ROSES ON FIRE

cc

ello Clare, the one I had a terrible fixation on.

the armchair in front of the fireplace and stare

t and phoned me. She

ove. And I didn't mean the deal of the century. That business was my cou

uldn't be proud of me. Until this age, I couldn't do anything

d the money and that made us respected and feared all o

more hesitantly. Pietro had been the gardener here at the manor for

, and it only took one glare to understand that he h

. Red as blood and perfumed li

r and lit one of them, watching it

the bulb. Then I lit another one, and the feeling was even

burn entirely but only the edge of the peta

my cousin walked into the office, perhaps b

ll are you d

lied, keeping my fana

repeated as he approac

rose. What do you see?" I asked him, wavin

ok? You don't seem so" He was being overly concerned. I walked

, I'll help you a little. This burnt flower, as you call it, is my next

And who migh

ower in my fist. When I opened my hand, the burnt part had f

ther one of your...conquests?" Fabrizio asked, emphasi

s I like a volcano ready to erupt, but I lost her too." I said, only in my voice

problem, you fix it, right?" I

t she eats for every meal, what time she sleeps, what toothpaste she

bro, just tell exactly what you did? Knowing you,

rail and found out all there is to know. There was only one thing left for me to do, bring Clare to me!

e first and last time, you won't kick her out like you have with all the others s

h, so I'll see in due course. That prob

p of the family," Fabrizio continued, bringing with him g

nture into that field, cousin. It's mined, an

played a big part in covering up that past. Many people suffered at the time, but I was only interested

o need to

e for the crap he had done in the past. The truth was, neithe

red myself another glass of whiskey. "So, until I get Cello Clare

a picture of her, but you can look her up

name with a face, I was simply speechless. She looked so familiar. Those eyes. No, it w

ed Fabrizio, pointing insist

Why? Is there so

Instead, I gathered my nerves and anxieties that I still foun

ith that pianist, I assume there will be plenty of security there. We'll need a well thought out plan," I con

t Devilish INK. She has risen quickly and grown just as fast in the eyes of her colleagues and boss. In her 8 years in the editorial office, she never made a single mistake. She

alone," I voiced my thoughts, rubbing my

eady and get us there." Only Fabrizi

u who leaves for Paris and only you. But I guess you al

cousin's shocked face. He'd fo

first," he finally said, dropping h

time. If you don't, you can step out. I've got other plans to make," I ordere

more, r

riously aske

but it's so closely guarded that she