Chapter 31

CHIARA

F or weeks, I had not stepped into the gallery.

The thought of going back made me nervous.

I wasn’t sure if I dared to face the space that had once meant everything to me.

Still, I needed to check in and verify all was well.

Rio, always protective, insisted I bring Mauri to drive and ensure I was safe. I fought his decision at first.

However, when the SUV pulled up in front of the show space, I was grateful to the brooding Moorish man at the wheel beside me.

We stepped out, the gallery’s familiar frontage looming before me. Its expansive glass windows reflected the sun in streaks of light.

It appeared forlorn, with leaves scattered at the entryway and cobwebs across the jamb.

I’d been paying Lucia her wage since I’d shut shop, telling her not to come to work. Instead, I urged her to take a long holiday and told her I’d notify her when to return.

The truth was, my heart wasn’t in Galleria Gisela anymore.

It had always been my sanctuary, where I used to pour my spirit into every canvas and exhibit.

Now, it only sucked the joy from me. The excitement I once enjoyed at seeing the elegant sign over the entrance was now dulled.

I walked through the front door, the soft echo of my footsteps bouncing off the polished floor.

The scent of oil paints and textiles hung in the air, so comforting, but it didn’t soothe me as it had before.

I wandered slowly past the displays, pausing by pieces I used to be proud of but no longer stirred my emotions.

I couldn’t ignore the shift inside me.

What had once been my lifeline, my way of surviving in a cruel and isolating world, was now a relic of a different time.

An alternative version of me. The one who needed this gallery, who clung to her art to make sense of her existence.

She was long gone.

A new life beckoned—a life with Rio. Also, starting afresh in a place with no haunting memories and ghosts of trauma past.

I looked forward to a life filled with warmth and love, something I’d never imagined for myself until now. For all its beauty and meaning, the gallery now appeared obscure, a chapter of my life I was desperate to close.

I wanted to move on.

The decision hit me in a wave of clarity. I didn’t have to stay tethered to this space. I had the power to walk away. The choice was mine.

Standing in the middle of the multiple showcases, I thought about Sydney.

Rio and I planned to travel in two weeks so I could get a feel for the city and shop around for our new home.

It was time to transition to a fresh life.

‘I think I’ll return in a week to pack it all up,’ I said—half to myself, part to Mauri, who stood at my side with his usual quiet presence. ‘I’ll shut it down for good after that. Perhaps find a seller for the commercial space.’

Mauri, ever thoughtful, nodded. ‘It’s a major decision. Are you sure?’

I paused, scanning the spaces one last time. ‘Yes. I am.’

The words came with ease. ‘This place was everything to me for so long, but I’m ready for something new. For a life that isn’t about surviving and dodging toxicity. I think I warrant the opposite of that now.’

Mauri turned to me, his dark eyes softened by a rare gentleness. ‘You are worthy, Chiara. I’ve seen the way Rio looks at you. You’re the world to him. You’ve been through so much, more than anyone should bear. But you’re here now. You deserve a good life—a real life filled with happiness.’

His words - sans judgment and doubt - hit me in a way I hadn’t anticipated.

My throat tightened with emotion at his genuine belief that I was worth better.

I swallowed hard and gave a slight nod. ‘You’re a good man, Mauri. Grazie . That means more than you know.’

His eloquent words also revealed a profoundly poetic soul under his implacable Moorish visage.

We stood quietly for a moment, the decision settling in my bones. I was ready to walk away from this chapter of my life.

With one last glance, I approached the office to gather my legal contracts and mortgage papers.

As I boxed it all up, I welcomed the unlikely peace that washed over me.

I wasn’t losing anything by letting it go—I was gaining a future. One I felt willing to embrace for the first time in a long time.

Just as I was ready to light out, a slew of Claudio’s texts came through my phone—passive-aggressive, veiled threats.

Where are you?

I need more cash now.

This is no time to cut me loose, bitch.

Each buzz of my device transmitted a jolt of anxiety through me until the final one stopped me dead cold.

Forget the Barbieris. Now the Marianos are after me.

The last text sent a finger of terror through me. I couldn’t ignore it. Not when I comprehended what was at stake.

The Barbieri mess might’ve been handled, but if he was in with the Marianos, we were up shit creek without a paddle.

The Mariano family. The mere thought of them shot a shiver down my spine. They were formidable, dangerous, and not the kind of people you might scam and walk away unscathed.

Their business front comprised high-end art dealings, real estate, and luxury imports, but everyone understood they had ties to something darker.

Their influence stretched beyond Italy—into the US, Europe, and South America. They had connections everywhere; if you crossed them, there was no running.

They weren’t the type to sit idly by while someone ran off with millions.

I walked rapidly through the office, holding a box of papers, and found Mauri in the gallery, his eyes peering close at one of my pieces.

‘Mauri, sorry to pull you away from that canvas, but we must leave. Now.’

He shot me a look, picking up the tension in my body. ‘What’s wrong?’

I gave him a quick rundown.

‘Back to the villa then for a confab,’ he growled.

He helped me lock up fast, and we strode to his SUV.

I had to show Rio the texts.

By playing with the Marianos, Claudio was gambling with an inferno.

I had no idea how bad it was. I had no insight, and terror crept over me.

What the hell fire had my fuckin’ stupid brother now dropped us into?

The drive to the Calibrese manor was a blur, my thoughts racing as I replayed the messages. Also, furious at how fast my peace was snatched from me.

When I arrived, Rio was sitting on the terrace, sipping a glass of wine, his eyes flicking up to meet mine as I approached.

He reached for me, and I went to him, lowering my lips for a kiss.

I broke it off, my brows furrowed in worry.

‘ Dimmi ,’ Rio ordered, exchanging glances with Mauri, who stalked after me.

I slumped in a chair, mood off, tapping my nails on the crystal of vino that Rio poured for me as he listened.

I expounded on the texts, mentioning the Mariano family and the threats.

Sharing my burden lifted it from my soul.

To my surprise, Rio didn’t appear shocked. He listened to my words, his expression calm, but a tightness in his jaw told me he wasn’t taking this well.

‘Claudio is in deep,’ he growled. ‘He wasn’t only in a little debt; he’s drowning.’

My heart sank. ‘How do you know, bello ? What do you know?’

Rio exhaled, set his glass down, and leaned back, running a hand through his hair. ‘ Leonessa , I’ve been looking into your business for a while. For reasons you now know. However, my brothers and I upped the ante - for the most part, to protect you in the last few weeks. Mauri and I uncovered the gallery was a front for Claudio’s secret operation. We found proof of private sales and fake auctions. He’s not even being subtle about it. Worse, he’s got access to your free port. He’s taking the artwork within and selling the same piece multiple times, often without ever leaving customs storage. He’s also hawking artworks to genuine buyers at inflated prices. Laundering the cash into clean money.’

‘He was forcing me to do some of it,’ I whispered.

‘I know. However, he was hiding quite a few major transactions from you. The Mariano family is the tip of the iceberg. He was distracting you with smaller deals while he ran big ass shakedowns behind your back, potentially endangering your life.’

My hand shook as I set my wine glass down, eyes astonished with disbelief. ‘What the hell? Why didn’t I see it?’

My man reached out, covering my hand with his larger, warmer one. ‘Because he was threatening you, amore . He was playing while victim when he howling wolf. This wasn’t your fault. Claudio’s been running shady contracts for years. This isn’t just about your art. He’s been involved in all sorts of things—fake investments, money laundering, under-the-table swindles on people who would gut him if they were apprised of what he was doing.’

I shook my head, lifting my palms in disbelief. ‘Back to the Marianos. They’re freakin’ evil. What do you know?’

‘Seems Claudio crossed them in the worst possible way,’ Rio grunted. ‘He promised them a modernist artwork—something rare, expensive, and unattainable. Two million dollars have changed hands, and contracts have been signed. Yet, the work of art has never arrived. It’s a classic bait-and-switch scam, except this time, he’s tied your name to it.’

I hissed in sheer annoyance.

I imagined Claudio sitting in a luxurious office or sipping champagne at a glamorous cocktail party. Claiming to represent me, the anonymous seller, making unfounded promises against my reputation.

‘We’ve also started hearing whispers from other parties—interior designers, private collectors, gallerias,’ Rio added, continuing to shock me. ‘All of them paid Claudio for pieces they’d never received. He was pimping out your art like it was his personal bank account, taking pledges and pocketing the cash. It was one scam after another, all in your name, and now the walls are closing in.’

‘It isn’t only the Mariano family who wanted their payment back. Claimants are seeking injunctions to freeze his assets, demanding that he pay them back or face legal consequences,’ a new voice drawled.

Lorenzo pushed off from the wall he’d been leaning on.

I hadn’t even detected him joining us.

He pulled up a chair. ‘Chiara, Claudio is out of control. He’s ignored ultimatums and spent money as if he had an endless supply while shoving you deeper into the mess he’s created.’

‘ Fotto ,’ I cursed. ‘I bet you I know where most of that funds has gone. To jets, luxurious trips, expensive lingerie for whatever woman he was trying to impress with spa treatments, private masseuses, and homes he can’t afford.’

‘You’ve nailed it,’ Rio rasped.

‘The thing is, the Mariano family does not play,’ I went on, pacing the floor. ‘They’ll want every cent back; if they don’t, they’ll tear us apart. Literally.’

I took an inhale, panic filling me. ‘I’ve been told they treat their debtors like shit. Those who’ve betrayed them, snitched, or stolen from them have been forced to drink containers of acid. To escape them, one needs an informal network of safe houses, burner phones, cooperative police officers, and a passport to stay away forever. Fuck Claudio. He’s probably blown millions and pissed off un pezzo grosso while I’m left trying to figure out how I’m going to untangle us from the mess.’

‘You’re not doing any disentangling without us. Understood, leonessa ?’ Rio rasped.

I refused to hear him out. ‘No, leone , it’s on me. I’ll be on the hook for his choices. Even though I wasn’t involved only in his minor schemes, my name is plastered all over them. My art was the collateral, my reputation on the line. And now, people don’t just want their money back—they want answers and blood. It’s only a matter of time before matters escalate, and that terrifies me.’

My hands shook as I took this all in.

Rio reached out and took my hand, his grip firm and grounding. ‘Chiara, no. This is too big for you to take on. My fratellanza and I are ahead of you. We plan to shut this down without any blowback to you. You have to trust us.’

I quaked as I struggled to process what he was saying. ‘What’s this grand scheme?’

Rio stood, pulling me into his arms, my head resting against his chest. ‘It involves the Mariano’s Don. He’s the whale we’ve been waiting for.’

My eyebrow arched.

‘We’ve got a surprise lined up, so please, bella , don’t worry,’ Lorenzo rasped. ‘You’re not alone in this shit anymore, not with us by your side.’

I sliced my eyes from Lorenzo to Rio and exhaled.

My man and I swayed together, his hands gliding down my back, his murmurs reassuring me.

At some point, Mauri and Lorenzo stalked away, leaving us alone.

I pulled back, looking up at my bello warrior, at his chiseled, sculpted face. ‘Tell me, what are you planning?’

He cupped my face, brushing my lip with my thumb. ‘We’re setting up a sting that will guarantee a conviction, working with our contacts in the police to make sure it sticks.’

I blinked at him, overwhelmed with shock and gratitude. I snuggled back into his arms, relaxing against him as he kissed my head.

‘The Tirones might be your past, but I am your future. I wouldn’t let anyone take that from me,’ he rasped with brutal fierceness. ‘ Non posso vivere senza di te . Woman, I can’t live without you, so protecting you is my vow.’

We stood like that for a while, the warmth of the afternoon sun on our skin, the distant sound of the ocean filling the silence between us.