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Dominic took a step forward, and Haven instinctively took one back. He found it amusing and did it again, continuing until they were both inside the bedroom. He shut the door and put the bowl on the table before turning on the DVD.
Grabbing the remote, he flopped down on the couch and kicked his feet up on the table. He started the movie, chewing noisily as he munched on the popcorn. “You just gonna stand there? Your feet might get tired.”
Haven tentatively sat beside him, her brow furrowing when she realized he’d put on a cartoon. She was about to ask him what they were watching when he thrust the bowl of popcorn into her face.
She cowered from the sudden movement, and he froze. “Scared of popcorn?”
“No,” she said as he pushed the bowl closer to her. She took a small handful and turned to the television. “What are we watching?”
“Shrek!” He threw a handful of popcorn into his mouth. “I love this shit.”
She watched for a bit. After getting to know Dominic, she wasn’t surprised he enjoyed such a movie. “It makes sense we’re watching cartoons. Isn’t that what people do when they babysit?”
He laughed, startling Haven when he playfully tossed a piece of popcorn at her. “Look at you making a joke! You’re funny. No wonder Carmine fell in love with you.”
She stared at him. “Uh, I don’t know if I’d say he was . . . in love.” She whispered the last part, having a hard time getting the words to leave her lips.
“Please, girl. He’s given up all of his puttani and that’s something I never thought I’d see. His favorite pastime was always busting a nut.”
“A nut?”
Dominic ruffled her hair. “Oh so innocent. Ask Carmine what a nut is when he gets home. I wanna see him try to explain it to you.”
* * *
After the movie finished, Haven followed Dominic out into the backyard. She sighed as the warm sunshine hit her face. Dampness lingered in the air, a cool breeze wafting across her bare arms and flushed cheeks.
She paused a few feet from the door. “Are you sure I’m allowed out here?”
“I’m positive,” he said. “I asked.”
The two of them strolled toward the thinning trees, the brittle, fallen leaves crunching under her shoes. She was apprehensive when they headed into the forest, the same ones she’d tried to escape through months before, but she wanted to believe he wouldn’t lead her astray.
The sound of rushing water met her ears as they walked, the two of them coming upon a small creek. She knelt down, dipping her hand into the frigid water. “It’s beautiful out here.”
“I guess,” Dominic said. “I’m not fond of nature. Carmine’s the one who plays in the woods.”
“Carmine comes out here?”
“He hasn’t since he got back from the boarding school, but he used to when he wanted to be alone. He got into funks, so he’d come down by the water or run along the trail.”
Dominic sat down and leaned against a barren tree as he gazed at the water. Haven mulled it over before pulling off her shoes and wiggling her toes in the thick grass. Rolling up her pant legs to her knees, she stepped into the freezing water.
“There are all kinds of creatures in there,” Dominic warned. “Fish. Bugs. Snakes.”
She smiled as the mud squished between her toes. “I’m not afraid of what’s in this water.”
o;Yes.”
“That motherfucker! Does he know what they were doing?”
“Possibly, but none of that matters right now,” Vincent said. “Squint has his eyes set on the girl, so she needs to be watched for that reason.”
It didn’t make sense to Carmine, but he knew his father wasn’t going to tell him anything more.
* * *
“Just relax,” Carmine said softly, pulling out a chair for Haven as they made their way to the table for dinner that night. He took the seat beside her, and Haven remained still as they bowed their heads for a prayer. They helped themselves to food but Haven only took a little, too anxious to eat. She scooted the food around on her plate with her fork, alarmed, as she tried to ignore Nunzio’s gawking from across the table.
