Chapter 53

Giovanni POV: 

I hadn't any idea what just happened, one moment we were discussing plans with the Detective and the next she had gone cold, in a way she'd never done with me. She was rigid and firm, her voice trembled with fear. I wanted to grab her and hold her, ask her what had made her so upset, but the look in her eyes strayed my hand. 

She went off without another word, it wasn't my intention to ever see her in that state. We hadn't told her about Marco simply for his protection, we didn't know who could be listening in so it was only ever discussed in my home, in my room which was swept for bugs daily. I didn't dare mention it at the office where anybody could walk inside. 

I waited in my office unsure of whether to follow her, part of me screamed that I should run after her and apologize even though I didn't know what I had done wrong. The other part of me stayed put, hoping she would calm down and speak to me rationally. 

I went over and poured myself a drink as Luca walked into the room. 

"What did you do?" He asked me sitting down opposite me. 

I took a sip and scrunched my brows. "I don't know!" I exclaimed. "Did she say anything to you?" 

He shook his head a grin of mild entertainment on his face. "No she didn't, but she looked shaken," He elaborated and waved his hand. "Arianna isn't the type of woman to lash out irrationally she's been through a lot give her a moment and then go upstairs and kiss and make up," 

I rolled my eyes, Luca was fond of Arianna I know he didn't want anything to change between us. I did as he requested, but I doubt I waited long enough I sat there in my office my mind running over anything she could be so angry about. Eventually, I shot up out of my chair determined to make things right, that broken look on her face frozen in my head torturing me as I walked up the steps. 

I knocked on her door sofltly opening it to see her turned away on her bed she barley looked over her shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered. 

I walked in taking long strides to get to her quickly and kneeling down in front of her. "WHat's wrong?" I brushed her hair out of her face. "Whatever I did I was worng and I'm sorry," 

"You didn't," She waved her hands frantically and shaking her head. "You didn't do aything it's me, I jsut got scared I shouldn't have. You told the detective about Marco and I felt as though you had lied to me," She bagan explaining and my eyes widened in realization. 

"I did not mean to lie to you," I cupped her face and she turned into my hand embracing me. "I only meant to protect my friend," 

I got up beisde her and explained that it was merely due to her asking us at the office that I hadn't told her everything. I did trust her, and I do my best to be honest with her. 

"I know you do," She affirmed holding my hand. "I just got scared, so much of my world was lies and now I can't stand the thoguht of them," He face went white with worry as she toldd me. 

"I won't lie, ever," I promised to her. 

I did not balme her one bit, the people meant to guide her in this world had hidden dakr turths form her that had left her fractured. It wasn't inexplicable for her to have moments of fear surrounding lies. I had done my best to protect Marco, and though she knew why, it still brought up all those emotions. 

"Come," I grabbed her hands pulling her off the bed. "Lets get out of this house for a while," 

She stopped. "W-what, but what if they atatck, what if he tries to," 

"We cannot let the fear win, we have to show the people of this city we don't bow to him," I asserted. She still looked apprehenve but I could also see the brave in her rise to the challenge. 

"Get ready I'm going to take you out to eat, some place nice," I kissed her hand and walked off to get the room reserved, I had no doubt that it would be open considering the state of the city. 

30 minutews later I was stnaidng at the bottom of the stairs in my suit waiting for her to walk down. She came down her hair in loose curls over one shoulder and she floated towards me a vision in emerald green. Her olive skin brozned beneath the satin as she stepped forward. 

"Do I look alright?" She asked her eeybrow raised. She knew the answer, btu she wnated to watch me fumble ofr my words. None were befitting to describe her. 

I held out my arm looking at her like she was the sun, she blushed uner my gaze. "Let's go," 

We got into the car heading off to a familiar restaurant. The alst time we came here it ended with my foul attitude ruining the night but tonight would be vey different. We walked through the restaurant full of finely dressed epoeple, her confidence the same as the alst time when she was in her jeans. 

We went off to the back room and were seated a bottle of chilled champagne waiting for us. She smiled a devilish smile as poured ehr a glass. 

"To freedom," SHe toasted and I cheered to that. 

"This time we can enjoy all our food," I poked fun at myself and she smirked. 

I had wanted to impress her the last time we came, but now I knew she wasn't done in by flashy cars and facy restaurants, but by my merit as man. 

We talked about her childhood over the first course. The parks her mother took her to, the freedom they had in their little home. Dancing, singing, cooking, doing whatever they wanted. I told her bits and pieces of my child hood. How my father taught me to make pasta, my mother taught me everything else. I told her that they were madly in love still to this day and I wished to have a love like theirs. 

She talked to me about her college, what she did while she was there how she missed her mother terribly while she was there. I could see just how much of her world went gray, when her mother passed. They had only each other for so long, and Arianna had molded herself to be like her mother. They both wer independent, fearless, and strong. I imagine you have to be living life with that monster breathing down your neck. How a woman of Arianna's caliber fell in love with Captuo I didn't understand. 

"How did your parents meet then?" I aksed her and she shrugged. 

"College," She stated sipping her wine glass. "My mother was studying law, he was studying finance and he wooed her I guess," She frowned slightly. "Actually my mother never really went into it," SHe stopped her mind wandering over memories. 

I put my hand on top of her pulling her back to my attention. "It doesn't matter tonight," 

She smiled brightly thankful for the distraction. I was sorry she had gone though so much in such a short amount of time, it wasn't fair to someone so pure. 

We fisnished our meal endeing the ngih a rather decadent slice of cake that made her sqeal I called over the waiter when she excused herself to the bathroom and asked for the rest of it to be put in a box for us. 

"So how many cousins do you have," She asked me as we walked back to the car. 

Somehow we had gotten away with it, for one night we had gone out and eaten a meal, talked about our lvies as if we were ordinary people. No one coming in to shoot the place up, no insnae fmaily memebrs stalking us, we got back ot the house and wandered up to my room. 

I was glad I could give this to her, a brief moment of simplicity in our messy life.