Chapter Six

Alessio and Nino entered the cell. My face broadened with a grateful smile. I’d really enjoyed my time with Amo but my worry for Momo had gotten worse with every passing moment. Last time he’d run off, it had taken me more than a day to find him curled up behind a shelf in the basement.

Alessio pulled his Damascus steel tri dagger from the leather holster at his waist. Amo put down my feet and rose to his full height. My eyes were drawn to him without thinking, following his long, muscled legs, to the fine dusting of dark hair to his belly button, his chiseled abs and then higher to his strong chin, and pronounced face. He was beautiful in a way I’d never noticed in a man before.

“I assume you have a reasonable explanation for this,” Nino drawled. I turned to him, though I knew he wasn’t talking to me. He would never use that tone on me.

Seeing his expression, I could tell that Amo was in trouble. Never taking his eyes off Amo, Alessio strode toward me and held out his free hand, the other with his knife still pointing at Amo. I let him pull me to my feet and for once he didn’t immediately release me, instead he tugged me away from Amo. The shirt slipped off my shoulders, fluttering to the floor, and I mourned its warmth and comforting scent.

Alessio’s blue eyes pierced into mine. “Did he do something?”

My brows pinched. “He gave me his shirt.”

“You’re not injured?” Nino inquired, his eyes still on Amo, though neither of them had pulled a knife or gun yet.

I tugged at Alessio’s hand and he finally let go. “I’m cold.”

Alessio scanned my arms and throat, then my clothes. I wasn’t sure what he was looking for. “No marks or rips.”

Amo let out a sigh and crossed his arms in front of his broad chest, which made his biceps flex in a very pleasing way. “I didn’t do anything. I’m a Vitiello, I don’t hurt women. I ran across Greta in the garden when I was getting some fresh air and she asked me to help her catch Momo. The dog had run into the basement and so that’s where we went. Then the alarm went off and locked us in, and I tried to keep Greta warm with my shirt. End of story.”

I slanted a look at Amo. His face was hard and absolutely convincing, though he hadn’t told the entire truth. I guess with lying it was crucial that you hid the lie behind a part truth. He did it well.

I didn’t lie to my family. Ever.

Nino came toward me, blocking my view of Amo, forcing me to bring my gaze up to his. Alessio too was watching me as if this was the Spanish Inquisition, a fascinating part of history I didn’t have the stomach to read after what I’d seen. Nino wrapped his fingers around my wrist. “Was that what happened?”

“Yes,” I said, not even missing a beat. Guilt bloomed in my chest but I never wavered, only stared up into Nino’s face. I couldn’t explain why I lied, only that I wanted to protect Amo and I knew the reason why he lied was that he considered himself in danger. I tried to console myself with the fact that I’d probably protected Nino and Alessio too. Because if they’d attacked Amo, they would have suffered injuries as well, even if they were very capable fighters. Amo looked like he was very capable himself.

Nino gave a satisfied nod after he’d regarded me for a few more heartbeats and released my wrist.

“I advise you to put on your shirt,” he told Amo. The latter shook his head with a muttered curse, then bent forward and took his shirt from the ground before he slipped it on.

Alessio took a step toward Amo, all the while turning the dagger in his hand. “You’re damn lucky that it wasn’t Nevio who found you like this. He wouldn’t have waited for an explanation.”

Amo buttoned his shirt with steady fingers, his cold gray eyes resting in an almost bored fashion on my cousin. Alessio was several inches shorter than Amo, though he was already 6’1 tall at seventeen. Amo was probably 6’5 and towering over him. He didn’t say anything.

“Let’s go upstairs and inform everyone that we found you,” Nino said. He motioned at Amo. “Go ahead.”

Amo walked past us, his eyes briefly hitting me, and I held my breath, not even sure why. When I burst out of my reverie, I caught Nino’s eyes on me. I gave him a quick smile. He lightly touched my shoulder before he followed Amo.

“Come on, Greta,” Alessio said and I stepped up to him and we walked at a slower pace.

“Did he say anything inappropriate?”

“Like what?” I asked as we ascended the staircase. I really couldn’t imagine what Alessio had in mind.

Alessio stopped on the step below mine, which brought us almost to eye level. “Something sexual.”

I pursed my lips. “You, Nevio and Massimo talk about sex around me all the time.”

“Not to you,” Alessio said as if it should be obvious and I was stupid not to see it.

“Of course, we’re related but Amo and I aren’t.”

Alessio shook his head, bringing his face closer and spoke in a low, warning voice, “Do not say anything like this to Nevio, you hear me?”

I blinked at him. “What if he asks the same question you did?”

“Then you come up with a better answer. Say you didn’t talk at all, or you talked about cotton candy. I don’t care, but do not say what you said to me.”

“You want me to lie to Nevio?”

“Greta,” Alessio said in an imploring voice, grabbing my shoulders, which was why I knew it was serious. “Nevio’s waiting for a reason to kill Amo. Trust me when I say he’ll kill him if you give him that answer, or better yet tell him Amo sat beside you half naked, massaging your feet while you hugged his shirt.”

“You’re stating the facts wrong.”

“Nevio won’t care for the correct facts. He’ll take the facts that suit him and go with it. He won’t be able to control himself, he won’t want to.”

I sighed and nodded. Our conversation was cut short when Uncle Savio appeared above us. “Your presence is required, dollface, so stop the chitchat.”

Alessio let me pass and I walked toward Savio. He was the second youngest of my uncles, in his mid-thirties and always called me dollface. I never understood why he did it considering dolls looked lifeless at best, and creepy most of the time. When I’d asked him why he compared me to a dead thing, he’d laughed so hard, I’d thought he’d pass out. He still called me dollface but because he meant it in a nice way, I didn’t mind.

Savio wrapped an arm around me as he led me in the direction of the common area. “You okay?”

“Of course,” I said.

He shook his head. “Convince your crazy father.”

I didn’t get a chance to ask what he meant because raised voices came from the common room and made my anxiety flare up. The atmosphere when we stepped inside was so tense, I felt a little sick. Dad and a man who looked remarkably like Amo were face to face, looking as if they were about to throw fists any moment. Amo’s expression told me he was willing to join in. Only Nino seemed to keep a cool head. I didn’t see anyone else, which was fortunate. Nevio and Massimo probably wouldn’t have improved the situation.

The moment Dad spotted me, he stepped back from the other man. “Nino told me what you said.”

I didn’t say anything, not sure what he wanted to hear. I hadn’t heard what Nino had said but knowing him he’d probably repeated my words accurately.

“Talk to Kiara,” Dad said after he’d regarded me for a long time. What was everyone trying to see?

I gave him a puzzled look. “Why?” I enjoyed talking to Kiara. Her kind insights were very close to how I saw the world, which was very nice, but I could tell Dad had a reason for his request.

“Remo,” Nino said firmly. “She doesn’t display any signs. Calm down.”

Amo’s expression twisted with fury and so did his father’s. They obviously knew what was going on even when I didn’t. At least I wasn’t the only one who seemed clueless as to what was happening judging from Alessio’s analyzing expression.

“We’re leaving now before this ends in a very unpleasant way,” the man, who must be Luca Vitiello, said. His arm was stretched out in front of Amo’s chest as if he feared he would have to hold him back. It was all very confusing.

Nino held Dad by the shoulder, and murmured something in his ear. Dad motioned me forward and I went over to him immediately. Dad cupped my chin, his eyes so intense I had trouble returning his gaze.

“I’m fine, Dad, only cold,” I said with a reassuring smile.

He gave a nod. Then he looked over my head. “You can leave.”

“I wasn’t asking for your permission,” Luca Vitiello said.

Dad’s expression sent a shiver down my back. I touched his chest and his gaze found me.

Nino stepped forward. “We should continue our meeting tomorrow, once we’ve all calmed down.”

Amo laughed, but it was a very different laugh from the ones I’d heard in the basement. It was harsh and derisive. “And you think that’ll be the case tomorrow?”

“You need peace more than we do,” Dad growled.

I lowered my gaze, trying not to let my anxiety get the better of me. It was too loud in here and all the people, their movements, scents and voices sent my mind whirling. I longed to be back in the basement.

I focused on the marble beneath my ballet flats, its firmness, solidity, cold. I breathed in very slowly and let my breath out at an even slower pace.

2. 5. 7. 15. 25. 55. 75.

Once I’d repeated my favorite numbers in my head, I felt calmer.

“Mia cara?” Dad’s quiet voice filtered through the whooshing in my head. I peered up, realizing that we were alone. He touched my cheek. “You’re cold. Take a hot bath.”

“Momo’s missing.”

Dad’s mouth tightened with disapproval. He didn’t like Momo very much. Though that had less to do with Momo and more with the fact that Dad disliked many things, humans and animals alike.

“If we haven’t found him by the time you’re done taking your bath, you can join in the search, but now I want you to warm up.”

If Dad demanded something, I knew he wouldn’t budge. I nodded. “Where are Nevio and Massimo?”

Usually, my brother stuck to my side, especially in situations like this. That he wasn’t here meant Dad had ordered him to stay away. Probably because of Amo, if Alessio was right.

“Helping your Mom wrangle Giulio into submission until I have time to talk to him.”

“Did he trigger the alarm?”

“Who else?” Savio muttered as he returned to the common room, followed by Alessio and Nino. I assumed they’d let out Amo and his father. I felt a pang when I realized I hadn’t even said goodbye to Amo. Would he return tomorrow?

I felt myself wishing for it.

Savio smirked. “Now that Nevio goes bump in the night, Giulio took over his spot as the residual trouble maker.”

“He’s only six. He’s not always going to cause trouble,” I said, feeling protective of my little brother.

“Take a bath now. We’ll look for the dog,” Dad said.

“Which one?” Savio asked. “If I have to look for that ugly beast, I’m not wearing my new Balenciaga sneakers.”

“He’ll go for your throat not your sneakers,” Alessio said, one corner of his mouth edging up.

“It’s not Bear, it’s Momo.”

“You should have never allowed her to bring the beasts into the house,” Savio said.

“I didn’t,” Dad said with a reproachful look at me.

“Momo was in the studio with me, and Bear’s locked in my room.”

“That he is. Nice surprise when I tried to check on you,” Nevio drawled as he stalked into the room. His left forearm was covered in blood but because he wore leather wrist cuffs, I couldn’t see the extent of his injuries. In three long strides, he was in front of me. Our eyes locked.

“You didn’t kill him, did you?” I whispered, my voice trembling.

“That dog tried to rip him to shreds and you worry about a rabid beast,” Alessio muttered.

I ignored the remark. Nevio knew that I’d die if something happened to him, but Nevio was Nevio, and even Bear couldn’t stand a chance against him.

“I only hurt it enough to get it off me,” he said quietly. I knew what Nevio was, knew he didn’t need much incentive to kill. That he didn’t kill Bear though he’d attacked him was only because of me. Sometimes it felt as if I was holding Nevio’s darkness by the leash and if I ever let go…I didn’t want to think about it.

He took my hand. “Come.” He pulled me along.

“Momo,” I said over my shoulder.

“We’ll find it,” Dad said.

Nevio didn’t slow, pulling me upstairs and into my room. My eyes fell on Bear who lay beside the bed. Nevio had bound his leash to the bed post. His tail began wagging when he spotted me. I went over to him and rubbed his maw like he loved.

“If that thing ever as much as growls at you, I’ll kill it, no matter what you say,” Nevio said, coming to a stop beside me. Bear stopped wagging and peered up at my brother but didn’t react otherwise. Whatever Nevio had done, had intimidated Bear for the time being.

“He would never do that,” I said fiercely.

Nevio looked into my eyes. “You put too much trust in dangerous creatures.”

I raised my eyebrows, but his expression became wary and darker. “Alessio told me you were locked in a cell with Vitiello.”

I rose to my feet and moved toward the bathroom. For some reason, I was reluctant to have this conversation with Nevio. Maybe because Alessio’s words replayed in my head.

I didn’t want to lie to my brother, but I knew I had to.

“Let me draw a bath and get in, then we can talk.”

Nevio stayed in my bedroom while I turned the water on and got undressed. I put a generous amount of bubble bath into the water until a thick layer of foam covered the water surface, then I slipped in, hissing as my skin began to prickle from the heat.

“Greta?”

“I’m fine. You can come in.”

Nevio slipped in and closed the door then he perched on the closed toilet lid, his body angled my way. He leaned his forearms on his thighs, his mouth briefly twitching in what looked like discomfort. I glanced at his bloody arm.

“You should have that treated.”

“Tell me everything he said, everything he did. Don’t leave anything out.”

“He didn’t do anything, Nevio.”

“Let me be the judge,” he said with a hard undertone. “No offense, but you wouldn’t know if he did something.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not a stupid child.”

“No, you aren’t, but your kindness and innocence make you entirely unequipped to deal with someone like Amo Vitiello.”

My brother rarely made me angry. Despite his harsh disposition and crude language, I never got mad at him. But now I could feel myself growing annoyed.

“And what exactly is he?”

Nevio locked eyes with mine. “A hunter in more than one regard.”

I tried to figure out what he meant but that was apparently enough to convince Nevio of the truth of his words. “See, you don’t even know what I mean.”

It finally clicked. “You mean he pursues women?”

Nevio laughed darkly.

I couldn’t see what it mattered. “You do too.”

“I’m not bound to marry.”

My stomach clenched. “Marry?”

“This summer.”

I hoped my face didn’t give away how confused I was. Why had Amo lied? He’d said he wasn’t promised, but if he married so soon, he must be engaged. I wasn’t sure why the idea made me upset. Amo’s relationship status shouldn’t be my concern.

When I realized Nevio was watching me, I said matter-of-factly, “Then you have even less reason to be worried. If he’s in love, he’ll hardly make any advances on me.”

“Love,” Nevio scoffed. He shook his head and stared down at his injured arm as if he considered cutting it off. He began loosening the leather cuff with more force than was required. “He doesn’t love her. It’s an arranged marriage.”

I was still mulling over Amo’s lie, which was probably why I forgot to lie at Nevio’s next question.

“So he kept his distance?”

“He gave me his shirt so I wouldn’t freeze.”

Nevio shoved to his feet and ripped the leather cuff off where it had been stuck to the bite wound. A piece of skin came off as well but Nevio didn’t seem to care. Fresh blood dropped from the wound and onto my floor. “Oh, did he now?” Nevio asked, baring his teeth. He stared at me as if he wanted to shake some sense into me then he turned on his heel and stalked toward the door, leaving a trail of blood on his way.

“I don’t care what Dad says, I’ll kill him. We don’t need peace.”

“Nevio.” He grabbed the door handle but stopped at my voice. I leaned over the edge of the bathtub, holding onto it. “Nevio!”

He turned to me, frenzy in his eyes.

“Don’t, okay? He helped me. I was really cold. I asked him for his shirt. He didn’t suggest it.”

Nevio breathed harshly but eventually he came back over to me and sank down on the lid. “Greta, you need to stop being so na?ve. You can’t ask someone who isn’t a Camorrista for something like that. Our soldiers fear us but Amo…” His lips thinned again, the fury returning to his eyes.

“I’m fine, okay? I’m well protected, you know that.” I reached out and tapped the skin of his left hand. “Now please let Nino take a look at this before it gets infected.”

His eyes followed me down to his forearm as if he had forgotten about the bite wound. It looked nasty so I didn’t know how he could. He took a deep breath. “Okay. But this discussion isn’t over.”

I gave him a patient smile. “I need to get dressed and find Momo.”

Nevio rose to his feet. “I’ll look for that thing.”

He left. I didn’t tell him that Momo would never let Nevio catch him. Most animals avoided Nevio. There was something too erratic, too frenzied about him. With a sigh, I got up, my body nicely warmed up. My mind drifted back to Amo and the warmth in my body intensified. I stared at my reflection in the mirror above the sink. I had never wondered what other people thought of my body, but I did now, wondering what Amo had seen when he’d looked at me.

Why? Why did I care? I liked my body. Amo’s thoughts about it shouldn’t matter. But then I remembered the flushed sensation that had overcome me when Amo had removed his shirt, which came unexpectedly. It wasn’t as if I’d never seen a naked chest. The men in my family ran around shirtless all the time when they worked out, headed to fight training or went into the pool. They too were fit to an extent that required a daily workout regime.

But Amo…

I shook my head. I didn’t understand any of this. I’d never been attracted to someone before. I didn’t have much contact with people outside of my family but I’d also never had a crush on a celebrity or anyone else I’d met in passing. I was attracted to Amo. My body’s reaction pointed toward this conclusion.

And thinking about his strong chest and gray eyes, I felt the novel desire to touch myself. My breasts and lower. Again something I’d never done because I simply hadn’t felt the desire to do it. I regarded my small breasts, half covered with foam then dipped lower to the apex of my thighs where I felt the warmest. I reached for my sex, my fingertips brushing my pubic hair.

A knock sounded, making me draw back.

“Can I come in?”

It was Kiara.

“One sec,” I called and quickly got out of the bathtub and put a fluffy bathrobe on. I opened the door to find Kiara standing right in front of it, glancing worriedly at Bear. “Is he all right?”

That’s what I liked about her. “I think so. I think Nevio smacked him over the head. I’ll keep an eye on him.”

She nodded then her kind brown eyes settled on me. Massimo had the same eye color and yet few people would probably notice, because the look in his was rarely kind and thus made them appear different. “Your father asked me to talk to you,” she said carefully.

I went over to the bed and sank down then began to pet Bear with my toes because he’d rolled on his back, exposing his belly. “I don’t know why.”

Kiara sat down beside me. She regarded me for a while. “Amo is an imposing man, and your father is a man who knows what kind of horrible acts some humans are capable of.”

I tilted my head toward her. “I know what humans are capable of.”

I’d seen the men in my family commit said acts almost seven years ago and still often dreamed about it.

“I know. I mean something else.”

“Kiara, I’m not good at this.”

She laughed gently. “Nino’s neither, that’s probably another reason why I’m here.”

“And what’s the first?”

Kiara’s face sobered and a haunted look entered her eyes that I’d never seen before. “This is something that you can’t tell Massimo or Alessio.”

“Okay,” I said slowly.

“When I was a young girl a man from my family sexually abused me, and I hid it from everyone out of fear and shame.”

Without hesitation, I hugged her. She exhaled and briefly hugged me back before she let me pull back again. She patted my cheek. “Thank you.”

I nodded, and slowly it dawned on me what this was about. “Like I told Dad and everyone else, I’m fine. Amo didn’t hurt me in any way. I would tell you and Dad if he had. I know I don’t have to be afraid when I’m in Vegas and I know I don’t have to be ashamed.”

“You wouldn’t keep it a secret to protect him from harm, right? I know you.”

“He wouldn’t be deserving of my protection if he’d done what happened to you.”

Kiara smiled proudly. “That’s good. Your dad will be proud.”

“He’d be prouder if I could defend myself like he always wanted.”

“You aren’t someone who resorts to violence, he’s come to terms with it, and you wouldn’t have had a chance against a man like Amo anyway.”

I nodded. “Have they found Momo yet?”

“No, they’re still looking.”

“I’ll get dressed and join them. And tell Dad, I’m fine. I don’t want war to happen because of me.”

“It won’t,” Kiara said.

Ten minutes later I was dressed and went down to the common room where I found Nino stitching up Nevio. He was talking to Alessio and Massimo while Nino pushed the needle into his flesh. Seeing them, I remembered Kiara asking me not to tell them. I wondered why she didn’t want them to know. They could handle a lot considering what they did at night.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Nevio asked with an arched brow as I headed toward the backyard. Maybe Momo huddled under one of the bushes. He was too careful to go near one of the two pools.

“I’m going to look for Momo.”

“Wait for me. I don’t want you to go alone.”

I sent my brother a disbelieving look. He has always been protective but this was taking it to a new level. “I’ll never find her if you’re by my side, you know that.”

“I’ll come with you,” Dad said as he stepped into the common room. He’d probably been upstairs to give Giulio a lecture. He pointed a warning finger at Nevio. “You’re getting stitched up. If you lose your arm because of an infection, you’ll be in major trouble.”

He strode over to me. Momo didn’t tolerate Dad much better than Nevio but I actually liked the idea of Dad joining me.

With his hand on my shoulder, we stepped out into the backyard. The evening air was brisk and so I wrapped my cardigan tighter around myself, remembering how Amo’s shirt had felt, how it had smelled.

“Where to?” Dad asked.

“He sometimes hides in the bushes at the fence.”

Dad and I walked in silence for a while. “Please don’t let war break out because I managed to get locked in a cell with Amo, okay?”

Dad’s fingers on my shoulders tightened briefly. “I can’t imagine war is avoidable in the long run.”

“So many would die, for nothing.”

Dad gave me a strange smile. “Not for nothing.”

I sighed. I didn’t want a war, for various reasons. “Would it make you happy if I tried to learn to fight?” Dad had tried to coerce me into taking fight lessons for as long as I could remember, but the thought of choosing violence had never sat right with me. For my family it was always the first choice, but for me it was the last resort.

Dad turned me so I was facing him. “For many years this was what I wanted but I can tell that you’ll never be a fighter, Greta, not in the physical sense. I don’t want you to fight to make me happy.”

The bushes to our right rustled and Dad stepped in front of me, his hand on his knife. I squinted into the half-light. There were lamps at the top of the fence but their light didn’t penetrate the ground. Still I could see a small white muzzle peeking out under the bush.

“Momo!” I rushed toward him and picked him up before he could dash away again. I removed a few twigs from his shaggy fur. He was a Maltese and when I’d found him, he’d been completely matted and emaciated, his ears infected. I cuddled him to my chest, something he’d only started allowing recently.

I felt Dad’s eyes on me and headed to his side. He didn’t try to pat Momo, only regarded me. “Considering what kind of man I am and the sins I’ve committed, I don’t know why I deserve a daughter like you.”

“I’m not perfect Dad. I’m as flawed as everyone else.”

Dad gave me a look that made it clear he disagreed. His phone rang and when he saw the caller ID he picked up after a muttered curse. “Luca.” He listened to something the other man then nodded. “Getting it over with sounds like a plan.” He hung up.

“What’s going on?”

“Luca and his son are coming for another meeting tomorrow.”

My heart beat faster, my belly bustling with excitement. I lowered my gaze and pressed my face against Momo’s fur to hide my reaction from Dad.

Dad thought I was perfect.

He didn’t know how my heart picked up when I thought about Amo.