Harbinger Of Glory

The Maybach was waiting a short distance from the entrance, and the driver stepped forward as they approached.

Leo opened the rear door for Vittoria, then followed her inside and closed it behind them.

The moment the door shut, the noise of the party disappeared.

Vittoria leaned back against the seat and let out a long breath.

For a few seconds, neither of them said anything before Leo looked across at her.

The formal smile she had worn around guests was gone.

She looked tired, relieved and, more than anything else, happy.

Leo smiled, then inched closer to her.

”So what do you want to do?”

Vittoria turned towards him, and there wasn’t even a pause.

”Everything.”

Leo laughed.

”Everything?”

”Everything we can do before the night ends.”

The driver pulled away from the estate, following the long driveway towards the gates.

Vittoria looked through the window as Villa D’Averna slowly disappeared behind them.

”Tonight will be fun,” she said as Leo settled back into his seat.

”That sounds dangerous.”

”It probably is, but not in a harmful way. It might get you a bit of a reputation, though.”

”Fine by me,” Leo said with a shrug as Vittoria reached across and took his hand.

And from there, neither of them let go.

As time went by, the first thing Vittoria did was take off the heels.

After stopping at a small shop, Vittoria emerged carrying a simple pair of comfortable slippers in one hand.

She slipped them on beside the car, tossed the heels into the back and looked immediately happier.

Leo glanced down at her feet and then asked.

”Better?”

”Much,” Vittoria said, taking a few steps as if testing them against the pavement.

”These might have saved my life tonight.”

And that was how the rest of the night started.

There was no real plan.

Vittoria decided where they were going next, and Leo followed.

She took him through streets she had known for years, some busy with people heading home, others almost empty beneath the late-night lights.

They stopped at places she liked and places Leo had never heard of.

Sometimes they stayed for ten minutes.

Sometimes they barely stayed five.

At one point, Vittoria insisted on showing him a small café she’d tried to get her parents to buy for her after she saw a bicycle she liked in it as a kid; though obviously, Sienna never allowed Aldo to buy it for her.

At another, she dragged him into a shop that was still open and spent several minutes looking through things she had no intention of buying.

As time went by, Leo also discovered that Vittoria apparently knew half the city, but it wasn’t surprising, given how well known she was because of her status and her job.

They continued walking for a while, eventually leaving the busier streets behind as the night grew quieter around them.

Vittoria slowed down, her arm still linked with Leo’s, and after a few more minutes, they came across a bench beneath a row of trees.

She stopped and then nodded towards it.

”Let’s sit for a minute.”

Leo agreed as Vittoria took the seat first while Leo stepped a short distance away and pulled out his phone.

”I’m going to call the driver.”

She looked up at him and then nodded.

”Okay.”

Leo moved a few metres away and made the call, explaining where they were and giving the driver a nearby landmark.

It took less than a minute before he ended the conversation and slipped his phone back into his pocket.

When he turned around, he found Vittoria sitting comfortably on the bench but now with an ice cream in her hand.

”When did you get an ice cream?”

”While you were busy.”

She lifted the ice cream slightly and took another lick while Leo sat down beside her.

”That’s rude.”

”What is?”

”Getting one without me.”

Vittoria glanced at him.

”And who said I didn’t get you one?”

Leo watched as Vittoria brought a second cone from her side and handed it to Leo.

”Vanilla? Still, thank you,” he muttered and began to enjoy his.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes before Vittoria reached over and took his hand.

’

Leo barely had time to react before she leaned over and gave his ice cream a quick lick.

”Are you serious?”

”Why are you eating mine?”

”But I bought them both.”

She said it as though that settled everything.

When she leaned toward his ice cream again, Leo deliberately jerked it forward, smearing it across her upper lip and catching the side of her nose as well.

Vittoria immediately jerked away.

”Leo!”

Her voice carried across the quiet street as Leo burst out laughing.

She stared at him in disbelief, then hit him on the shoulder.

”You idiot!”

”I couldn’t help it,” Leo said, still laughing.

She hit him again, though she was already fighting a smile.

”Look at me!”

Leo looked, and that only made him laugh harder.

Vittoria shook her head and reached into her purse.

She started searching for a tissue, but Leo leaned closer before she could find one.

”Wait.”

”What?”

He raised his hand and gently wiped the small smear beside her nose with his index finger.

Leo looked at his finger, then back at her.

”There,” he said and licked it.

”Did you get everything?” Vittoria asked.

”Not really,” Leo said, but before she could reply, he leaned in and kissed the remaining ice cream from the corner of her mouth.

Vittoria froze for a second as her eyes flicked around them.

They were still outside, with people occasionally passing further down the street, so she hesitated.

But after a moment, Vittoria’s expression softened, and she leaned into him instead.

The kiss lasted longer than either of them had intended.

When Leo finally pulled back, Vittoria stayed close for another second before opening her eyes.

She looked at him and then at the ice cream in his hand.

”I feel like I’ve been taken advantage of. The smear wasn’t even that big.”

Leo laughed while Vittoria stared at him.

”I had to make sure,” he said, stopping his laughter.

A moment later, he stood and extended his hand towards her.

”Come on.”

She glanced towards the road and saw the car pulling up nearby, and without saying anything, she placed her hand in his.

Leo helped her to her feet, and the two of them began walking towards the waiting car together, still holding hands as the driver stepped out to open the door.