Alessia Mancini
As Riley pulled back, her hands cupping my face, I saw the sheen of tears in her eyes. She brushed away a stray tear from my cheek with her thumb. "God, Alex, when I heard..." her voice trailed off, unable to finish the thought.
Chef Lorenzo cleared his throat softly, reminding us of his presence. "Signorina Riley, perhaps you could keep Alessia company while I check on Signor Giovanni?"
I nodded, grateful for the distraction. As Chef moved to Giovanni's bedside, I turned my attention back to Riley, leading her to a small settee near the window. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the room, painting everything in hues of gold and amber.
"Tell me everything," Riley whispered, her eyes darting between me and Giovanni's prone form.
I took a deep breath, wonder
