Page 67 of Daddies of the Underworld

Sofia chewed her bottom lip just like Nina, her gaze darting to her mother. Then she took a step back, clutching the bunny tighter beneath her chin. “I’m not supposed to take stuff from strangers. They might ‘nap me.”

Nina made a pained sound in the back of her throat and held out her arms. “Come here, baby.”

Sofia did so step by slow step. “What’s your name?”

“Dante.” I was so fucking proud of her for walking away, and for refusing the present. My heart shattered a little more with every backward step, but I fucking loved Nina for teaching our little girl how to be safe. We lived in a dangerous world. Whether in Chicago or in Italy.

Sofia stopped next to Nina, her eyes widening again. “Dante like the book?”

“What book?” I had to keep my thoughts under control or I’d end up in the floor like Luca. I didn’t have a clue what Matteo was doing. I didn’t care. I couldn’t look away from Sofia and Nina.

“The one Ms. Alvarez said I can’t read yet because it has too much pain and suffering.” She looked me over from boots to face. “Do you have too much suffering?”

Nina’s mouth parted, but nothing came out.

Fair. I didn’t have a useful answer either.

Luca snorted from my left. “She got you there, Dante.” Wiping his face on his sleeve, he cleared his throat. “I’m Luca. And that is Matteo. We knew your mother a long time ago. We might be strangers to you, but we are definitely here as friends.”

Why hadn’t I just said that instead of trying to hedge around like it was some big secret?

Sofia tipped her head back, examining Nina’s face. No doubt she was trying to work out why her mother had pulled a knife on her friends.

“Friends don’t break into each other’s apartments.” Nina’s chin lifted.

“Then you never knew us very well. Because we will always do what has to be done for those we care about.” Luca said the words softly, without a hint of anger.

We needed to get back to our previous conversation. The one where Nina had admitted that she thought we were going to kill her. “You were never in any danger from us.” I left it at that and waited for Matteo to chime in.

Sofia crept toward me again, step by painfully slow step. Nina didn’t stop her, and I took that as a win. Golden brown eyes held mine as she reached for the book, taking it with one hand and snatching it close to her chest. “Did that hurt?”

“What?” I rested my hands on my bent knee without moving.

The next thing I knew, Sofia stood close enough her rabbit rested on top of my hands. She traced the scar in my eyebrow. “Did that hurt?”

“Yes.” No need lying. It had hurt like hell.

“Did you cry?” Her head tipped to the side and her frown deepened when I shook my head. “You’re allowed. Mama says tears are good for the soul.”

Fuck. My throat tightened, my vision going glassy. “I know that now.”

Sofia patted my cheek, her hand smelling like jam. She did it so matter-of-factly that I didn’t even have time to react, and then she skipped back to Nina’s side. “They should help clean up. They made the mess.”

“I made the mess.” Nina pressed her hand to her cheek and eyed the groceries on the floor.

Sofia grunted. “Because they scared you.”

That one sentence stole the air from the room. Nina paled, and Sofia looked at each of us, assessing and watchful. “It isn’t nice to scare your friends. You can make it up to her by helping clean up.”

I picked up the bread, then the jar of peanut butter.

Luca scooped up a couple apples that had rolled his way and stood, carrying them to a small basket on the counter. None of us had really taken the time to look around when we arrived except to clear the apartment and ensure there were no threats. I examined it now, and my heart ached all over again for the simplistic life Nina had been living. Everything was about Sofia. From the tiny shoes in the cubby by the door to the groceries she’d carried in. Not a single picture hung from the walls, but one of Sofia’s drawings had been stuck to the refrigerator with a magnet.

“Matteo, catch.” Sofia scooped up an apple and lobbed it at Matteo, who snatched it out of the air and set it on the counter. Sofia clapped and cheered like he’d performed a miracle instead of basic eye-hand coordination, but who was I to complain?

Once we finished cleaning, Sofia climbed onto the couch with her rabbit and grilled us on Peter Rabbit stories. “Mama says next time we move, I can maybe have a bigger bedroom.” She hopped onto her knees, draped her arms over the back of the couch, and stared. “I want glow-in-the-dark stars on my ceiling. And noodles for lunch every day. The good ones. But no peas. I hate peas.”

“Me too.” Luca stuck his thumb in his chest.