by Sloan Storm
“It’s simple. We go our separate ways. Although it’s not what I would like, I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do, Dani.”
A shallow exhale escaped from her lips. I continued.
“If you want the agreement signed, you’ve got to learn how to give as well as take. And anyway, considering what’s already happened between us, spending a bit of alone time together doesn’t seem to be that far-fetched to me.”
I stopped talking and waited for her to respond. She had to understand the importance of my demands. They weren’t just arbitrary reasons I’d concocted in order to sleep with her. I'd already done that and didn’t need a reason to do so again. I had to find out what was beneath the beauty and get a true picture of the substance I knew she possessed. Whether she realized it or not, this was her first test.
Dani cleared her throat. She gestured towards the agreement.
“I feel like asking you if you’re going to sign that any longer is a waste of my breath. If I go away with you, it’s my way of showing trust. Do you understand?”
I nodded.
“For what it’s worth, Dani, I’m sick of you bothering me about it.”
I smiled and winked at her. She smiled in return and shook her head.
“Okay,” she began, nodding her head and looking at me. “All right. I’ll do it.”
I reached for the signature page, folded it again and slipped it inside of my coat pocket. I pulled my hand out once again and patted the outside of my jacket.
“Excellent,” I said, smiling at her. “It will be here, waiting for us, when we come back.”
DANI
After a short flight in his jet the next morning, Marco and I landed at a private air strip near Lavis, in Northern Italy. We exited the plane, and made our way to a Ferrari parked nearby. Marco walked in front of me.
He turned, looking in my direction over his shoulder.
“Hand me your bag,” he said, gesturing with his fingertips. “You wouldn’t want it to go flying out into the Italian countryside.”
I glanced at the sleek red sports car. Even sitting still, it looked like it was going a hundred miles an hour. And just then, I froze in place, swallowing hard at the same time. I was about to get into one of the world’s fastest cars with a Formula One race car driver. I stood there imagining a number of horrific outcomes, all of which wound up with me being dead on the side of the road.
“Dani!”
I snapped out of my trance and looked towards Marco.
“What are you doing?” he yelled, waving for me to get in the car. “Come on, let’s go.”
Grudgingly, I started to inch forward. It felt like my feet were moving through quick dry cement. When I’d come to within ten feet of the car, Marco started the engine. It roared to life, sending goosebumps down my arms. A few seconds later, I opened the door and reluctantly climbed inside.
Marco turned and looked at me.
“What’s going on with you? Are you okay?”
I began to shake my head, slowly at first. At last, I swiveled it towards him. Marco leaned away from me and frowned.
“Dani, are you sick? You look pale all of a sudden.”
My mouth drifted open but no words came out, just a squeak of protest.
“I…”
While I stammered, the engine rumbled, filling my seat with dangerous vibrations. I tried gathering my wits, at last blurting out the first thing that came to mind.
“Just promise me that you won’t drive fast.”
Marco chuckled.
“Is that it?”
I nodded but didn’t reply, looking away from him.
Marco let go of the steering wheel and reached for my hand. Even in the warm sunlight of a summer morning, my blood ran cold, causing my fingertips to ice over with fright. Marco wrapped his fingers around mine and let out a deep laugh.
“Dani! You’re freezing! What are you so worried about? You do realize that I drive cars at more than two hundred miles an hour for a living, don’t you?”
I snapped my head towards him again, prying my hand loose at the same time.
“Yes, thank you, I do,” I replied, feeling suddenly indignant. “While you may be used to driving that fast, I’m not.”
Marco looked away from me and put the car in gear.
“Don’t worry, Dani. It will be over before you know it.”
“Marco, please!” I shrieked, reaching across and clutching a fistful of his shirt in my grasp. “Just please, promise me that you won't go over the speed limit.”
Marco revved the engine, sending my anxiety to new heights.
“I promise,” he began, smiling at me. “I won’t go over the speed limit.”
Relieved, I let go of him and placed my hand over my heart. I don’t think I ever felt it beat so fast in my life.
“Thank you,” I said, forcing my gratitude out through a rushed breath. “Thank you.”
Marco revved the engine once again and looked straight into my eyes.
“Lucky for us there aren’t any speed limits here.”
With that, he ripped the car into gear and began to speed away from the airstrip. The engine of the Italian supercar screamed.
And so did I.
“Marco! Marcooooo!!!!”
Exiting the air strip, we roared onto a country road, which was far too narrow for my liking. I had no idea how fast we were going. Desperate, I grabbed hold of anything I could trying to calm myself when I happened to glance in Marco’s direction.
In the midst of my panic, he had a look of complete confidence on his face. He hadn’t slowed the car. In fact, if anything, we continued to accelerate. In spite of that, just watching him behind the wheel, I began to feel strangely at ease while the countryside ripped by us in a blur.
The road ahead - curves, hills and valleys - moved faster and faster towards us. The car’s engine screamed and it was around that time I realized why he loved what he did. The speed, the wind and the danger fused all of my senses, wrapping them together in the moment and blocking out everything else.
I’d never experienced anything like it.
I loved it.
Just then, Marco downshifted and the cry of the motor caused me to look towards him. Soon after, he slowed the car to a stop.
“Hungry?” he asked, winking at me.
Mouth breathing, it was all I could do to nod in agreement.
“Uh huh.”
With that, Marco made an easy left turn and cruised into town. He and I spent the rest of the day engaged in less life-threatening pursuits. A delightful lunch in the village square, followed by a wine tasting at one of the vineyards that dotted the countryside. Everywhere we went, people were happy to see him. He seemed at ease, far removed from the high pressure world of Formula One, not to mention all of the grief of dealing with his father's estate. After one last stop at a small neighborhood market, we got back into the car.
“Don’t you ever get tired of it?” I asked, turning and looking at him.
Marco wrinkled his brow.
“What do you mean? Do I ever get tired of what?”
I shrugged. “You know, everywhere you go, people recognize you. Don’t you ever just want to get away from it all?”
Marco grimaced, almost like it was the first time he ever even thought about it.
“Hmm,” he began, reaching up and pinching his chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Not really. The truth is, Dani, driving at the top levels, it doesn't last very long. The racing careers of most Formula One drivers is short. You’ve got to enjoy it while you can.”
While I listened to him, I hooded my eyes from the late afternoon sun.
“So, no, I never get tired of attention from my fans. It’s a privilege. I can’t say the same about the day-to-day of the racing business. Every career has its downsides.”
He looked away from me and started the engine. The last words he spoke made me think about my own life. My career took up all of my time. I
couldn’t even remember the last time I went on vacation, hell, the last time I took a day off work.
Marco put the sports car in gear. We drove along at a slower pace now, headed in the direction of the setting sun.
“We’ll be at my villa soon,” Marco said, reaching across the car and curling his fingers around my knee. “It’s only about fifteen minutes from here.”
I glanced down at his large hand. It nearly swallowed my entire knee. My eyes meandered along the rugged musculature of his forearm, traveling up past his lean bicep until at last, I came upon his handsome profile. A warm breeze blowing in through the open windows, swirled inside of the car. Marco’s hair danced and fluttered, framing his angular jaw with softness.
And then, it hit me.
Shit.
I was falling, falling for him, and there was nothing I could do about it. Why had I agreed to come here? Not thinking, I reached up to touch him.
At the last instant, I stopped.
DANI
Not long after, Marco turned off the main road. We drove along a crushed gravel road lined with olive trees. The setting sun shined through them, flickering shadows into the front seat. Within a minute or so, a small, rustic house appeared directly ahead. Marco drove the car up to the front of it and parked.
“Come on,” he said, flashing a mouthful of white teeth in my direction. “You’ll love it here.”
Climbing out of the car, I did a double take, closing the car door behind me. After getting our things, Marco appeared next to me.
“What do you think?” he asked, without looking in my direction. Instead, he stared towards the small building, head held high and smiling.
What did I think? Uh, I think we turned off at the wrong exit.
If this was his villa, it was about as far away from the lavish and glamorous lifestyle he led in Monte Carlo as possible. For starters, it looked to be more than one hundred years old, maybe older. I glanced back at him, deciding to keep my opinions to myself for the time being.
“It’s very quaint.”
Marco chuckled and walked ahead of me, the soles of his shoes crunching gravel beneath them. He opened a large, rustic door, which looked to be made of knotted pine. I followed behind, walking inside.
The interior of the home matched the weathered exterior, well-lived in and looking every bit of a century old. Glancing around, I didn’t see how there could be more than a handful of rooms, including a small kitchen. Marco closed the front door. It groaned and creaked. Dumbfounded, I stood in place until he walked by me, still holding our bags.
“Do you,” I began, pausing and trying to take the surroundings, “come here often?”
Marco placed our bags on top of an old table. Turning around to face me, he stood there with his hands on his hips and shook his head.
“Not as much as I would like. Believe me.”
The inside of the villa turned bright pink with the passing of the setting sun. Even so, I felt a sudden chill in the air. Without thinking, I reached up and crossed my arms, rubbing them with my hands to warm up.
“Oh, um, sorry about that, Dani.” Marco began, turning and walking towards an old fireplace. “It can get a little bit chilly out here at night. I'll get a fire going. You’d be surprised how warm it’ll get.”
I wasn’t exactly the kind of girl who liked roughing it. I had a bad feeling that fact would define my stay here at his villa. I followed Marco over towards the fireplace, standing next to him while he got it going.
“When did you buy this place?”
Marco lost his grip on some of the kindling while I spoke. It crashed to the ground, splintering and making a loud noise. He knelt down and began to gather it.
Turning to look up at me, he replied, “What’s that? Sorry, didn’t hear you.”
I shook my head and waved him off, not wanting to prevent him from getting the fire started as soon as possible.
“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”
Before long, a two-foot-high flame illuminated the interior of the old stone chimney. The kindling snapped, sparked and crackled. Soon after, much needed warmth found its way to me. Marco stood from his kneeling position and brushed the soot from his hands with a series of quick strokes.
“There,” he began, standing back and admiring his handiwork. “Better?”
I turned away from the fire. The heat blanketed my backside.
“Much,” I nodded, still not quite warm enough to unfold my arms. “Thank you.”
Marco turned and walked away.
“I’ll be right back. Wait here.”
“Okay.”
While I waited for Marco to come back, the inside of the villa continued to grow darker. If not for the fire, I probably wouldn’t have been able to see for much longer.
“Dani,” I heard Marco call out. “Come here.”
I glanced around, trying to figure out where his voice came from.
“Where are you?” I yelled back.
While I spoke, I started to walk in the direction of his voice. The darkness came quicker and grew denser the further away from the fireplace I got. Turning a corner, I glanced down a nearly black hallway.
“Marco?” I said, my voice cracking.
Even though I knew better, I had the sensation I was alone. I called out again. This time, my voice cracked even more.
“M-Marco?”
There was no reply, only silence. I started to walk down the hallway, inching further into the blackness. I traced the old stone walls with my fingers. My skin crawled. Within seconds, the tension grew to be too much to bear.
“Marco!” I yelled, stopping in place and spinning in the other direction. “Where are you? This isn’t funny!”
My panic got the better of me and I took off running.
“Marco!” I cried out. “Marco!”
Frantic, I turned the corner when Marco appeared out of nowhere, grabbing me by the arm. I shrieked and without thinking, slapped him across the face.
“Ow! Hey! Whoa!” Marco groaned, squeezing his grip tight on me. “Dani, Dani! Calm down!”
“Oh my God…” I stammered, leaning away from him. “Why did you scare me like that?”
Marco reached up and rubbed the side of his face.
“I wasn’t trying to! I heard you screaming and came back inside to get you. What’s gotten into you?”
My heart thumped, the pulse in my neck throbbed. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his neck. He stood there for a moment, motionless. At last, he pried me away, reaching up and cradling my chin in the palms of his hands.
“Dani, hey…” he began, staring into my eyes. “It’s okay. Everything is all right.”
I nodded, gulping fewer and fewer massive breaths of air into my lungs. While I settled down, Marco dropped his hands away from my face.
“Come with me,” he said, intertwining his fingers with mine.
Turning in the opposite direction I’d taken in the hallway moments before, I followed behind him, holding tight every step of the way. Seconds later, we walked out of what looked to be the back of the villa. By now, day had turned to night. Marco spread his arms wide.
“Amazing huh?”
The villa backed up to an immense valley below. An early moonrise blanketed the landscape in soft white light. Overhead, the sky appeared stuffed with stars - I’d never seen so many. The terror and panic I’d experienced just minutes before dissipated.
In its place, a sense of awe.
“Wow…” I replied, shaking my head and still trying to take it all in. “It’s so beautiful. What is all of this?”
“Orchards mostly. Olive trees, fig trees and things like that.”
I admired the view for a few more seconds before turning to look at him.
“Marco, thank you for today, I mean, for bringing me here. No matter what happens, I want you to know how much I appreciate you inviting me and sharing this with me. I never do anything like this. I’ve loved every
minute of it.”
Marco turned to look at me, arching an eyebrow.
“Even the car ride?” he began, pausing and gesturing towards the inside of the house. “And your little panic attack in there?”
I crossed my arms at my chest.
“Yes,” I deadpanned. “Especially the panic attack.”
Marco nodded, leaning away from me and chuckled.
“Good, Dani. I’m glad to hear it. It’s my pleasure.”
I smiled, turning away from him and looking towards the valley again.
“Oh,” Marco said, snapping his fingers. “I almost forgot. I think the end to a perfect day calls for a celebration. Don't you agree?”
I pivoted, looking him in the eye. The more time I spent with him, the more I found myself having to decode some of the things he said.
Narrowing my eyes at him, I replied, “Hmm, I’m not sure. What kind of celebration did you have in mind?”
He winked at me. “It’s a good thing. Trust me.”
Without a word, he reached around the back of his jeans. After a quick tug, he swung his arm around the front of his body again. In his hand, a folded piece of paper.
He began to open it.
“Is that…” I began, pointing at it. “Are you?”
He nodded.
“It is. I am.”
My heart leapt to my throat. I squealed and jumped towards him, wrapping my arms around him and sending us both towards the ground. We landed with two heavy thuds followed by a distinctive cracking sound.
“Shit,” Marco grumbled.
“Oh,” I said, covering my mouth with my hand. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Marco! What was that snap? Did I hurt you?”
Marco shook his head. Still seated, he rolled up on one hip and reached into his other back pocket.
“Ahhh, must be a sign,” he said at last, swinging his arm back in full view.
It was covered in a black liquid. I recoiled.
“What is that? What happened?”
“The pen,” he grumbled. “It was in my other pocket. It’s split in four pieces now.”
“Oh, no,” I said, covering my mouth again.
Marco leaned away, bracing himself on the grass with his elbows. He shook his head, holding a look of disappointment on his face.
