King of Stars (The Next Generation #2)

26. Stella

Chapter 26

Stella

T o his credit, Matteo kept his shit together when Mariano raced me on his horse. Then Marciano on his dirt bike. Maestro, keeping up with the fun, raced me on foot. None of them beat me, even though I had a feeling even Maestro could beat me. I laughed until I cried at how ridiculous they were to let me win, but they were all game for it.

A grin lingered on my face as the Vespa threw up dust and I followed a line of tall, slinky looking cypress trees.

Matteo had pointed and called one cipresso . He also said they were known as Mediterranean cypress or Italian cypress. He said they were common in this area, especially striking, and were used as windbreaks. I loved them. Seeing one would always bring me back to this place, and maybe because this was my first stop after my prison break. Tuscany felt like home. It felt safe, even with the nutter with the gun from yesterday.

The line of trees I was following climbed, and so did the small bike, but it didn’t seem to have a problem with the haul. I wasn’t sure where I was going, but Matteo didn’t give me directions, so I just went wherever the land took me. It was pretty cool how the villas were so spread out, but it didn’t take long to get from one to another. Wherever we were going seemed to be directly across from Matteo’s parents’ place.

The last one I’d ventured to belonged to Apollonia, Scarlett and Brando’s neighbor, who was a good cook. She was going to give us a bunch of what she called baccelli to bring back to Scarlett. But when she noticed no basket on the Vespa, she gave Matteo a frown, then said she’d bring them over later. I had no clue what baccelli was or were, but when I asked Matteo, he told me they were fave beans. I knew what beans were, but I’d never had fave before.

I stopped the bike for a second. “Should I go back?” I asked.

“Up to you,” he said, kissing my neck.

I lifted a shoulder and smiled. I loved going down, because I could go weeee , and gravity did most of the work for me, but I was wondering what beauty was up ahead. “I’ll keep going.” The bike continued forward with my touch, and at the end of the long driveway, I stopped, allowing the dust to settle, and in awe at what was standing before me.

A breathtaking villa.

“Who lives here?” I whispered.

“That I’m aware of, no one.” Matteo pulled out his phone and spoke with who I thought was maybe Saverio, then hung up and stepped off the bike.

I couldn’t take my eyes away from the villa. It looked almost like a castle. It was so romantic and timeless, but I could tell it needed a lot of work to bring it back to its original time of glory. I happened to look over at Matteo, wanting to see if he was as awestruck as I was, but he was looking at me, holding his hand out. I set my hand in his, and after he enveloped mine in warmth, I entwined our fingers together. He took the helmet from my head with his free hand and hung it on one of the handlebars.

“Are we exploring the property?” I whispered, a thrill going through me at the thought. I wanted to. I wanted to see what it looked like on the inside, and what was planted all around the property. Apollonia had an extensive garden, like Scarlett, and not even going to lie—it made me a bit jealous that they could make things grow and then feed their families from the harvests.

A serious look had come over Matteo’s face, and I wasn’t sure why. “ Sì .”

I used my free hand to wipe a bead of crystal sweat from his forehead. He seemed to melt into the simple touch, and I seemed to melt at him melting. One touch, intimate or not, and his eyes told me he was falling even harder for me. I didn’t think there was a net in this galaxy big enough, or strong enough, that could catch me. I was too far gone, already crashed into his arms.

It was almost scary to think about.

Somewhere along our short journey, I had come to an irrevocable conclusion.

Without Matteo Leone Fausti, I couldn’t live.

It didn’t even feel like a choice.

I followed his lead, and we checked out the outside of the property. From one area, I could see his parents’ villa, and he laughed when I waved. No one could probably see me, but it felt right. It was hard to look away from the view. Tuscan hills seemed to roll on for miles, all different colors of green, mixed in with the bright colors of wildflowers, spread out before us like a real-life painting.

Matteo took my hand, though, and we explored.

The property seemed to have five buildings, a main one surrounded by smaller ones, all made of golden stone and stucco. Some of the shutters were hanging askew, and the gardens were all in ruins. But Matteo said the olive trees were in good condition, and the fig trees were too.

“In the states,” he said, pointing at a fig tree, “that’s the mark of an Italian house. Fig tree in the backyard and a stone statue of Mary praying in the front.”

I let out a warm breath, releasing it to the even warmer air. I looked around. “All we would need is a statue then.”

I felt the heat of Matteo’s stare and met his eyes.

“What?” I asked.

His thick eyebrow cocked up. “All we would need.”

“Oh!” I laughed, realizing what I’d said. “I was just thinking aloud, playing the pretend game.” Something I was too…not embarrassed, but something close to it…to admit to him. I played the game a lot when I hated cleaning for Régine and her daughters, or I had too much time on my hands in the dungeon of their French mansion. “It’s been fun to see us here. It’s so peaceful.”

He led me to another area and pointed. “Prime spot for a pool.”

I grinned. “A real Mediterranean-inspired one. A grotto. Oh! And if we’re going to play this game…” I led him back to the dead gardens. “What if I planted forget me nots, like your mom has roses? I could add roses too. So romantic! And then I could plant vegetables over there.” I pointed to another spot. “Oh! And fruit trees of all kinds! I could send the neighbors things they don’t have.”

We went over the property again, playing the game of if this was ours , this is what we’d do with it . By the time we were finished, we were both sweating, but in our heads, we had this entire vision of the villa we’d both put our touch on. We were only missing the visions of the inside of all the villas. It even had a building to store lemons in the winter.

“ Shhh ,” I whispered, putting my pointer finger to my lips. “The lemons are sleeping.”

Matteo grinned. “That’s a clever way of looking at it.”

“When I was little, my mom would do that. Put her finger to her lips and go, shhhh, the baby is sleeping when I was being too loud. I had no idea where this sleeping baby ever was, but I never asked. We’d just laugh in a whisper, and I’d tone it down a bit.” I smiled, even if the crack in my heart grew deeper. It was like the smile widened it.

His hand tightened around mine, and he rubbed my palm with his thumb.

I willed myself not to cry at his gentle but firm touch. It was a touch that said so much, but mostly, I’m sorry for this thing that I can’t change, and I’m going to kill whoever hurt you like this. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and got it together. It was warm and windy, which felt so nice against my skin, even if it was hot out. I asked to change the subject, “What do you think the inside of these places look like? Should we play that game?”

Before he could answer, the sound of hooves hitting dry earth echoed in the distance, and so did the sound of a dirt bike. Mariano seemed to ride out of a cloud of dust on his horse right before Marciano appeared behind him on his bike, which was throwing up about the same amount of dust. I waved my hand in front of my face until it drifted off with the next breeze.

Matteo seemed to hold my hand even tighter as both brothers dismounted. Marciano seemed to be waiting for Mariano. He was pumping water from a well, filling what Matteo called a “horse trough” with it. Mariano took an apple from his pocket and gave it to his horse. He’d settled him in the shade, and the horse looked content with his water and snack.

The two brothers met up and started to walk toward us. Both brothers were sweating, their hair saturated, and dust seemed to stick to their faces because of it. When they smiled, their teeth were neon white, even in the day. As they grew closer, their scents seemed to mingle with Matteo’s, and it caused my heart to flutter like a butterfly in my chest.

I wasn’t shy around Matteo’s brothers, but all together, they were a bit intimidating.

Mariano smiled and winked at me. “Good driving, lil’ star.”

Marciano laughed, and it was raspy. “My dirt bike doesn’t have anything on that Vespa. What’d you do, Matteo? Give it some speed?”

Matteo narrowed his eyes at his brothers as they laughed. But they softened when he looked at me and I was laughing too.

“He definitely gave it some speed,” I said, wiping my eyes. “But when it goes, it needs a little more vroom . It was light on that.”

“You don’t want more vroom ,” Mariano said. “Take your opponents by surprise.”

“Mariano has a point.” Marciano grinned. “No one will expect you to leave them in the dust.”

After a second, the three of us—Mariano, Marciano, and me—exploded with laughter. Because that was exactly what they allowed me to do. Leave them in the dust. Matteo grinned, but his hand on my shoulder was a little heavy, like he was letting them know I was his. No matter where we were, or who was around, it always felt like he was proud that I was his. I couldn’t even put into words how much that meant to me. I wanted him to always know how proud I was to be his too.

I set my hand over his and asked his brothers what they thought about the property. We started to walk it again, leaving out our vision, but a few times I noticed Matteo and Mariano make eye contact. It was like they were talking but without words. I was about to call them out on it when one bamp! from a horn came from where I’d parked the Vespa. We all turned in the direction of the noise, and I set my hand over my eyes, trying to squint to see.

Saverio was driving a fast, dark car with the top down. Mia was sitting next to him, her hair pulled back like an Italian movie star. She wore dark glasses that only reinforced the point. Even though the car was small, it had a back seat. Chloe sat behind Mia, clutching what looked like a suitcase, and Maestro sat behind Saverio.

Mia waved our way, and I waved back.

Matteo said something to his brothers in Italian. It sounded serious. The tone of his voice was firm, the look in his eyes intense. He started to make his way toward the waiting car.

“Finally.” Marciano smiled. “We get some alone time with Sissy.”

“Isn’t that what Romeo calls your mom?” I asked, but I knew the answer.

“Yeah, it’s catchy.” He smiled like the sun came out on a rainy day. These men were all so good looking— so good looking—it should have been against the laws of nature.

“I like it.” I returned the smile.

“What I call you is more original,” Mariano said, all proud.

“Yeah, because we’re not a traditional family.” Marciano was being sarcastic, and Mariano gave his head a little slap.

Marciano laughed it off, fixing his hair. Not that it seemed all that tame. His time on the bike had messed it up. Mariano’s wasn’t much better, but it seemed like neither one of them cared. They were all wild in ways that were unique, but down to the bone, they were all distinguished lions. That was the only way I could think to describe them in that moment.

I also couldn’t help but fall in love with them both as brothers—actually, all three brothers and their sister. Actually, the entire family. I smiled at the thought, and both of my newly crowned brothers gave me a slow smile back. I had no idea how the women of this world could ever be safe from these Fausti men.

An Italian song echoed from Saverio’s speakers, and Mariano started to sing it. Just like his grandfather. I double-checked to make sure my jaw wasn’t on the ground.

“That should be illegal,” I said. “To be able to sing that way.”

Marciano laughed again with the rasp. That should have been illegal too. “You should hear us all sing ‘Quizás, Quizás, Quizás.’ Mamma says she melts.”

No doubt about that.

“Is that all you sing?” I asked. “Music like Nonno sings?”

Marciano’s eyes flicked to Mariano before he shook his head. “We can sing anything.”

Figures.

Matteo kept looking over his shoulder at us, and whenever he would, his brothers would grin at him in a way that seemed taunting. Maestro seemed to notice it. He grinned, too, and then jumped out of the car. He leaned over and grabbed something from where he’d been sitting. It looked like a basket with a blanket strung over it. He squeezed Matteo’s shoulder before he headed our way.

Close enough, he nodded toward a shading tree, and we all followed. He set the basket down and then the blanket. All three men motioned for me to take the blanket. I thanked them as I tucked my dress under me and took a seat. They all took a seat around me, but on the ground, not on the blanket. This family was big—huge—on respect. I thought that was the reason none of them sat close to me. Even so, when none of them were looking, I sniffed myself. All good there.

“Mamma sent this over,” Maestro said. “She thought you and Matteo might like to have lunch here.” His voice was quiet, almost whispered, and I wondered if that was because of his hearing issues.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “I’m sure we’ll enjoy it. Anyone hungry?”

They all thanked me but declined.

Another car pulled up behind Saverio’s, and all the men seemed to sit up straighter, their eyes narrowed. It was Rocco’s son, Massimo. Chloe noticed and straightened. She said something to Mia, and Matteo opened Mia’s door for her. Mia stepped out with Chloe right behind her. Chloe took her suitcase with wheels, held her head high, and started to walk toward us. She wasn’t running, but when Massimo stepped out, she started to move faster.

“Mamma pack any popcorn in there?” Mariano pretended to open the top of the basket.

“So fu—” Marciano looked at me. He cleared his throat. “Massimo is a walking country song right now. He’s lost everything but his dog, but that’s only because he doesn’t have one. We should take him to Natchitoches, get him in the old honky tonk, and encourage him to let loose.”

Maestro made a face like he wanted to laugh but decided not to when Chloe got closer. Her face was puffy and her eyes red.

“Mind if I hang with you?” She nodded toward the blanket.

I patted the spot next to me. “Hungry?”

“No,” she said politely. She seemed to fold into herself as she sat down next to me.

Chloe was stunning in her own way. She wasn’t the kind of woman who was featured in a magazine, but then again, she could be. If I had to sum her up in a word, besides artistic, I’d call her wispy. Even down to her hair.

The men around me grew quiet as we all sat there, our eyes toward the cars. Matteo was talking to Saverio. Massimo was staring in our direction, like he physically couldn’t take his eyes away from the woman next to me. It was sad.

“Do you mind me asking…” I paused as Chloe looked over at me. “What are you going to do now?”

“Now that my entire world has crumbled? Including my heart?”

I opened and closed my hands, as if to say, yes, if that’s how you’re feeling.

She looked down at the blanket, picked at it for a second, and then sighed. “I’m going home for a while. Then, if I can paint again, maybe back to Paris. I miss it, even though I’m scared to death.”

“Scared of the Nemours?”

She shook her head, no. “Scared of life without Massimo.”

I grabbed her hand and squeezed. “These men don’t lie.”

“I know, but...it’s not just the woman in his bed. It’s his mom. She hates me. Hates what she considers not good enough for this family. She’ll be a thorn in our marriage for the rest of her life. Maybe the rest of ours. I’m not sure if Massimo can overcome that. I get it. She’s his mamma, but…I’m not sure I can take the meanness.”

I thought about that for a second. “Did you talk to Massimo about it?”

She laughed, but there was nothing funny about it. “What am I going to say? Your mamma is evil?”

Marciano made a noise like a laugh. Mariano hit him in the head. Mariano kept Marciano in line when Matteo wasn’t around. This family had certain rules, and they adhered to them. The way each one fell into line wasn’t just a sometimes thing. It was life to them.

“Okay,” I breathed. “How about this? How about, just for a little while, you pretend Rosaria doesn’t exist in your world. See what Massimo has to say. He’s not going to lie, make promises he can’t keep, or tell you something he thinks you want to hear. Maybe, instead of running, you give him a chance to work this out with you. I mean, Rocco seems like a strong hand in this family. If he gave permission for you and Massimo to marry, he’ll make sure Rosaria stays out of it. Especially now that he knows what she’s done.”

“I don’t know…”

I couldn’t feel like Scarlett, but I could feel how heartbroken Chloe was, and she was on the fence. She just needed a little push to get her to Massimo’s side again. “You’re leaving?” I nodded to her suitcase.

She nodded.

“Okay, how about this then. This moment will never happen again. You leave, and years from now, regret settles in heavy. Do you want that?”

She lifted her head and stared in Massimo’s direction. The tension between them felt like a whirlwind, and all the emotions between them were swirling in it. If she left, it would die, and the feelings would scatter. But maybe, just maybe, if she met him halfway, and they stood inside of it together, they could reclaim what she felt was already lost. And in saving the feelings, would save them.

“No, I don’t!” The answer seemed to explode out of her, and she jumped from her spot, almost tumbling over her own feet as she tried to get to him. His eyes lifted and he met her in that whirlwind, pulling her in.

“I’m not agreeing to anything, Massimo Fausti,” I heard her cry. “But I can’t do this. Leave you! Not like this!”

He was speaking to her in Italian as he lifted her off her feet, set her in his car, and sped away. When the dust settled, I was still waving some of it out of my face, not paying attention to the people around me. But all eyes were on me. I looked around, fiddling with the blanket, not sure if I’d done something wrong by talking Chloe into talking to Massimo.

“You’re all right, lil’ Star,” Mariano said. Was that pride in his voice?

“That was beautiful, Sissy Star,” Marciano said, his voice matching his laughter. Raspy.

I turned and met Maestro’s eyes. He wore a serious look, as serious as Matteo was, and then he nodded at me. It was poignant, and I felt good about what I’d done, especially when I met Mia’s eyes and she mouthed to me, “Mamma would be so proud!”

The real pride came when my eyes met Matteo’s, and without saying a word, or even giving me a sign, I knew that, out of everyone, he was the proudest of me. He’d told me Massimo and Chloe were meant to be. Another love written in the stars. And if I didn’t say anything to her, I knew I’d regret it. After evil won for so many years, I refused to let it win another day in my life.

Matteo felt it too. That same intense feeling that drew Chloe and Massimo together.

It forced me up from my spot and Matteo from Saverio’s car. It was a feeling that reminded us that anything could happen at any moment, and the distance between us was too far, even if only a few feet stood between us.

He absorbed the impact of my body when it crashed into his. He wrapped me in his arms and held on to me like he had to let me go once upon a time, and once we finally reunited, he’d never do it again. It felt like centuries had kept us apart, and seconds were suddenly pushing us together, and neither of us could let go, even if our physical bodies ordered it.

We were commanded by something that lived someplace deeper than the flesh to stay together—always.

There was no telling how long I blocked out the real world, but when I was finally able to register it again, I realized all his siblings had gone, Saverio too, and we were walking toward the front door of the villa. I forced my face to disconnect from his neck, where I’d been breathing in his pulse, feeling it beat against my tongue, to try to catch his eyes. But he was focused, and a skeleton key was in his hand.

“What are we doing?” I asked.

“I’m carrying you over the threshold, baby.” He took a deep breath and released it. “I’m carrying you home, la mia stella .”