Nestore watched them with a small smile. “At the beginning, they didn’t even chase; now they’re rediscovering their instincts. It’s a thing of beauty.”
“It is,” I agreed softly. These animals had been prisoners and lost part of themselves because of it. Maybe Nestore recognized himself in them.
“Why do you use them in pit fights?” Nestore touched my back and led me back out of the house toward the lion enclosure.
“Not all of them, only the male lion and the tiger. They displayed great joy when prisoners accidentally climbed inside their enclosures shortly after you ran. I decided to give them the chance to get payback on certain humans as long as they do it without prompting or drugs.”
I shook my head. Nestore made his twisted actions almost sound… reasonable.
I looked past the three enclosures but only found the fence marking the end of the premises. “Where are the chimps?” My father had kept two chimps that he’d dressed up in human clothes and drugged so they would be complacent. Sometimes they’d even been allowed inside the mansion. It had freaked meout because their eyes had been too knowing and not like an animal’s at all.
“When we stopped giving them drugs, they became too dangerous. We had to remove them from the premises. They killed two of my men and always made a ruckus that upset the cats.”
“So you killed them?”
“No, they are in another enclosure, but they are very aggressive. With their conditioning, you can’t release them into the wilderness, and sanctuaries wouldn’t take them because of their volatile behavior. They are too traumatized.”
I pressed my lips together. These animals and Nestore had so much in common. Nestore extended his hand for me to take. I slid mine into his without hesitation and allowed him to lead me back up the pathway and away from the enclosures.
Nestore stopped abruptly.
“What’s wrong?”
I followed his narrowed gaze toward the mansion where Niccolo stood on the balcony that led into the grand entry hall.
“Did you expect him?”
His tight jaw and furrowed brows answered my question. He gave a small shake of his head, his fingers around mine tightening. “Niccolo wouldn’t show up unannounced unless it’s serious.”
Nestore tugged me along, his steps long and purposeful. I had to run to keep up with him. When we reached the balcony, Niccolo scanned me. I was still in my nightgown and silk bathrobe, and the thin fabric didn’t hide how the cool morning air affected my body.
Nestore stepped in front of me, his voice sharp as a whip. “Why are you here, cousin?”
Niccolo met Nestore’s gaze, hesitation reflecting on his face. “Maybe we should discuss the matter alone.”
I stiffened. Was it because he considered me a security risk or simply too weak?
“Amelia is my wife. She will stay unless I decide she must leave. Now tell me why you’re here. I’m losing my patience.”
“You don’t have any patience to spare,” Niccolo drawled, then quickly continued. “Achille Lamorgese’s nephew Corvin contacted me thirty minutes ago.”
My lips parted in surprise. Corvin was alive? I would have thought Nestore had killed him the moment he claimed power. Corvin was a slimy, sadistic pig. He wasn’t a loss to this world.
“He and a couple of Lamorgese’s supporters kidnapped Luciano Lamorgese from his daycare.”
“No!” I gasped, my heart clenching as tears sprang into my eyes. Luciano was only two. He was a small, innocent kid. “Oh God, Flavia. She must be heartbroken and terrified.”
Nestore’s expression remained hard. “What do they want with the boy? He’s too young to serve as their future leader, and from what I know about Corvin, he thinks he has it in him to become Achille’s successor one day.”
Niccolo nodded. “They called and told me the kid will die if we don’t exchange Achille with him. They want a reply within the next hour, or they’ll start cutting off his fingers and send them over to us.”
“I’m wearing their friends’ fingers as a crown, and they think I’ll break because they threaten the son of my tormentor?” he snarled.
I shot him an incredulous look. He had to save Luciano! My father’s life was worthless, but Luciano needed to survive. He needed to be spared further trauma and pain. “Nestore,” I whispered, gripping his arm. He narrowed his eyes at me. “Luciano is a small boy. He’s innocent. Wouldn’t you have wanted someone to save you from my father’s clutches? Youhave the power to spare a child the trauma you had to endure. Do it for me.”
Niccolo chuckled. “See, I told them the same you just said, Nestore, but they knew you’d do it for her. They know how powerful Amelia Lamorgese is.”
“Amelia Romano,” I corrected him. “And it has nothing to do with power.”
