Three weeks passed.
I spent the most beautiful time of my life.
Lorenzo loved me and I felt like the happiest and luckiest person in the world.
Every time he kissed me, caressed me, or made love to me, it was as if I could touch heaven with a finger.
The pleasure he gave me every time was incredible. It was as if my body had been shaped for Lorenzo, to have and give him more enjoyment.
We were two merged in one and by now we had perfectly understood how to recognize the other, his bad moods, his excitement, what he liked ...
I had never thought of being able to create such a profound harmony with a man, above all because of my lack of experience, but it was as if destiny had really wanted this for us, to push us to be together and achieve levels of compatibility and unimaginable complicity.
Of course, it hadn't been easy.
Every week I connected with Maya through the chat of Lezioniprivate.com and this always created a strong nervousness in Lorenzo.
There was no point in explaining to him that Maya was my best friend and that we needed to know how the other was well. Furthermore, I had told Maya that I was now with Lorenzo and, after several arguments, she had finally given up.
"I don't promise you that I will ever be able to accept this choice of yours, but you are so happy since you are with him to not understand that perhaps this is right. I'm just afraid this will end ... in the worst way, "Maya had told me the last time.
I didn't know anything about my family.
It was as if the whole family had entrenched itself in the silence, waiting for my return.
I knew that my father had sent his men to look for me as far New York, but Maya hadn't been able to fully understand the situation.
Even her parents were shocked by my disappearance and did not accept the fact that my father refused to go to the police to find me.
He had also refused to post my photo around the city, for fear that this would help an Orlando to recognize me and kidnap me to get to him and his money.
But it was fine with me.
Thanks to anonymity, I was able to live peacefully in the west of the city without problems.
Furthermore, everyone was aware of my relationship with Lorenzo Orlando and no one was stupid enough to touch me even by mistake.
"Miss," I heard someone call me suddenly.
"Kate, call me Ginevra and address me informally," I replied, as soon as I turned around and found myself in front of the young maid who had just been hired for the evening shift.
She was so shy and afraid of breaking something or annoying Lorenzo or Jacob, that she didn't take a step without first making sure it was fine with me.
"At table 9, there are customers who speak Italian. I don't know the language and I'm afraid to ask for an order. And if I don't understand what they say or if they get angry or offended or complain to Signor Orlando ... "the girl sputtered in one breath.
"Kate, breathe and calm yourself. I'll take care of table 9, okay? Meanwhile, bring champagne to table 3, "I resolved to Kate's relief.
I went to table 9 and took the orders in English. Apparently, the five men spoke only in Italian of their personal affairs so as not to be understood by others, but I was able to make out there was a load arriving at pier 2 the very next day.
Then I rushed over to Frank, the barman, to get the order of drinks made.
I was waiting to complete yet another order of the evening, when I saw a dark figure approach me, sit down and order a whiskey.
I paid no attention to it and called the barman back.
"Ginevra, Lorenzo told me there is a problem again in room 3 and that you must go to him immediately to help him," Frank warned me with a mischievous smile on his lips, after I handed him the order slip.
"Okay, I'll serve these and then I'll go," I replied, trying not to blush or show my embarrassment. The excuse of a problem in room 3 had become our secret code for being together and making love when the evening languished, and we could take some time to pamper ourselves.
Too bad that all the employees already knew!
"Ginevra?!" A voice by my side made me jump. I felt I knew that voice and inside me a chasm opened ready to suck me in when I looked over and saw Brian Esposito's green eyes!
"What the fuck are you doing here? Dressed as a waitress, in addition! "Exploded the man, glancing over my whole body as if he could not believe what he had before him. "Now I understand why nobody could find you!"
I wanted to talk, chase him ... do anything, but I was paralyzed, with panic running through my veins. I was terrified that my dream had come to an end.
"Does Lorenzo know who you are? He'll kill you if he finds out! We have to get married. "
The last sentence had the power to shake me from my numbness.
"I will never marry you. I'm staying here and I want you to leave, "I managed to say, but Brian didn't listen to me either. He grabbed me by the arm and dragged me away.
"Now you come with me and go back to your father or I swear to God I will blow up this place and everyone who works there!" He threatened, gritting his teeth.
"You can't be serious. They have nothing to do with it. "
"Now you will go away with me without making a fuss or things will get really bad," he hissed at me a few inches from his face, before nodding to the five Italian men I was serving earlier.
To my amazement, I realized that they were Brian's friends or relatives, because they all stood up ready to spring into action. When I caught a glimpse of the holster of a pistol under the open jacket of one of them, I felt the earth fail under my feet.
"Please don't do this," I pleaded scared to death.
The Bridge was my family and I could not bear that any of them should pay the consequences of my selfishness that had pushed me to seek refuge there, hiding my true identity.
"Then come away with me without making a fuss."
"All right," I whispered in a low voice, while I looked for Lorenzo.
The idea that they could hurt him killed me.
I only managed to catch sight of Sebastian who, without paying attention, headed upstairs to warn his boss, while Jacob checked everyone present to understand what was happening and how many of Esposito's men were present and armed.
Fortunately, the clash with Brian had not gone unnoticed!
It was a surreal situation because apparently nothing had happened, while in reality we were one step away from unleashing a shootout that could have killed everyone.
Frank also managed to get away and, before I knew what was going on, I heard the fire alarm ringing all over the place.
"They found us!" I heard Brian shout, as all the customers ran frightened towards the exit.
Taking advantage of the crowd of agitated and worried people running towards the emergency exits, I tried to free myself from Brian's grip, but he was too strong.
I tried to fight, to seek help, but there were too many people, and, in a moment, Brian dragged me out of the club, towards his car.
I tried to resist when he tried to get me into the car.
"Get in the car immediately or it is going to end badly here!" He snapped furiously, pulling a gun from the dashboard.
"Ginevra!" Lorenzo's voice reached my ears and for a moment I felt myself invaded with relief.
I looked at him and read a murderous fury in his eyes on Brian.
"Lorenzo," I sighed, drawing his attention, but Brian got in the way and hugged me.
"Don't tell me you're Lorenzo Orlando's bitch!" Brian exclaimed amused and shocked.
"Let her go, Esposito!" Lorenzo ordered, approaching him.
"Get in the car or I will shoot him between the eyes. I swear to God I'll do it! " Brian whispered in my ear.
"Don't, please ..." I pleaded in terror. I knew he wasn't joking, and Lorenzo seemed to be unarmed. He could have never defended himself.
As further proof, Brian loaded the weapon, ready to turn around and shoot Lorenzo.
"Please, I'll do whatever you want, but don't hurt him," I whispered, feeling the tears slide down my face. I could never have survived the sense of guilt if the man I loved ended up being killed because of me.
In a moment I got into the car with the awareness that my world had just been shattered.