NICCOLÒ

16. Breakfast at Tiffany's

"Miss Cee?" Flo knocked her knuckles against the door, feeling a little lost without her usual breakfast tray. "Permission to enter?" There was no reply.

Flo tutted to herself; either the girl was in the shower, taking too long as usual, or she was still dead to the world. "Miss Cee," she called once again, her hand ready on the handle. Shaking her head fondly, Flo opened the door, expecting to see Cee's curled up body in bed; instead, the room was empty.

Flo blinked at the unfamiliar room, getting used to the lack of pink. "Miss Cee?" she asked uncertainly. "Are you here?" The bathroom was silent, no shower running. The smell of paint was still strong.

Flo half-ran upstairs, heading away from the Don's office and towards Luca's. As the head of security, he would know who was on duty from her protection team - she had two people with her at all times - they would be with her.

She knocked at the door sharply, barely waiting for a reply before rushing inside. Luca was awake, as usual, but this time he looked as if he hadn't slept yet; his collar was undone and his hair was a mess of curls, a shadow of stubble on his jaw. He stared at her blearily.

"Hey, Flo- "

"Who's with Cee?" She didn't mean to interrupt him, but she was worried for some reason. "I was meant to collect her for breakfast with the boss." Luca frowned.

"Niccolò asked her to breakfast?"

"Luca!" Flo was agitated.

"Right- sorry." Luca yawned, closing a couple of windows on his computer. "What did you want again?"

"Who's with Cee?" She repeated impatiently. He sighed, pulling up a document on his computer screen, scrolling through several pages, before locating the right information.

"Katherine and Stefano," he informed her finally, folding his arms behind his head.

"Can you call them? Find where she is?" He rolled his eyes jokingly, but dialled a number on his mobile, spinning in his chair. Flo waited impatiently. It wasn't like Cee to go missing- or be up before 8am.  Luca frowned at his phone; it had rung out. He tried a second number, and a woman immediately picked up.

"Katherine Tommasso," the woman reported formally.

"Are you with Miss Fiero?" Flo's ears perked up, although she couldn't hear the reply.

"Yes, sir." Luca nodded to Flo, letting her relax.

"Where is she?"

"Greenhouse, sir."

"Does she know you're there?"

"No, sir, she's sleeping."

"She has a breakfast engagement with Mr Romano - wake her up and remind her."

"Yes, sir." Luca hung up, tossing his mobile onto his desk.

"There."

"Thank you," Flo mumbled, feeling a bit foolish; she shifted uncomfortably. "I thought... well, never mind."

"You thought what?" he pressed curiously, watching the girl struggle to think.

"I thought she might have run." Luca looked confused, and Flo rushed to explain. "She had a business meeting with Mr Romano last night, and if he told her the truth about the negotiation process, she might have panicked."

Luca nodded thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. "I am surprised he's invited her to breakfast as well." She shrugged.

"Sorry for wasting your time, sir." Luca smiled, waving off her apology.