It’s over. You’re safe. Angelo is okay.
She repeated the mantra over and over and then touched tender fingers to the faint bruises forming on her neck and face. Hopefully, they wouldn’t darken more.
Despite how cold it was outside, Angelo’s water got hot in less than a minute. She couldn’t stop the moan of pleasure she gave as she stepped beneath the large powerful shower head. It was heaven, pure heaven.
Pressing her face into the spray, she let the water wash away Angelo’s blood still on her skin. He was alive. He was okay. And she was in a hot shower with a full belly in a house full of people who had been incredibly kind to her.
All because of a lie she’d told to the ambulance driver. But she had no regrets.
Even after twenty minutes, the water was still hot against her skin. She only left because her hands had started to turn pruny. She dried off with a dark green bath towel and put on an oversized T-shirt with her favorite pair of boxers. She paddedbarefoot back into Angelo’s bedroom and pulled back the sheets on his bed.
She was about to climb in and go to sleep when she remembered that Dante had said to call Angelo. She picked up the cell phone and climbed into bed, cuddling up in the softness of the pillows before she found Angelo’s number and hit the green call button.
“Hello?”
“Angelo?” Kara’s heart jolted at saying his name.
“Kara,” Angelo breathed. A shiver ran beneath her skin at the caressing sound of her name on his lips. “Are you all right?”
“Am I?You’rethe one who one got stabbed. Areyouokay?” She said this with a bit of annoyance. His concerned tone made her feel all warm and fuzzy, and that made her feel guilty. She wasn’t used to someone worrying about her. She was always fine. She had to be fine.
“Tesoro mio,” he sighed, but there was mirth in his weary voice.
“You said that before. What does it mean?”
“Tesoro mio?”
“Yeah, that.”
“It’s just an endearment,” said Angelo. “Like honey or dear. And to answer your question, I’m fine.”
“Good.” She needed him to be okay.
“Dante said he made you pack up everything and move in with me.”
A flash of panic made her vision blur. He must be thinking she was overstepping, that she was taking advantage of his generosity.
“Yeah, I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean for that. But your brother… he just sort of commanded me to do it.”
Angelo laughed. “He feels bad about that, but he was concerned for safety. Englewood is…” he didn’t finish thatthought and she was glad. They both it was a rough place to live. “But Dante means well.”
“Well, the moment your parents are gone, I’ll move right back to my place.”
“Kara, I don’t have a girlfriend, and I’m not seeing anyone. There’s no reason for you to rush. Why don’t you stay until we stage our breakup? I don’t want you going back to that place, not after what Dante said it looked like.”
“But Angelo?—”
“Just think of it like an extended vacation. And in the meantime, I can find you a better place for when this is all over. I know people.”
That seemed unlikely. Better places required background checks, security and fancy contracts. She had to stay under radar. The landlord of her current place asked no questions as long she paid her rent on time. But Kara couldn’t tell Angelo that.
“Did you have fun with my family today?” he asked.
“I did.” She smiled despite her worries. “You have a wonderful family.”
“I’m sorry I missed dinner, and not just for the company. I’ve had nothing but juice and pudding since I got here. But I’m glad you were there. My mother didn’t ruin my dishes, did she?”
“No,” Kara chuckled. “Your father kept her in line.” She’d seen his mother more than once try to re-heat the dishes, but Matteo had told her he could handle it and did all of the re-heating himself.
