with the judge, who nods and looks up.

  “Mr. Lucas, will you please join us,” the judge asks our lawyer.

  As Jason walks to the front, Alex leans over and whispers to us, “This is a good sign. They’re working on a plea bargain, which means it won’t go to trial if the judge agrees. Anna will get an appropriate sentence and we will be able to put all of this behind us.”

  Jason walks back to our table and sits down. He explains to us that Anna does not think she is strong enough for trial and, since she is now aware of her actions, she accepts her punishment. Sentencing will be next week, which will probably involve some time in a supervised mental facility, followed by several years of probation. Anna has asked to be transferred to a facility in Illinois, where she is from, originally.

  “That’s it?” Enzo asks. “I don’t think that is sufficient punishment for her trying to murder my wife.”

  I grab his hand. “Can’t we just let it go? I’ve had enough. She needs treatment and she wants to leave. Her life is more than ruined. Let’s not let it ruin our happiness too, right?”

  An unpleasant look crosses his face, but he finally softens. “Is that what you want?” he asks, looking at me. “It will make you happy to accept this?”

  “Yes, I’m over it. I’ve worked through it. She’s just a broken girl who needs help.”

  “If we let it go to trial, she will probably end up with a similar sentence anyway,” Jason adds.

  “Okay, Lucas, make it happen,” Enzo says.

  Jason addresses the court: “Your Honor, we accept these grounds.”

  “Then this session is adjourned,” the judge rules.

  The two guards stand and escort Anna from the room. She looks at us briefly as she leaves but her eyes are vacant. I wonder if she’ll ever recover from this. Just before she exits the courtroom, she glances back at me, holding my stare for just a moment. I swear I sa
w just a glimmer of the old Anna in there. I cock my head as she lowers hers and exits the room.

  “I found out some information about Miss Pierce that might be interesting to you, Mr. Milano,” Jason tells us as we exit the courtroom.

  “What’s that?” Enzo asks.

  “Well, it turns out she was adopted by a couple who were killed in a car accident just five years afterwards. She was sent to live with her adopted mother’s sister, who wasn’t very well off, and they were homeless for a few years before CPS caught wind of it. After she got out of high school, she traveled from Chicago to here, where she stayed ever since.”

  “How sad,” I comment. “Do you know why she wants to go back to Illinois?”

  “She has a sister there. They were separated when the parents died, but she has her support.”

  “A tough childhood doesn’t explain why she was so fixated on Enzo,” I say.

  “Her psychiatrist thinks it does make sense. She never had a sense of belonging or security until she started working for Enzo. Unfortunately, it morphed into something unhealthy. It’s all in the report,” Jason explains.

  “Something unhealthy is a bit of an understatement,” I add.

  We walk out of the courthouse just as Grayson pulls up to the curb. As we get into the car, I feel like I just lost a hundred pounds in the span of a few hours. I didn’t have to testify, and I hope I will never have to discuss this whole ordeal again. Still, there’s a nagging little feeling that I haven’t seen the last of The Bitch.

  Enzo reaches over and puts my hand in his lap. “It’s over now, bella.”

  “Yes, thank God. I never want to talk about this ever again.”

  He kisses my cheek. “I agree.”

  ****

  I feel a sudden coldness as my blanket is pulled off me.

  “Amore, wake up.”

  “No.” I pull the blanket up over my head.

  “Come on, principessa. I have to go to the airport, remember?”

  Dang, I forgot. “If I don’t get up, will you stay?” I ask.

  “No. If you don’t get up, Ava, you won’t get to see me.” He pulls the cover off my face and kisses my nose.

  “Alright, I’ll get up.”

  Climbing out of bed, I head into the bathroom and quickly brush my teeth. When I enter the living room, Enzo is waiting for me. Dressed in my favorite gray pants and a crisp, white shirt, he looks ridiculously handsome. At least my jealous beast has finally subsided. One thing I know for sure, Enzo only has eyes for me. That doesn’t mean I can’t tease him though.