Page 19 of Daddies of the Underworld

Matteo turned his gaze to the dark windows of the private wing. “Now we give her space.”

Fuck that. I almost snorted into my whiskey but managed to stop just in time. “Space. Naturally. That’s our best skill.”

Dante’s mouth twitched, the first genuine reaction I’d gotten from him today.

Matteo ignored us. “No one will pressure her, corner her, or ask her for answers she is not ready to give.”

“Agreed.” Dante’s nod was solemn.

Of course he fucking agreed. I spread my hands on the balcony and gave them both a sardonic smile. “Of course. I am famous for my restraint.”

“Luca.” The warning in Matteo’s voice tickled me far more than it should.

I smothered a laugh and splayed a hand over my heart. “You wound me.”

“I know you,” Matteo corrected.

The unfortunate thing was, he did. Matteo knew I could make people comfortable before they realized they’d given me what they wanted. In business, it was useful. With Nina, it would be unforgivable. “I won’t manipulate her. I want her to choose with a clear mind not be dazzled by her gratitude for keeping her alive. But that does not mean I will stay away from her.”

I waited till morning to make good on my promise.

It didn’t take long to find Nina sitting in the garden terrace Dante had cleared for her.

She perched on the low stone wall with her knees drawn up, her hair loose around her shoulders and face tipped toward the sun.

A long blue skirt and white blouse turned her skin lustrous.

She turned at the sound of my footsteps. “If you’re here to ask about dinner, I’m jumping over this wall.”

“There’s a pool on the other side. I’d simply follow you over.” She huffed at me, rolling her eyes even as I continued. “I was going to ask if you wanted to escape for an hour.”

That earned her full attention. Her eyes narrowed. “Escape?”

“One that includes guards following us as we drive along a secure route and Dante’s personal assurance that if I take a wrong turn he will remove my spine through my throat.”

Her eyes widened, then narrowed again. But there was curiosity there too. “That sounds less like escape and more like supervised kidnapping.”

“Luxury supervised kidnapping.” I jingled the keys to my Jaguar. “There will be twisty roads and scenic views.” Her mouth twitched, and the sight of that tiny movement settled me.

Progress.

We left fifteen minutes later, with Nina climbing into the Jag with a snort. “Of course this is what you drive.”

“There are few things better than the sight of the ocean from a magnificent car.” I drove us through the gates and onto the winding road, driving slowly because the road demanded it and I liked watching her too much to go any faster.

Nina leaned closer to the open window, right into the sunlight. “I used to dream about places like this when I was younger.”

“As did I.” I almost winced at the line, but it was true. “What did you dream of…specifically?” I needed to know. Needed to figure out if I had any chance of making those dreams come true.

She kept her face in the sun, but her shoulders tensed. “I dreamed of having enough food to eat every day. Of knowing I’d be safe when I slept at night.”

I’d bet she still craved those things, even though she’d refused to eat for nearly two days and we’d put her in the safest place in the villa. She wanted those things on her terms.

I refused to call her out on those things.

Instead, I drove us straight to the pulloff with the best view and turned off the car. “Not every rich man or woman started that way.”

“I know that.”