Chapter 40 Cristiano

• That's why she called. Because she already has another candidate lined up. Maybe I should just invite her over so she can meet Marianna. I wonder how she would react when she finds out the person I have a crush on is Lombardi's daughter. That won't go well at all. If there's someone else who hates that asshole more than I do, it is my mother. She didn't raise me to be a vengeful machine but she also never let me forget what happened. It was important for me to know who my enemies were and what they were capable of.
• "I have a call on my cellphone. I'll call you later. Goodnight, Mama" I lie hanging up. She's probably going to call Nev and bother him about finding a mother for Tommaso. Sometimes she can be so pushy but then again, aren't all mothers wired the same way?
• Running a hand through my hair, I get up. Thinking I should close my eyes for an hour before starting the day. I'm halfway up the stairs when the front door opens and Paulo walks in, supporting an injured Marianna. Battered is more like it. She's got bruises everywhere. Her left eye is swollen shut, and her face is covered with other bruises. The black sexy dress she left in is nowhere to be seen. In its place is a T-shirt that I'm guessing belongs to Paulo. She looks nothing like the woman who left earlier. Jesus, what happened to her?