The Assassins Kiss

Chapter 40

Ezra's POV
Two weeks later

Two weeks later.

We're packing up the cottage, getting everything together to head back to Italy. It's been a whirlwind—quiet, peaceful days spent here, but now it's time to go back to real life.

I can already feel the pull of Italy, the rush of settling in again, but also a strange kind of heaviness.

I've gotten used to this place, to the routine here. And even though I'm looking forward to what comes next, I can't help but feel a little reluctant to leave.

Lily looks up from her half-packed bag, hands on her hips. "Can we come back next week?"

I stop what I'm doing, shaking my head. "No."

She frowns and tosses some random junk into the trash bag. "Why not?"

"We have to get settled in Italy first," I say, turning my back to her to start wiping down the kitchen counters.

Honestly, it's not much—just trying to make sure the place doesn't look like a disaster zone when we leave.

"Can you go outside and make sure Luca doesn't kill any animals while we're at it?" I ask, without turning around.

I hear her stomp off, her boots heavy on the floorboards as she heads outside.

I finish wiping down the countertops—sort of.

It's cleaner than it was, but that's about the best I can do.

I glance out the window and spot Lily standing in the yard, carefully holding a chicken.

Her fingers gently stroke its feathers as Luca stands nearby, arms crossed, glaring at the poor bird like it just stole his lunch.

What is it with him and chickens?

Lily, oblivious to Luca's glaring, carefully sets the chicken back in its pen. I watch for a second longer, shaking my head.

Then they move on to feeding the horses.

Luca looks less upset now, but there's a little tension in his movements, like he's still thinking about that damn chicken.

I can't help but laugh to myself. I'm going to miss these moments.

I hear my phone ring from the counter and glance over to see Iris FaceTiming me.

I pick it up. "What."

She immediately huffs. "I haven't seen you in two weeks, and all you have to say is 'what'? I might just hang up on you right now."

I roll my eyes. Classic Iris.

"I told you we're leaving today," I say, setting my phone down so I don't have to hold it.

"I'm aware... I just wanted to know what time you were leaving around." She pauses, probably making some dramatic hand gesture.

I glance out the window, watching Lily and Luca feed the animals. "I'm hoping we leave before four. Lily and Luca are feeding the animals while I'm cleaning up."

"Dope," she replies, clearly satisfied.

I walk out of the frame for a second, but Iris immediately shouts, "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!"

I walk back into the camera's view. "I'm just putting this glass back in the cabinet. Can you be alone for two seconds?"

"If I die, it's on you!" she calls dramatically.

I roll my eyes and place the glass in the cabinet before heading back over to my phone.

I look at Iris and see her eyes shut, with her tongue hanging out of her mouth.