it. Cece had deviated from their plan and in a rush of emotion she’d taken a step she couldn’t take back and the only option left was moving forward-so they had. It had irked him then. He was a planner. He needed the feeling of control that having set guidelines gave him. But Cece had struggled with what she’d done and he knew he had to abandon the irritation he felt and just deal with what was.
They’d followed and watched the Fortin family for months. By observing, things slowly snapped into place for them. The tennis instructor sleeping with Monique stuck out as an easy target. If they removed him from the situation it would break her. Monique’s dull eyes perked right up each time she was with the man. The girl would be the real kicker but Monique was another nail in Gabriel’s coffin and quite frankly, Matteo wanted Gabriel to feel the complete loss of a marriage he actually chose.
He would never be able to look at Monique the same way when she came clean. Even in their rare grieving together Monique would no longer be a source of comfort for Gabriel. Not this time. This would break the last ties they shared.
Chapter 6
August 2014
~ Matteo ~
LYING IN WAIT—waiting in concealment; in ambush.
As he sauntered down the hallway he thought of his wife’s late night call a week ago.
“I can’t sleep,” was her way of greeting him. He’d smiled feeling important, loved. “Close your eyes. Think about the waves, hear them crashing on the sand, the sweet smell of flowers and sea spray mixing together, and the cool night air on your skin as our bedroom curtains blow in the breeze. Feel my arms around you. Holding you tight. Think about me and how during summer thunderstorms we sit on our deck under the awning watching the rain fall.” She’d sighed. He swore he could hear the smile playing on her lips. “Sleep fiore mio.” She mumbled she loved him and he stayed on the line until her breaths were an even, deep rhythm.
This was the end.
His last visit to her.
All day he had been bored, distracted, annoyed.
“I almost died Teo. She looked me up.” His wife’s words were lost on him at present. He was fixated on the glint coming from her nose. His wife had pierced her nose?
“Are you even listening to me?!”
He blinked. Then laughed. Loud and hard. What had she done? “Teo!” she yelled.
He cupped her face between his hands. “I’m sorry, but what exactly is this?” He let the tip of his finger graze the fresh piercing. Cece’s eyes bulged and her hand flew up to her nose.
“Well shit. I forgot!” She cackled with laughter. “That damn girl. She snuck me out. Made me do it! It was this or a tattoo. I think I chose wisely. Don’t you like it?” She laughed more. He loved her laugh. She sounded lighter today. The anticipation of her last visit with the girl was surely a turn on.
“It’s new, that’s for sure,” he chuckled low. “Anything else I should know about?” he asked and spun her around to inspect her.
Cece giggled. “Hmm, let’s see, Gabriel is diligently trying to repair his relationship with his daughter. Clinging to his one last shred of hope. Belle’s in love and all that we need is the vial. Her last visit is only a week away.”
“I have it,” he answered smirking. “Are you sure you’re ready? You can do this?”
“I’ve never been more ready. I want to come home Teo. I want my life back.”
Matteo pointed to the bag he’d set on the side table when he’d entered. “Everything is in there. Use the entire vial.” Celeste walked to the bag, opened it and retrieved the small glass vial. She held it up to the light inspecting it.
“It looks like water you know? So deceptive. So insidious,” she commented with a smile playing on her lips. Matteo nodded in agreement. It did. It was also perfect for their needs in more than one way.
“Come here.” He watched his wife obediently obey. “The next time I see you, you will be a different
They’d followed and watched the Fortin family for months. By observing, things slowly snapped into place for them. The tennis instructor sleeping with Monique stuck out as an easy target. If they removed him from the situation it would break her. Monique’s dull eyes perked right up each time she was with the man. The girl would be the real kicker but Monique was another nail in Gabriel’s coffin and quite frankly, Matteo wanted Gabriel to feel the complete loss of a marriage he actually chose.
He would never be able to look at Monique the same way when she came clean. Even in their rare grieving together Monique would no longer be a source of comfort for Gabriel. Not this time. This would break the last ties they shared.
Chapter 6
August 2014
~ Matteo ~
LYING IN WAIT—waiting in concealment; in ambush.
As he sauntered down the hallway he thought of his wife’s late night call a week ago.
“I can’t sleep,” was her way of greeting him. He’d smiled feeling important, loved. “Close your eyes. Think about the waves, hear them crashing on the sand, the sweet smell of flowers and sea spray mixing together, and the cool night air on your skin as our bedroom curtains blow in the breeze. Feel my arms around you. Holding you tight. Think about me and how during summer thunderstorms we sit on our deck under the awning watching the rain fall.” She’d sighed. He swore he could hear the smile playing on her lips. “Sleep fiore mio.” She mumbled she loved him and he stayed on the line until her breaths were an even, deep rhythm.
This was the end.
His last visit to her.
All day he had been bored, distracted, annoyed.
“I almost died Teo. She looked me up.” His wife’s words were lost on him at present. He was fixated on the glint coming from her nose. His wife had pierced her nose?
“Are you even listening to me?!”
He blinked. Then laughed. Loud and hard. What had she done? “Teo!” she yelled.
He cupped her face between his hands. “I’m sorry, but what exactly is this?” He let the tip of his finger graze the fresh piercing. Cece’s eyes bulged and her hand flew up to her nose.
“Well shit. I forgot!” She cackled with laughter. “That damn girl. She snuck me out. Made me do it! It was this or a tattoo. I think I chose wisely. Don’t you like it?” She laughed more. He loved her laugh. She sounded lighter today. The anticipation of her last visit with the girl was surely a turn on.
“It’s new, that’s for sure,” he chuckled low. “Anything else I should know about?” he asked and spun her around to inspect her.
Cece giggled. “Hmm, let’s see, Gabriel is diligently trying to repair his relationship with his daughter. Clinging to his one last shred of hope. Belle’s in love and all that we need is the vial. Her last visit is only a week away.”
“I have it,” he answered smirking. “Are you sure you’re ready? You can do this?”
“I’ve never been more ready. I want to come home Teo. I want my life back.”
Matteo pointed to the bag he’d set on the side table when he’d entered. “Everything is in there. Use the entire vial.” Celeste walked to the bag, opened it and retrieved the small glass vial. She held it up to the light inspecting it.
“It looks like water you know? So deceptive. So insidious,” she commented with a smile playing on her lips. Matteo nodded in agreement. It did. It was also perfect for their needs in more than one way.
“Come here.” He watched his wife obediently obey. “The next time I see you, you will be a different
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