Chapter 21 Antonio's Gift
My eyes are wide at the sight of a gun in Antonio's hand. Is he going to kill me now? Oh no. We're doomed. I should've listened to my father. Now Dante is also going to die because of my poor choice. I'm sorry, Dante. Damn it. I'm going to die before telling him how I feel towards him. I'm going to die without-
"Hey, hey, hey. Calm down," Antonio says. He puts down the gun onto a dark wooden box on the table in front of us. The weapon fits perfectly in the box like a glove. With my heart still pounding hard against my chest, I watch as Antonio presents the gun to me by holding the box towards me.
Wait. Does this mean-
"It's a gift for you. I'm sorry for scaring you like that. I should've given you the gun while it's still in the box," Antonio says with an awkward smile. I open my mouth, but not a single word leaves it. Speechless, I only stare at the gun in shock.
Why would he give this to me? Never have I ever thought someone would gift me a weapon. My father didn't even do it. Now that I think about it, he should've given me one for my safety's sake. Instead of doing that, he's rather keep me cooped up at home and barely allow me to go anywhere.
"This is just another gift from me. It's something to protect yourself. Considering the dangerous situation you are in with the Romanos, I want you to have something that will help keep yourself safe," Antonio says.
Phew. Thank God. I thought I was going to die for a second. I still want to live, even though my choices lately can be considered suicidal. I've taken way too many dangerous paths in the past months. Now I know that death can come at any time and any place. It's way scarier than when I think about death while I'm in the comfort of my own bedroom.
"Oh. Thank you. That's so kind of you," I say.
I grab the box from Antonio and stare at the firearm. I'm no expert in weapons, but I think this one looks cool. Well, it's black, just like any other gun I've seen before, but this one has my initial and a floral accent engraved on it. The engravings of the gun are highlighted with a soft, almost white, gold colour.
"Do you like it?" Antonio says. I take the gun from the box and observe every side of it. I don't know what other words to describe it, but it's nice. It also fits perfectly in my grip. This will definitely be useful in the future when I finally have the chance to take the lives of the Romanos. Why would Antonio give this gun to me anyway? He should've known that I might use this on him if it turns out that the Romanos and his family are working together. Nonetheless, I'm glad I finally have my own gun, even though I got it from the enemy.
"Yes. Thank you, really," I say.
"Keep it with you at all times. It's small enough, so I do hope it can fit even the smallest purse you have," Antonio says.
"It definitely will," I say, grinning at him.
"This one's quite compact, but absolutely functional. It can hold up to 5 bullets and is also easy to reload. Do you want me to show you how to do it?" Antonio says. Once the gun is safely back in its box, I look up at Antonio again.
"Let's do it later. I just want to enjoy the view and your company for now," I say.
"Sure," Antonio says, smiling back at me. Ugh. His smile. That charming fucking smile is starting to get to me. As I've said before, Antonio is an attractive man. A conventionally attractive one, I might say. It's already hard enough not to fall for his looks, and now that he's been nothing but a gentleman to me, the stakes are getting higher.
We stop in the middle of the sea. The port is still visible in the distance, and the sky above it has begun to turn purplish and orange as the sun is going down. I let out a sigh and lean my head against Antonio's shoulder. Why am I doing this? I'm not entirely sure. I just feel like doing it. Antonio seems to be fond of the lack of distance between us, so it's a win for me. It's just a matter of time before we get even closer and then make him tell me all the things about his family and his possible connection with the Romanos.
"I think we'll get along just fine with each other in the future, don't you think so?" I say.
"You just took my words right out of my mouth," Antonio chuckles. I glance at Dante, and he's only staring back at me blankly. I wonder what he's thinking now. No. I should be focused on my mission. I can't let myself get distracted by my own thoughts.
My gaze shifts back to the sea and the sky as Antonio and I hold each other's hands. A shiver runs down my spine as Antonio wraps his other arm around my back. Is this a bit too far? Not really. I should keep my composure. It's not like he's forcing himself on me. He's just holding me in his arms. That's it.
"How about we get started on our dinner?" Antonio says.
"Yes, please. I just realised how hungry I am," I say. As if on cue, my stomach grumbles. That's actually embarrassing. I didn't think my stomach would make such a noise. Oh gosh. Why did that have to happen?
"Sorry," I say.
"It's okay. It only confirms your hunger even more," Antonio chuckles. He signals to his bodyguard to bring out the dishes. Without wasting a second, he goes inside, and Dante follows him. I guess he wants to help him. The dishes are now all served on the table. There are some breadsticks, a bowl of chicken salad and for the appetiser, a plate of fettuccine carbonara for each of us, as well as a bottle of Pinot Grigio.
"Buon appetito," Antonio says.
"Buon appetito."
"My sister's graduating in a few months. We'll be holding a party for her. I was hoping you'd be able to attend the party and meet my family," Antonio says.
"Oh, really? I'll gladly go. I can free up my schedule for my soon-to-be sister-in-law," I say with my sweetest fake smile.
If my calculation is correct, I only have about three months left to dig all the information I can about the Ricci before Antonio proposes to me for real. A university or college graduation is usually held in the middle of the year, which is around June or July, or at the end of the year. Meeting his family would absolutely make it easier for me to find more information, but if I have to wait until the end of the year, it wouldn't be possible since I have to break off my relationship with Antonio in three months, whether his family turns out to be the bad guy or not. There should be another way to meet them sooner. For the sake of my family, I have to do something else to gather more information about the Ricci and their ties with the Romanos.
"Wonderful! I'm sure everyone will be happy to meet you, especially my sister. She's been wanting to meet you, but her final project deadline is getting close, and now she's been busier than ever. Oh, and anyway, there will be a fashion show showcasing the students' designs in about two or three months. You should come and see the show if you want to. I'll get you a seat," Antonio says.
I should've asked my father to tell the Ricci to give Antonio and me more time for our relationship. Two months have passed by, and I just now realised how quickly time can fly when I'm preoccupied with important things in life. All I can do now is hope that Antonio won't actually propose to me in three months as my father, Dante, and I try to gather more information about this mess involving the Romanos, the Ricci, and the Benetti, my family.
"That would be amazing. I'd like to see your sister's designs. I'm sure all of them are beautiful," I say.
"They are. She's going for an ethereal, fairytale theme. Based on the progress so far, the dresses she made are already looking beautiful," Antonio says.
"Fine. You've convinced me to see the show. Please reserve a seat for me," I say.
"Gladly."
The date goes by smoothly and nicely once again. After Antonio and I finish our dinner, we head back to my house. After Antonio leaves, I go straight to my bedroom and lie down on my bed. I feel a frown forming on my face as I stare at the ceiling.
What if Antonio's feelings and actions toward me are genuine? At this point, I feel like I'm just leading him on. If it turns out that the Ricci has nothing to do with the Romanos, despite both of their connections with the Algerians, what's going to happen to him once I've left? Even if I end up catching feelings, I still have to break off our relationship anyway. I've vowed to myself that I will leave everything and everyone that is connected to my family and this life once I've avenged my brothers' and mother's deaths.
I hate that I might be the reason for Antonio's heartbreak, but then again, I can't stop my plan. Not anytime soon. I really need to find out if the Ricci are working with the Romanos. Once I've had my closure, hopefully I can finally leave everything in peace, even if it'll cause pain for me and everyone I'm leaving behind.