The Lost Mafia Principessa

Part 66

I cried myself to sleep Saturday night. Andy gets home around dinner time on Sunday.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask her from the couch when she walks in. She comes and kneels in front of me.

"It wasn't my secret to tell." She looks at me with concern.

"You know they're dangerous."

She looks down and nods. "Yes but they would never hurt me or you."

"How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Andy asks me.

"Love them knowing what they are? Knowing what they do."

She stops and thinks. "I look past the darkness and see the man. I knew Miguel before he became what he is now so I guess it makes it easier to do that with Raphael."

I nod next to her.

She puts her hand around my shoulder and she holds me as I cry into her shoulder. "I love him."

"Leo is the same man you met and fell for. The only difference now is you see the darkness that surrounds him. That man is still there but it's up to you whether you want to look past the darkness and be with that man."

Andy holds me the rest of the night as I cry. I go to my room when she insists that I eat. I'm not hungry. This feeling takes up everything in my body. There's no room for food.

Monday when I leave for work a dozen black roses sit outside our door with a note in them.

I'll give you time but I will not make it easy for you to leave me. ~LCR

I consider trashing the flowers for half a second but I don't. They're beautiful. I set them up on our island and I call Andy.

"Hey you ok?" She asks me. "Please eat some toast or something."

"Ya maybe. What do black roses mean?"

"What do you mean?"

"There were a dozen black roses waiting outside of the door this morning what does it mean?"

Andy pauses. "Was there a note?"

I read her the note and then she reponds. "It means he loves you."

"Thanks." I breathe out and hang up.

Tuesday two dozen roses are waiting for me at my desk. With a note that reads simply.

I love you ~LCR

Wednesday a box of chocolates arrive at my office with a note that reads.

You need to eat something my sweet. ~LCR

First thing thursday morning four dozen blush pink roses waited for me when I left. I put a dozen in my room. One on our coffee table and another in my bathroom. The last one sits opposite side of the island as the black roses. When I arrive home I place all of my stuff down and begin to walk to the fridge for some wine. Someone clears their throat from the couch. I spin around ready to bolt out of the door.

"I didn't mean to startle you Stacey." Lorenzo sits in one of the oversized sitting chairs with a glass of bourbon. He lifts his glass. "Sorry I helped myself. I needed a drink to do this."

I swallow. "Do what? Andrea will be here any minute."

He looks at me through dark lashes. "Remind you that you signed an NDA. Andrea is on a date with Raphael. She won't be here for another couple of hours."

I swallow. I'm alone with a mobster. I shake my head and my body slightly trembles. "I'm not going to tell anyone."

Lorenzo's head moves back and forth. "That's what Leo said but I needed to make sure."