Arranged

Chapter 14

A few days passed, and the rain had stopped, roads unblocked, sun shining and Liam was finally fine. Carla came back, and wouldn't stop thanking me. Lillian was also back, but she said it was for some time again. To me it was still okay, at least I had someone to talk to since I still wasn't going to work even though Liam asked me to. I was stress free, Enzo free and especially Victoria free. Going back there was going to be shit. Instead, I sent applications all over but I prayed for companies that worked in close partnerships with Liam's so at least my parents would not worry about 'crazy' businesses I am doing.

I contacted my cousin, and we were both at the sheets and numbers. We finally knew where the money was going but we didn't know in whose name. I mostly let him do the nut cracking while I visited Rome with Stacy.

Today though she said she wasn't well, so I was home in the garden with a few gardeners watching and helping them plant delicate Lilies. They were two, father and son. The old man had a strict face with a grey bushy moustache and thick eyebrows, but was rather sweet smiling all the time, and speaking little english explaining how to go about it. The son on the other hand, spoke better english and was a fresh cup of lemonade. He had these strong and rough features about him that made him look like he was pulled out of a telenovela being the lover of his boss' wife. He was a typical cliche with his rogue looks and dark eyes, but then he was short. Not short short, but he was just about two inches taller than me and I wasn't the tallest girl around. I still had fun watching what he did, and how he did it.
He squatted by me, letting his father go back to his occupations and took the big knife out of my hand, and turned the soil a few times. I watched his arms flex, with beads of sweat on them. He had told me earlier that his name was Pietro.

"See you also have to be careful about the roots so as not to cut them. Ok?" he asked smiling, and I quickly averted my eyes from his muscles back to his face smiling back.

I nodded, and watched his fingers pass through the soil, delicately placing the flowers and patting around. This was like watching a movie. He turned his head around, and nodded so I looked back too. It was Liam, and he was back earlier than usual. I was so engrossed, I didn't even feel someone was watching me. I patted Pietro's arm, and got up removing my gloves and handing it to him. As soon as I stepped in, I took off my hat.

"Interested in gardening I see." he said thoughtfully, and I smiled looking back at Pietro, he was done with that flower, and moved on to the next species.

"Yes, getting myself a hobby." I turned back to him, and gave him a peck which was now something I was comfortable with. "How was your day? You're back early." I asked, going for a drink. Working outside was not easy, especially with the sun out. He put his arms on the island, and stared at me for a while before replying.

"I couldn't focus, so there was no point." he said, then turned to my laptop that I had brought with me working on what he gave me, before getting interested with the gardening, and Pietro. I looked out again, and he was standing next to his dad, cutting a few bushes. It was a tough job. I knew because I tried, and gave up on the second cut, yet they did it like it was nothing.

"Skylar." I heard my name, and turned to him. I blushed at being caught. How long has he been calling?

"Yes? Sorry." I said going around to show him what I had so far.

"So there is missing money because the same person has been laundering funds, and we found some hidden transactions."

"We?" he asked stopping me. I looked back at him confused.

"Oh, yes we. My cousin and I. His friend kind of did some hacking..illegal but worth it." I hesitated. Jose wasn't always in the good crowd, he even attempted to rob a bank, which is why my parents didn't really like our closeness.