Page 39 of Little Deer
“Do you know anything about her? And she’s another cousin or she’s a sister?”
“Cousin. She’d be Amara’s younger sister from the birth certificates we have. And we don’t know anything else. She seems to have disappeared, but we had a hard time finding you too.”
I nod. “I feel like my head is spinning, Massimo. Honestly, the only constant in this whole thing is you.”
He smiles gently. “And I’m good to be your constant, Lucy. Perhaps it will ease the discomfort of all of this. If you ever need anything, you only have to find me and ask me.” He gives my bicep a light squeeze and lets go.
I feel a distinct sense of loss from his touch, although I try not to read too much into it. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt close to someone other than Kida, that’s all.
I give him a teasing smile instead. “Maybe I should be asking someone else, like Zeno or Urso. Don’t want that head of yours to get any bigger than it already is.”
Something flashes so quickly in his eyes that I almost miss it, and I feel a jolt in my stomach. Wait, was that jealousy? No, it can’t be. “Those two are far too obsessed with their computers and shit to be of any use to you,dolcezza,” he scoffs, but then grins at me. “And I’ll just make sure to have some extra support when you come to see me. You won’t mind holding me up, will you?” His eyes go bright with mischief. “You can grab on to any part of me, of course, you don’t just have to hold up my head. In fact, I have a few suggestions for you.” He wiggles his brows suggestively.
I roll my eyes. “That was a terrible line.”
He laughs. “You Americans are rubbing off on me. Back home, I’d have you eating out of the palm of my hand with the perfect lines.”
Yeah, I don’t doubt that.
“I don’t know. I’m made of sterner stuff than that.” I can resist giving him a teasing smile of my own. “Even pretty wordsand accents don’t work on me. My husband could do a mean British accent, and that never worked.”
“Ah, but you’ve never had an Italian man whisper all the sweet nothings a woman loves to hear. In a language of love and passion, it will hit differently, trust me.”
“If you say so.” Why the hell am I flirting with him? Still, I can’t seem to make myself stop. His eyes heat as they look into mine, and that same tension as before starts to build between us.
Thank God for timing, because that is the moment that Soren lets out the loudest fart and grunt, completely obliterating the moment.
Massimo chokes on a laugh, while I make a face of disgust. “You really are a boy,” I say to my son. Soren looks at me, and then his lower lip starts to quiver, and my heart melts. “Alright, we’ll go back and get you changed and fed, huh?” I look back at Massimo. “You don’t need me, right?”
He shakes his head. “I’ll take you back up, then come back down.”
I want to tell him he doesn’t have to, but I also have this strong urge to stay with him. It’s so confusing. These hormones are no joke. I need to get myself under control.
Wanting Massimo is a bad idea. Even if my body thinks it sounds very right.
21
MASSIMO
When I finally walk back intoNico’s office, it’s a mess of paper, Amara writing on some sheets, while Gia and Sienna write on others. All the men, minus Alonzo, who still hasn’t come back, are spread around the room, expressions fascinated as they watch it all unfold.
Even Sofia, who came in at some point, looks intrigued as she stands next to Dante. I narrow my eyes at them, but Lucy’s words echo in my head again, and I force myself to push away the annoyance. There will be time to sort all that out soon enough.
“Someone fill me in,” I say as I move to stand between Alessio and Lazaro. Nico is on Alessio’s other side, watching with sharp eyes.
“That we all found women with very sharp brains,” Lazaro states, grinning. “They’ve been making lists, talking between each other, and adding in things as we tell them. At this rate, they’ll have the whole thing solved in no time.”
“If it means less bloodshed, I’m all for it.”
Alessio nods. He looks at me. “Did we scare Lucy away?”
“No. Soren got fussy with all the loud noise and she took him out. She’s still uncomfortable, and with Nico opening his stupid mouth, she’s not feeling all that trusting either.” I glare at Nico, who ignores me. “But, she’s not running, so I’ll take that as a positive sign. She’s gone back up to my room to change and feed Soren. It’s probably better. I don’t want to push her, and this whole thing right now is going to only confuse and scare her more.”
“She is a strong woman, I think she’ll surprise you,” Aurelio comments from the other side of Lazaro.
That reminds me. “She did bring up the point that she was surprised that Nico’s mother didn’t go to the Russians for help or try to sleep with one of them. She said it’s weird that she slept with so many of the other men from different families around here, why not them?”
“That’s exactly the thing I just wrote down,” Amara announces, making me turn to look at her. She’s watching me with a thoughtful expression. “Why didn’t she? They have an island. They have the ports. As much as I hate to think of it, the ports are the perfect places to bring people in, right?”
