Ti Amo

Chapter 10

Caesar ...

Joseph had been so close to confessing. He didn't know why he choked.

He sniffed his skin again - feeling the Italian man's body against his, as Joseph's fast-moving hips roiled the water to a froth just before he c - ...

His secretary poked her head in, interrupting his reverie. "You have a call on line six. He said it was urgent."

"Thanks, Margerie. Shut my office door, no interruptions."

He waited a minute after the door was closed. He lifted the receiver and put it to his ear.

"It's me," said Speedwagon. "I had all the records of Rome's main hospitals pulled; the asylums, just as you asked me to. There were some missing patients, but none matching Caesar's description."

Joseph spun in his chair, twisting the phone cord in his fingers.

"Nothing. You found nothing?"

"Afraid so."

"Okay, then. Thanks."

"Jojo. Wait. What is he telling you? How do you know he's really who he says he is? Because it's impossible, you kn -"

"I gotta go. Thank you." He placed the receiver in its cradle.

Joseph picked up his jacket off the back of his chair. He stepped out of his office and addressed his secretary.

"I'm taking the rest of the day off."

"But, Mr. Joestar, you have three meetings."

"Reschedule them."

"But ... one of them is your wife; she scheduled - "

SLAM

... today."

He drove back to his grandmother's and went to the guest house.

It was quiet when he entered. Joseph was removing his jacket when Caesar slipped his arms around Joseph's waist, resting his face on his back.

"You're back early. Mm ..." The blonde nuzzled his face into Jojo's back.

Joseph felt tingles run up his back.

But he was plagued with doubts.

"Caesar ... we need to talk."

"I guess it can't be avoided."

Joseph and Caesar walked to the couch. They sat down next to each other.

"I had someone looking into ... where you may have been held. But nothing turned up."

Caesar looked at him.

"The last time I saw you ... was twenty years ago." Joseph swallowed. "You ... you died ."

Caesar looked down. He seemed to be remembering.

"I - I don't remember dying. But I remember waking up. I was screaming your name – Jojo. I was crying out for you to take something from me. From that morning on - I remembered you. From that morning on, I knew I had to find you.

My friend whom I told you about helped me escape. We had agreed not to stay together after we got away. We each had people we needed to find."

Joseph looked into those lime-green eyes. He believed him, and felt protective, as he had never felt over Caesar. Caesar had never before needed anyone to take care of him. But apparently things had changed.