Page 176 of Cara & Gian: The Guzzi Duet

“Tabernac.” Gian’s curse came out as a low rumble, his irritation rising as he was forced to roll away from soft, naked skin in his bed. He couldn’t let go of Cara completely, so he picked up the ringing cell phone on the nightstand and stroked a hand up her spine with his other. All of his frustration leaked into his tired voice when he answered the call with, “Do you know what goddamn time it is, and what in the fuck do you want?”

“Yeah, it’s after nine and Sunday, Gian. Since when do you sleep in and where in the hell are you?”

Dom’s voice made Gian sit up in the bed, but he still didn’t stop touching Cara as he moved. She grounded him—her presence calmed him. He had been a mess for months and for a moment, he was okay.

“It’s Sunday, Gian,” Dom repeated. “Mass started already. Elena put out a call to a couple of people when you didn’t show up this morning at the mansion, though you were supposed to be there last night. What the fuck?”

Saturday at the mansion.

Sunday at church with his wife.

Merda.

Gian had entirely skipped those plans after seeing Cara the night before. He hadn’t intentionally done so, but something better came along, and those plans no longer mattered. He was surprised that Elena cared enough to call anyone and ask around about him, but that was probably because she was hoping his body showed up somewhere.

“Weren’t you having dinner with her father last night?” Dom asked.

“Yeah, I had dinner with Gabriel.”

“And?”

“And nothing. I forgot, I guess.”

“You for—”

“Gian, is everything all right?”

Cara’s question came out too loud in the quiet bedroom to be hidden. He shot her a reassuring smile, and stroked her back again, saying nothing. She tucked back into the blankets, happy as could be, but Gian knew his brother had heard her.

“Oh, well, shit,” Dom said quickly.

“So, something came up,” Gian muttered.

“Someone, you mean.”

“Semantics.”

“If you say so. Cara Rossi?” Dom asked.

Gian sighed, scrubbing a hand down his face. “I’m not in the mood, nor do I have the patience, to listen to anyone’s bitching this morning, man.”

“Yeah, sure. When did that happen again? How long?”

“Or your questions,” Gian added. “I answer to God, my priest, and the Pope, but certainly not to you. Don’t expect me to.”

And Cara …

Gian answered to her, too.

“What do I tell Ma and Dad … or your wife, for that matter?”

“Apologize, say I wasn’t feeling well. I’ll be at the mansion before noon to deal with the other bit, since I need to grab some stuff anyway.”

“Sure, sure,” his brother said, sounding anything but sure.

“Au revoir, Dom.”

Gian didn’t bother to give his brother the chance to say goodbye back, before he hung up the phone. Setting it back to the nightstand, he immediately went back to Cara, his arms ensnaring her warm body and bringing her closer to him under the white sheets.