It Began In Italy | ✔️

Chapter Thirty Two

Throughout the night, noises of clanging and shifting throughout the cabin can be heard - the movement of the storm slowly ceasing. I find it hard to sleep, constantly tossing and turning and worrying. I'm worried for the welfare of my family and that poor man's daughter. The storm seems to have taken down the power lines meaning every attempt at getting a message through to my family fails.

"Hey," Nico's voice sounds when I kick the sheets off of me in frustration. The night was beyond rough and I seem to have only gotten a wink of sleep.

"I can't sleep," I groan. The early hours of the morning are bright and scorn my eyes. "I need to go see my family, make sure everyone is okay," I speak as I stare up at the ceiling.

Nico's hand brushes against my face before he softly grips my chin, forcing me to face him. He presses a sweet kiss against my lips. "I'm sure everything is okay," he reassures me and I feel like I can breathe once more.

Just his presence and his words are enough to calm the metaphorical storm ravaging my mind.

"We should check on..." I trail off as I point my thumb towards the door. Memories from last night flood back and the harshness of the water is enough to cause a chill to run down my spine.

Nico nods his head before standing from the bed. As he crosses the room, his brows furrow as he looks towards the floor. "What..." Nico disappears from my view, beneath the end of the bed, and I'm up in a matter of seconds.

"What is it?" I ask and as I round the bed. Nico is knelt on the floor his head in his hands. I'm beyond confused before I notice the rug pulled back and the missing panel from the floor. The safe that once resided in the space beneath the floorboard is now gone.

The man from last night. He came in here whilst we were asleep and stole the safe. Shit. Nico had put stacks of money into that safe last night, as well as the first ever dollar made at his family's restaurant. Violation floods through my body at the thought of him coming into the bedroom whilst Nico and I were in such a vulnerable state.

I rush into the living room, hoping to find the culprit, even though I'm not entirely sure what I'd do if I were to find the hoaxer. He's not here. All that is left in his wake is the pillow and crumpled blanket.

"Cazzo!" Nico shouts from the bedroom and I make my way back into the space. "He's fucking stole everything! Cazzo di merda! We risked our lives for some fucking-" Nico cuts himself off, his frustration so overwhelming it stops him from forming words.

"He can't have gotten far... if we ask around someone was bound to have spotted him. He would've fled in the middle of the storm. I'm not sure many people would've left their homes and risked their lives last night. He would've stuck out like a-" I attempt to find some solution but Nico cuts me off.

"Just... go home, Heidi," the cold dismissal in his voice sends a chill through me.

"I can help you-" he cuts me off once more.

"Go. Heidi. I don't need your help." The anger rolling off of him can be felt by a ten mile radius.

"I understand you're pissed off but I'm not the one you should be pissed at," I speak quickly as to avoid him cutting me off again.

"This isn't fucking about you, Heidi. I just got my family's whole life savings stolen from me. By some cazzo who pretended his fucking daughter was swept out by the tide. You don't understand. You can't understand because when you leave here, you have your life to go back to, you get to walk away. This is my fucking life, Heidi. So just... go home... please."

The harsh reality of his words cause my eyes to sting with emotion. It's true. I get to go home and back to my normal life. This is his life. This island and the restaurant are his entire being.