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“Claire,” I tell her. “That’s my middle name too.”
“Seriously?” She giggles like twenty-year-old girls do, warming my heart for the first time in days. Drago’s sister is nice with genuine kindness in her disposition. I think I’m going to like her. She reminds me of my niece, Carrie. It’s her girly personality.
For a second it makes me think about my family, reminding me once again that I’m missing the holidays with them.
Guilt festers. I hate keeping Jackson and Alana in the dark when I know if the tables were turned and they were doing the same to me, I’d be hurt—and pissed. But Jackson would flip his shit.
Remembering he had a tracking device on me, I knew if he learned of what happened last week, it would push him from being the overprotective brother into psycho territory. And right now, I can’t deal with that on top of everything else.
Still, when they do find out, because let’s face it, I will eventually tell them, there will be hell to pay. I’m just not telling them today, or tomorrow.
“Are you two hungry?”
I rest against the bar-style granite countertop, next to where Caprice hops onto a stool.
“I’m always hungry for anything you’re cooking, Mona,” Caprice croons.
“Oh, shush it, child.” Mona glances over her shoulder from where she’s standing at the stove, shaking her head at Caprice.
“You know you’re the best cook in the world.”
Mona turns slightly, looking over at us, but her hand continues moving in circles as she stirs the contents of a pot. “She’s still young. Her idea of good food is whatever she can scarf down while running between classes, so of course, whatever I cook is going to be better than that.”
“Don’t listen to her.” Caprice pulls my attention over to her. “Her food is mouthwateringly amazing.”
“You’re in college?”
“Uh-huh,” she confirms.
“Where at?”
“UCLA for now.”
“Do you plan on transferring somewhere else later?” She’s twenty, so she could be a freshman if she took time off after high school, or she could be several semesters along.
“After I make the big bad dragon happy.”
“I’m sorry.” I laugh, knowing she is referring to the meaning of Drago’s name, so I guess it’s some running joke.
“D is making me major in theater even though he knows I want to do finance.”
“Those two are so drastically different.” I can’t help but point out the obvious. “If you want to study something else why would he force you to do something you don’t want to do? And well, you are an adult after all. He can’tmakeyou do anything you don’t want to do, CC.”
“My brother”—she sighs, rolling her eyes—“means well. He wants me to do something I love, not something that’s practical. And”—she laughs—“he can make me do whatever he wants. He knows all he has to do is look at me in that scary way of his, and I’ll cave.”
“Scary way?” The only time I’ve ever seen Drago look scary was in that photo I first saw him in. Other than that, he’s never come across as scary or intimidating to me. He certainly shouldn’t act that way toward his sister.
“I’m saying it wrong. I just mean in that dad-like way of his. And since he’s paying for my college, yeah, he can say so. But we compromised. I’m doing theater, and when I finish, I get to go to graduate school. I want a master’s in finance anyway. It’s a win-win for both of us really. I get to love and enjoy theater while honing my acting skills, and then I get to prove to him that I am serious about working for our family too, like he and Luca.”
If she loves theater, then I guess this is different. For a minute I thought she meant D was making her do something he wanted and not something she wants to do.
“So, you want to work for D? And Luca, I didn’t know he worked for your brother.”
How do I not know this? I ran background checks on all of the employees on Acerbi Imports’ payroll. Luca Acerbi wasn’t listed. And besides, he’s in his last year of college himself.
“Luca handles all the IT-type stuff. D doesn’t trust anyone else, so Luca has done it for the past two years. I guess since our dad up and took off to Italy.”
Her eyes cast down in thought. It’s evident the mention of Vincent has her mood turning dark.
