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When I returned to the mansion afterward, I felt erratic, as if last night’s raid hadn’t happened. Maybe I could convince Massimo and Alessio to go on another hunt with me tonight.
Mom sat on the couch, reading a magazine when I entered the common area. I headed over to her and plopped down. She put away her magazine. That was Mom. She always made time for us, no matter how annoying we were. Her blue eyes scanned my face, and her brows crinkled in concern. “Are you okay?”
“Sure,” I lied casually. “Not enough sleep, that’s all.”
Mom never asked about the details of my nightly hunts. The only time she’d been witness to my depravity had been on my twelfth birthday when she’d walked in on me torturing a guy who Dad had given me as a present. She knew what I was. She tried to pretend I wasn’t.
“I love you no matter what. You know that, don’t you?”
I gave a terse nod. Mom made a habit out of loving monsters. “It’s because I’m your child. You have no choice.”
Mom’s frown deepened. “That’s nonsense. I love you for who you are, for the man I know you’ll become.”
“Mom, you should lower your expectations if you don’t want to be disappointed.” I could tell she was going to argue with me, so I changed the topic. “Did you think Dad would be a good father? Or did you worry he’d mess up because of what he is?”
“I worried, but I shouldn’t have. He’s a good father.”
I nodded. He was. Maybe not in the conventional sense. My twelfth birthday present would probably be frowned upon by most people.
Mom watched me closely, worry clear on her face. She often worried about me.
“I can tell something is up.”
I considered telling her for a second, but instead, I patted her hand and rose to my feet.
Savio sauntered toward me. “My favorite psychopath.” He clapped my shoulder. “And the reason I’m happy being a girl dad.”
“I’m sure you’ll change your mind once they start dating.”
“They won’t. I’ll shoot whoever goes near them. I hear you’re trying to get Fabiano to do the same to you?” Mirth and curiosity danced in his brown eyes.
“Aurora and I are friends.”
“So were Gemma and I.”
“I don’t have a bull in my pants,” I said with a smirk.
“Only a tally list on your back.”
“And it’s growing.”
Savio rolled his eyes. “Your dad wants to talk to you in his office.”
I grinned. “Am I in trouble?”
“Were you ever not?” He clapped my shoulder, then sauntered off again.
Dad and I had been avoiding each other as well as possible. He was probably worried he’d strangle me if we spent too much time together. And me? Maybe I avoided him because seeing his disappointment reminded me that I was crossing lines that even I shouldn’t cross.
That he wanted to talk to me could only mean I had messed up again. What if Battista’s mother had informed my family about his existence?
I knew Rory wouldn’t have done it. She was pissed, disappointed, and desperate to hate me, but she was also loyal to a fault. I trusted her.
Dad was pummeling his boxing sack when I stepped into his office. Fabiano and Nino were there too. The wary look on Fabiano’s face told me he didn’t know what had happened between his daughter and me.
“Fabiano checked the security footage of the apartment complex and saw you visiting last night and again this morning.”
I shrugged. “I would have understood a meeting if I’d stayed the night, but as you said, I left last night and came back this morning.”
