Page 99 of Captivated

Theo’s expression didn’t change. “You have free run of the place while you’re here. He wanted you to be comfortable.”

“My father?”

“Not even close. Open the door.”

What was with these strange men sometimes?

Liliana shook her head, and then proceeded to unlock the door. Once it was open, and the two were inside, Theo set both of her bags to the corner.

She took the moment to look around the hallway, and some of the pictures hanging on the earthy-toned walls. The cherry hardwood floors gleamed, and the small decorative table still held a bowl full of knickknacks, gum, and even a set of keys.

Like the person who lived here had expected to come back shortly after they left, or something.

“You good?” Theo asked.

Liliana looked back at him, but a photo hanging above a tall plant sitting on a small rug caught her eye. It was the man in the picture, and the other man clinging to his back like a fucking monkey that made her smile. The two couldn’t deny that they were somehow related—brothers, likely. Both wore three-piece suits, wide smiles and in the background, white chairs had been set up.

Maybe a wedding?

Anyway, she finally figured out who lived here. And, of course, why this house had felt comforting to her at just the sight alone despite the fact she didn’t know anything about it, and had never even seen it before.

“This place is Joe’s,” she said.

Theo nodded. “Welcome to Chicago, Liliana.”

“Knock, knock! Anybody home?”

Liliana jumped away from the books she was perusing on the shelf, and sloshed her morning coffee on her hand at the same time. “Shit.”

Thankfully, it wasn’t hot enough to burn.

“Jesus, Cory, stop acting foolish,” came a man’s voice.

“I don’t know why you bother,” followed a woman.

“Someone has to tell him.”

“It’s too late for Cory.”

“Hey, there she is.”

Liliana spun around to find a man—younger than her, definitely—standing in the doorway of Joe’s living room. She only needed one look at his face to know exactly who he was. Cory Rossi—the same man in several pictures inside the home, and Joe’s younger brother.

“You busy, girl?” he asked.

She blinked. “What?”

“You … busy … now.”

An older gentleman, with similar features and kind eyes, slid in beside the young man, and at the same time, smacked the back of Cory’s head without ever taking his eyes off Liliana. The same man who she had first seen at the Marcello mansion when she met Joe, but he hadn’t stayed long enough to have dinner with the rest of them.

“Quite enough of that, Cory.”

“Ouch, Dad. Fuck.”

Dad.

Joe’s father?