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“How long were you there?”
“Almost five years,” she answered.
There was something about the timing that bothered me, not that it mattered any longer.
“You’ve upset her, Maria. That’s not why we’re here.” Theodora broke the tension. “Look, we understand what’s happening here more than you may realize, but whether you want to believe us or not, we have short chains as well. The glory of being a princess in the Giordano family isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Our father has yet to leap out of the dark ages.”
“She’s right,” Maria piped in. “There are two soldiers waiting outside for the ride alone. I had constant bodyguards while I lived in Italy. I couldn’t go anywhere without at least one soldier with me at all times. Why don’t we enjoy the limo that dear old Daddy ordered for us and spend the day together? We’ll purchase a few things, have a nice lunch, and maybe it will allow you to see that we’re not all bad. I think you understand the position we’re all in.”
“Have either one of you ever been threatened?” I asked as I noticed Dillon walking toward the door.
They glanced at each other again. That answered everything I didn’t want to ask.
“A few times.” Theodora touched her face.
“I’m sorry about this Nico person. If it makes you feel any better, Gabriel beat the shit out of him.”
Her eyes shifted into a moment of fiery anger. Then she looked away. “Gabriel doesn’t understand and there’s no way of explaining it to him that he’ll accept.”
“That sounds dangerously close to admitting you like the guy, even if he beat you up,” I told her.
“That’s just it. I don’t think he did it. He called me last night and—”
“Theodora!” Maria snapped. “Are you crazy? You talked to that bastard?”
As the door was opened, the dogs bounding inside, I took a step back, watching as the pups gravitated toward them. Then I noticed how Dillon’s eyes lit up when he saw Maria.
“They’re adorable,” Theodora said with a squeal in her voice. She’d dropped to the floor, crossing her legs. The pups were going nuts.
While Maria fawned over them, she remained standing, unable to keep her eyes off the brooding bodyguard. The pull toward one another was similar to what I felt with Gabriel. It was interesting to see it from the other side.
“Dillon. I didn’t know you were still here. I…” Maria couldn’t finish.
“Maria, you look amazing,” Dillon breathed then caught himself after tossing me a look. “I mean, Ms. Giordano.”
“Dillon. I’m not going to say a thing,” I said to him. “Take your time getting reacquainted. Then we’ll leave.” Their interaction gave me a real smile. It was nice to see someone so obviously in love. I sat down next to Theodora, stroking Goldie.
She sighed. “Those two have had a thing for years. I think they had a crush on each other starting when she was sixteen. You know how fabulous that went over. Then they shared a kiss much later and our dad found out. I thought he was going to beat Dillon to death. Luciano stopped him from doing so. That’s why Daddy allowed her to go to Italy. That was only a few months after…”
“His wife and child were murdered.”
“Gabriel told you.”
“Yes. I just don’t understand how you can stand to live a life with constant danger surrounding you.”
Theodora laughed, the sound bitter. “We were born into it. Dillon has nowhere else to go, at least that’s what he’s told me before.”
“They can be together at this point.”
“You don’t understand how it works. My father would never allow it.”
“What about Gabriel? He’s in charge now.”
After wrinkling her nose, she smiled. “I’m not sure. He’s more like our father than he wants to admit.”
“I don’t know about that.” I thought about the conversation I’d overheard and had to admit that Gabriel was very different than I’d thought only a day before. We allowed them some time, Theodora the one who interrupted them.
“We should get going. We won’t make it a long day. I know you don’t want to do this,” Theodora said loudly enough Dillon glanced in our direction.
