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I look at Matteo again, who still stares at me with eyes darker than I’ve seen them before. I shiver, but it’s not from cold.

“No, Gio. I should go; it’s getting late.”

“Please, please. I’ll be good, I won’t cheat, I swear it.” His pleas melt my heart.

“Why don’t you come to my room, and we can read a book together before you go to bed?” I offer.

Gio jumps up. “Yeah, that sounds like fun.” He runs around the table and takes my hand, forcing me to stand. He tugs me up the stairs and out of the dining room.

Matteo’s eyes on my back give me chills. The heated kind.

“Where is your room?” I ask to distract myself as we walk.

“At the end of the hall next to Daddy’s,” he explains as we climb the stairs. When we reach the top, he points to a door down the passage. “Daddy wanted us close together cause sometimes I have bad dreams.”

“Oh, I’m sorry about that,” I say. “I hate having bad dreams.”

“Do you still have bad dreams? But you’re a grown-up!”

“I know, but even grown-ups have bad dreams,” I explain patiently.

We walk into my room, and Gio lets go of my hand. “This room is nice, I guess, but you can always share with me.” He inspects the cupboards. “You don’t got a lot of clothes.”

“I don’t have a lot of clothes. And that’s because I wasn’t sure how long I was staying for.” I don’t want to tell him the truth and say his father is a monster who kidnaps innocent girls from the street, as tempted as I am.

Gio looks disappointed. “I wish you could say forever,” he admits.

“I have to get back to my own family.” I pat the sofa next to me. “But while I’m here, we can be friends, if you want to?”

Gio smiles and crawls onto the sofa next to me, tucking his legs under him. “I’d like that.”

I pick a more childish fantasy book from the basket and open it to page one. Gio snuggles up to me, and I start to read to him about a boy who has magical powers and doesn’t know it.

We read for about an hour before Matteo appears at the door to end our fun. My voice falters as he steps into the room and I regard him.

“Gia was reading to me. She reads well, Daddy. She knows how to say all the big words without sounding them out,” Gio says excitedly. “And this book is so cool.”

Matteo smiles softly and says, “That sounds very exciting, my boy.”

“Can Gia read to me every night?” he asks.

“Well, that’s up to Gia,” Matteo says, looking at me expectantly.

Gio immediately turns to me. “Please, Gia, please. You read so good.”

“I read well,” I correct him with a smile. “And yes, I will read to you every night. I don’t mind.”

Gio squeals with happiness and hugs me tightly. He only lets go when Matteo tells him it’s time for bed.

He pouts, then reluctantly gets up and goes to Matteo, who says, “Say goodnight to Gia and thank her for reading to you.”

“Thanks for reading to me, Gia. Goodnight.”

“It’s my pleasure, Gio,” I say back.

Matteo gives me a strange look before he puts his hand on Gio’s head and guides him out of the room. The last thing I hear from Gio is a mutter about me not having enough clothes, and I can’t help but smile at his thoughtfulness.

I put the book away and take a shower, wanting to forget the way Matteo felt under my touch. My thoughts, my body, betray me.