The Water's Edge At Giovanni's Novels & Stories

We scrambled beh‍ind a rust⁠ed shipping container just​ as bu⁠l‌le‍ts started p‌inging off th​e met⁠al​. "Where is G​iovanni?⁠" Loren‌zo‌ cou‍ghed. "H‌e’⁠s the‌ distraction!" Fr​om the dis​tance, we heard the cr‌ack-cra‌ck​-crack of Gio‍vanni’s rifl​e provi‍ding⁠ c​over fire​, keeping Sterling’‌s men pi‌nn‍ed in the smoke. "We have to get to the wa‍te‌r⁠," I said​. "Th​ere’s a boat."

I heard Erico mumbling. "2-" Gio continued. "Do it already." I knew the voice as Paolo's. "Stop fucking interrupting me so we can do it already." Gio yelled back. "Oh for god's sake!" Tracy yelled and seconds later both Vincenzo and I jolted up from the cold water that now soaked the mattress. "Bitch!" I screamed at my best friend, that was holding a bucket, now empty of water. "Finally." She muttered. "You are dead." Vincenzo growled, until we both realized what is happening.

But the air shifted, heavy, charged, as if the universe had decided to test me. I kept my head down, finished my meal, and excused myself to the washroom. That’s when I saw him. Giovanni stepped out of the men’s washroom, his voice low, sharp, arguing with a young man — no older than Luca. The boy’s fists clenched, his jaw tight. Giovanni’s men weren’t with him; he must have thought the restaurant was safe. The young man swung. Giovanni sidestepped, smooth, practiced. But when the boy tried again, Giovanni lost his footing, stumbling against the wall. The boy grabbed him, fist raised, ready to strike.

Snowflakes drifted lazily from the starlit sky, melting on contact with the steaming water. I sank deeper, the jets massaging my calves, but it was Giovanni's gaze that sent shivers up my spine. He'd joined me ten minutes ago, shedding his robe without a care, his body a masterpiece of age-earned perfection... thick thighs, a trail of hair leading down to where the towel barely concealed his bulge. 'You look tense, sweetheart,' he said now, his voice cutting through the hum of the bubbles. He set his glass down, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. Water lapped at his chest. 'Skiing not agreeing with you? Or is it something else?'

Irma could always reverse the whole situation, “don’t you remember what happened?” The rain was now more constant, making Giovanna completely soaked. She tried again, in a desperate act, to say goodbye to her sister, but was pushed by the man, losing her balance and falling into a puddle of mud. Giovanna felt humiliated. Everyone looked at her with disapproval. Giovanna was already ready to get up and face everyone there to give, thus, the last goodbye to Gina, but when she turned around was taken by surprise. When did Antony arrive?

Grey eyes found mine. Giovanni.

I questioned as I tried to change the subject. "Where to?" I stretched my arm out to help Giovanni up, he happily accepted my offer. We stared at each other for a moment, the sunlight made his golden eyes even more golden. "I should thank you for tolerating my bullshit." His gaze sparked before turning around and made his way to the shallow waters. I stood there and watched him, because his toned back was a nice front. As he ran deeper into the water he dived in. A couple of seconds have passed then Giovanni emerged from the sea, water trickling down his broad shoulders. "Are you coming!" he yelled.

Without hesitation, I press play. Her beautiful face pops up on the screen as the camera zooms in, then out to her stomach. The next couple of minutes of the video show her belly growing while she laughs, plays with a dog, or swims at the beach. Knock, knock, knock. I peel my eyes away to look over at him standing at the door. “Giovanni Caputo, I heard you’ve been looking for me.”

Oh, I wish this meal was poisoned rather than seeing that scenery before me. “No, it’s alright. Not your fault. I’ll go get you some water, okay?” After Giovanni said those words, he stood up to leave the table. When he returned, Laine had already cheered up and accepted the glass of water with a smile. She seemed quite pleased. Giovanni smiled too, but it didn't look genuine. I shook my head. I had no time to worry about these two tonight. My heart skipped a beat before checking the time on my wrists, “Shoot, it’s almost about time the accident would—are you ready?”

The Giovanni chef is a trustworthy man. On the third floor, Leo is awake too. He looked at Ida who was still sleeping beside him. 'You are looking a little pale, Baby girl ' he thought to himself. Accidentally he happened to see the half-filled glass of water on the bedside table beside Ida. His eyes zoned in on the trail of residue left behind from the spot from where Ida drank the water. The trail is so faint, that he would have missed it if not for the early morning sunrays peeking from the gaps in the curtains and falling on the bedside table.