“Well?” I look at both of them, impatience getting the best of me
“I have heard stories of Luca having a personal security team. His brother is a big hotshot lawyer in Italy.” Conrad pauses. “
And?” I implore, eager for him to finish.
“His brother puts the big Criminals away, the mob kind of criminals Nessa. There have been too many close encounters with his life. Right now there is a huge reward for his head on a stake. Giovanni had to go into hiding and Luca travelled to New Zealand a lot, setting up a security company to take men back and forth to Italy with him. He was here picking up another team of security guards when his parents….” Conrad pauses and looks at Chrissy before looking at me.
“Were found dead in his father’s medical facility in Milan.”
“Nooooooooo,” I whisper shocked, bringing my hand to my mouth.
“There was a shooting, fourteen civilian’s lives were lost that day. They tried to burn the facility down so there would be nobodies for the Venturi men to claim and bury. Luca recruits his security men here In Auckland as he cannot trust anyone in Italy. And with New Zealand being a twenty-four-hour flight away the Venturi brothers thought it would be adequate since there is no connection between the countries, and we are a very multicultural country.”
“You only talk of the Venturi men. Was his sister Rosalia…. Was she, God! Did they take her life too?” My eyes start to water as I begin to grieve over Luca’s sister even though I didn’t know her.
But I do know the feeling of losing a sister and I wouldn’t wish that upon anyone, even my worst enemy.
“I say the ‘Venturi’ men because there are only the Venturi brothers Nessa.” Conrad looks at me confused.
“No. There was a photo on Lucas fridge, it was of him, his father, his brother Giovanni and their baby sister Rosalia.” My eyes dart between Conrad and Chrissy.
“There was only Luca and Giovanni Nessa,” Chrissy replies.
“No! I saw a photo of them, he told me her name was Rosalia. Why would he lie?” I say exasperated.
“I don’t know hon.” Chrissy places a hand on my knee.
“I still don’t understand what any of this has to do with me?” I ask them.
“I haven’t got that far. I’m sorry Nessa.” Conrad looks at me sympathetically.
“How long have you known?” I stand looking at them.
“A few days now,” Chrissy whispers.
“And when were you going to tell me?” I cry out.
Conrad stands. “You want to be mad and pissed off at someone? That someone should be me. Chrissy wanted to tell you the moment I laid it heavily on her. But I told her not to breathe a word until I had enough information to bring it forward to you.” He pulls Chrissy up to stand next to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.
“Nessa, I really did want to tell you but Conrad was right. We don’t have all the information yet and you look terrified.” Chrissy says.
‘Damn straight I’m terrified. I want to know what the hell is going on!” I yell.
“Mikal is a loose cannon and I should have known better than to invite him over tonight. I am sorry.” Conrad apologises.
“I know you were only trying to protect me.” I look at them both.
“And I love you both for it, but in the foreseeable future can you please not keep shit like this from me?” I lean in and hug them both.
They both agree and I grab the glass of wine I had originally come out to get before I retreat back to my room. I pick up my phone and text Luca.
Vanessa: Stay away from me! I don’t know what kind of sick games you're playing, but, I don't want any part of it, at all.
I decide to send him a text about his security team just to let him know that I know...
Vanessa: And keep your security team away from me. If I ever see one of them I will be going straight to the damn police!
I turn my phone off and place it into my bag for work tomorrow. I don’t want to read or hear any of his excuses. He can go and jump in front of a bloody train for all I care. I grab the rest of my work gear and pack it up for tomorrow too. I sit on my bed sipping away on my glass of wine when I think about what Conrad had told me.
“There is only the Venturi men.”
Why would Luca tell me that the baby girl in the picture was his sister Rosalia if she wasn’t?
“His parents were murdered while he was setting up his security headquarters.” God, to find out that you have lost both parents tragically while you're a day’s flight away must have been devastating for him. To lose both parents like that would drive any sane man over the rails. Thinking back to the night we were looking at his family photo on the fridge, it was a pain that I witnessed crossing his face.
“He’s had men watching you for the past couple of years.” Mikal had told me.
But why, why me? His father was my family doctor but that was it. The only connection we had and that was going years back. I need to find out what the fuck was going on, what the hell have I gotten myself into? I finish my glass of wine and jump into bed. Tomorrow is another day, tomorrow I have a new task at hand. To find out why I am being watched and why is there no trace of Rosalia being linked to them. Luca has secrets and I want to get to the bottom of them. But for now, I am going to try and get some rest, all this new information has me feeling vulnerable and that’s never a good thing when you are going up against Luca alone.