One Step to You (The Rome Novels #1)(14)

“Wait, didn’t you come to see me?” Step turned to face her again. “I was sure that you’d come to watch me race.” He leaned forward, coming in dangerously close with his face, almost brushing hers.

Babi darted around him. “Why, I didn’t even know you were here.” She blushed.

“You knew, oh, you knew. You just turned red as a tomato. You see, you shouldn’t tell lies. You’re no good at it. Tell the truth. You couldn’t resist, and you came running to watch me race, didn’t you?”

Babi remained silent. She inwardly cursed that damned blush and her heart that, disobediently, continued to pound. Step slowly came closer. His face was once again dangerously close to Babi’s.

He smiled at her. “I don’t understand why you get so worried. Are you afraid to admit it?”

“Me, afraid? Afraid of who? Of you? You don’t scare me. You just make me laugh. You want to know something? Earlier this evening, I reported you.”

This time, it was she who pushed her face close to Step’s. “You understand? I said that you were the one who hurt Signor Accado. The one you headbutted, just to make it clear who I’m talking about. I told them your name. Just think how scared of you I must be.”

Pollo got off his motorcycle and strode fast and menacingly toward Babi. “You damned…”

Step put out a hand. “Calm down, Pollo, calm down.”

“What do you mean, calm down, Step? She’s ruined you! After everything that’s happened, if you have another report on you, you’ll have to face the music for everything else. You’ll go straight behind bars, direct to prison.”

Babi was stunned. She didn’t know that part of the story.

Step reassured his friend. “Don’t worry, Pollo. That won’t happen. I won’t wind up in prison. Worst case, I’ll have to go to court. But it’ll all end there. Nothing bad’s going to happen.”

Then he turned to look at Babi. “What counts is what actually gets said at the trial, when you’re called to testify against me. When that day comes, you won’t say my name. I’m sure of that. You’ll say it wasn’t me. That I had nothing to do with it.”

Babi glared at him with a look of defiance. “Oh, really? Are you so sure of that?”

“Positive.”

“Are you trying to scare me?”

“Absolutely not. When that day comes, when we both go to court, you’ll be so crazy about me that you’ll be willing to do anything, anything at all, to save me.”

Babi remained silent for a moment and then burst out laughing. “You’re the one who’s crazy, if you’ve talked yourself into believing that nonsense. When the day comes, I’ll say your name. Loud and clear. I swear it.”

Step smiled at her confidently. “I wouldn’t swear if I were you.”

There was a long, determined whistle. Everyone turned around. At the center of the road was Siga, a short man, about thirty-five. He wore a black leather jacket. He was respected by one and all, in part because word was that, under that jacket, he was packing a gat.

He raised his arms. This was the signal. The first race, the one with the chamomiles.

Step turned to look at Babi. “Do you want to ride behind me?”

“So you see, it’s really true. You’re crazy.”

“No, the truth is something quite different. The fact is, you’re afraid,” Step said.

“I’m not afraid!”

“Then why don’t you ask Pallina to lend you her belt?”

“I’m opposed to these idiotic races on principle.”

Step moved closer to Babi. “Too bad, you would have enjoyed yourself. Sometimes fear is a nasty enemy. It keeps you from enjoying the best moments in life. It’s like a curse, if you can’t figure out how to beat it.”

A dark blue Boxer stopped right in front of them. It was Maddalena. She lifted her jacket. “Do you want to take me, Step?” She showed off her double Camomilla belt.

She greeted Pallina with a smile, and then she saw Babi. The two girls exchanged icy glares. Their eyes spoke volumes, saying much more than their sealed lips.

Babi pulled Pallina’s jacket open. “Come on, give me this belt.”

“What? Wait, are you kidding?”

“No, come on, give it to me. If it’s so darned exciting to be a chamomile, then I want to try it.” She pulled it out through the belt loops and put it on. She wrapped it around twice and tightened it to her waist.

Step smiled at her. He does have a perfect smile, thought Babi, but I hate him when he’s like this. “I’m not scared.”

“Good, so much the better. You’ll see. It’ll be fun, so get on.”

Babi had some difficulties getting onto the motorcycle facing backward, so Step helped her. Babi undid the belt, letting Step take it and wrap it around his waist. Then he handed the other end back to her. Babi fastened the belt, making sure it wasn’t too tight on her.

Maddalena smiled at her. “You’ll see, you’ll have the time of your life. Step can really pull wheelies like nobody’s business. Of course, that’s if the chamomile riding on back isn’t afraid, because if she moves, she’ll knock him over.”

But Babi didn’t have time to answer her. Step twisted the gas and shot forward. She barely had a chance to glimpse Pallina sitting on the low wall, waving goodbye.