No Escape by Julie Moffett

 

Chapter Thirty-Four

 

Lexi Carmichael

 

I was excused from the after-dinner childhood prank confessional with Slash, his brothers, and their parents, thank goodness. I was glad, because I wasn’t sure I could handle any more wedding drama. And it wasn’t even my wedding.

After we returned to the dinner table, Mia and Alessa officially announced their participation in the prank, and everyone had a good laugh at it. The two girls made a big deal of praising me taking the heat for them, which embarrassed me. It was at that moment I realized the situation I’d found myself in was like one continuous family circle. Years ago, Stefan had taken the fall for Gio, Slash had covered for me today, and I hadn’t given up Alessa and Mia. I wasn’t sure what it meant in terms of us as a family other than we clearly took care of each other.

Somehow that was enormously comforting to me.

When Slash and his brothers left to speak to their parents, I stayed at the table with Father Armando.

“I’m so pleased by the progress you all have made in the challenges,” the priest said, taking Slash’s chair. “Of course, I had no doubt you’d succeed, but I must say, Mr. Zachetti is quite taken aback by your intelligence and resourcefulness. You’re moving through his puzzles logically, rapidly, and efficiently. I don’t believe he expected that. His pride is at stake, but I also think he’s pleased and excited by your resourcefulness.”

“Why do you think that?” I asked.

“If I put my father confessor hat on, I think it’s because it reflects well upon him. Anyone can make a puzzle that’s so hard that no one can solve it. There’s no challenge in that. But the test of a true puzzle master is to create something so difficult that almost no one can solve it, but it’s still possible. Today, you proved Zachetti to be the master that he obviously is. That has to be supremely satisfying.”

“We can’t get cocky,” I cautioned. “We still have more escape rooms to go.”

“Of course,” he said. “But watching you attack each challenge and following along with your thinking is fascinating and, if I may say so, quite encouraging. I sincerely don’t think there is anything you two can’t handle.”

“So, you’re watching us while we complete the escape rooms?” I shifted in my chair, leaning toward him. “And the gamemaster, too? I thought he would, to make sure we don’t cheat somehow, but it’s interesting that you confirm this.”

“Yes. I’m the pope’s observer, after all.”

“So, he has cameras hidden in the rooms?”

“He does. Honestly, I think he quite enjoys seeing you work through the process, although I sincerely think he did not expect you to get this far. As it stands now, you have solved the most escape rooms of any group that has ever been through. Although, I should tell you that Brando remains overly confident you will not solve the final challenges. I warned him not to be so smug. But we shall see.”

I sighed inwardly, wondering how much harder Mr. Zachetti could make the final challenges and then decided I didn’t want to know. Guess I’d find out soon enough.

I chatted a bit with my mother, who’d decided it was wonderful and clever how I’d begun to integrate myself so effortlessly into Slash’s extended family. Vittoria gave her little sister a good-natured scolding, but she gave Alessa and me multiple hugs and kisses, which I interpreted to mean I was forgiven.

Since Slash hadn’t returned from his family meeting, I went back to our room alone, got into my pajamas, and added more wood to the fire. I poured myself the glass of wine I hadn’t had earlier and warmed my toes in front of the hearth. Slash arrived an hour later, carrying his suit jacket over his arm.

“Pour me a glass of that wine, would you?” he asked, tossing his jacket onto the bed and sitting down to remove his shoes and socks.

I poured him a glass and held it until he padded over and took it from me. “How did it go?”

He sank into the armchair next to mine and took a sip. “All is forgiven, of course. Mama insisted Gio will have some penance of his own at the church the next time he goes to Sperlonga. Yard work, a little carpentry, whatever is needed at the church. He’ll also visit and clean Father Rainaldi’s gravesite.”

“Seems fair.” I took a sip of my wine, adjusting my feet to warm the other side. “What about you and Stefan?”

“We were tasked with getting that bloody statue out of Gio and Vittoria’s room and back to the fountain. How Mia and Alessa managed to carry that thing between them without breaking it is beyond me.”

“They pulled, dragged, and dropped it a few times,” I said. “But it was pretty impressive…and completely crazy.” A little laugh escaped my lips.

He reached over and took my hand, squeezing it. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine. Thank you for stepping up and taking some of the heat off me when I crawled out from underneath Gio and Vittoria’s bed.”

He chuckled. “Mio Dio. I noticed you were missing, and as soon as I heard the sneeze, I knew it was you. The expression on your face when you came out from under the bed was priceless. I’ll never forget it, and likely no one else will, either. I’m afraid to inform you, it will become an important part of our family lore for centuries to come.”

“Wonderful.” I took another gulp of wine. “At least it’s better than the Lego-up-my-nose story.”

“I don’t know. That one’s pretty classic, too.” His grin widened. “So, how did you end up under the bed?”

“Alessa and Mia were hiding in the bathroom, from which it was far easier to make a quick escape. I would have told you everything in advance, but they forbade me. It was a girl thing. But all seems forgiven. Vittoria apparently thought it was hilarious, Gio has a clean conscience, and Mia and Alessa think I’m a team player. So, cheers to me.” I lifted my wineglass in a salute to myself and took a slug of my wine.

He leaned toward me, tracing my cheekbone with his fingertip. “You are a team player.”

“If you say so. Other than Basia, and maybe Gray and Gwen, I really don’t have any other close girlfriends. Now I have more than I know what to do with.”

“Friends are a blessing,” he said, taking another sip of his wine. “And so are families.”

He was right, but it still made me nervous. “I suppose this is a warm-up to what our church wedding will be like with all our family gathered again. Except then we’ll be in the States and have your brothers, my brothers, Basia, Elvis, Xavier, Gwen, Angel, Gray, Tito, Hands, and the rest of our friends to add to the mix. I’m not sure I’m ready for that level of family.”

“I don’t think we’ll ever be ready for that, but we’ll get through it, like we do everything else.”

I didn’t disagree with that. “At least we won’t have the pressure of the escape rooms to deal with. Do you think we can finish strong?”

“I think we can. But Zachetti won’t have made it easy. I think we need to be prepared for anything.”

“I really want to win for the orphanage, Slash. For the pope, for your dad, but mostly for those children, who were once like you.” I took his hand and kissed it before holding it in my lap.

“Me, too, cara.” He gave my hand a gentle squeeze then stared into the fire. “Me, too.”