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“Won’t that be dangerous?”
He puffed out his chest. “I live for danger.”
I rolled my eyes but went along with him anyway.
We kept walking until Antonio found a hole in the ground. By then, it was getting dusky out. “What do you think is down there?”
I peered into the hole, but all I saw was darkness. “Nothing good. Probably a rabbit hole or a snake hole. I don’t want to mess with snakes.”
The sneaky grin that passed over Antonio’s face made me worry. “There’s only one way to find out.” He stuck his hand into the hole …
… and screamed.
I jumped back. “Oh my god. Are you ok?” I reached for him as he pulled his hand out, laughing.
He was fine.
“You’re such a jerk,” I said, smacking his arm.
“There was nothing in there. You try.”
I couldn’t let Antonio win this round, so I took a deep breath and stuck my hand inside. It was cold and damp but nothing else.
When I pulled my hand out, a rabbit poked it’s head out of the hole. I gasped. “A bunny.”
Antonio and I watched it as it scampered away. I took one step forward to follow it when I almost stepped on a snake that blended into the woods.
I screamed, jumping back. The snake hissed and lunged at me, but thankfully, Antonio grabbed me and pulled me back in time. The snake scurried away.
“You saved me,” I said, barely breathing.
Antonio patted my arms before letting me go. “That’s what big brothers are for.”
I walked beside Antonio back to our camp, knowing I’d be fine because I had my brother protecting me.
As Emiliaand Francesca prepare to return to LA, I say my goodbyes to them, feeling my heart break even more. It’s nice whenever they visit. It helps me feel less alone.
Being stuck in a house with Mia and the twins isn’t the easiest. Especially when the man I love doesn’t even look at me most of the time. Gemma is usually never around, except for family dinners, because she prefers to spend time with her husband. I don’t fault her that, but Gemma does make things more exciting.
Emilia hugs me tight. “I know you’re not happy about Antonio’s command. But remember, this is your duty. Maybe it will give you a love you never knew you needed. It did with Marco and me.”
I smile tightly as she pulls back. “Thanks. I’ll try to remember that.”
Emilia looks at me with concern but doesn’t say anything else. She knows she can’t fix this for me. This is my own journey, even if I didn’t choose it.
Once my sisters are gone, Mia heads back to her room and the twins start chasing each other around the house, leaving me alone in the foyer.
Except for Theo. I can sense him behind me.
When I look over my shoulder at him, I notice he’s looking at the door, not at me. The realization makes me frown, and I depart the foyer, feeling like everything is out of my control.
Antonio makesgood on his word, and my meeting with Salvatore takes place by the end of the week. It’s just Mom and me in the living room as we wait for Antonio to arrive with Salvatore. Theo stands in the corner, but he’s more like a piece of furniture, given how still he is. I’ve always wondered if he gets tired just standing all day, watching my family live our lives. What about his life? Surely, he has other people he likes to spend time with.
But the sad reality is, I don’t know. I’ve never asked him. And something tells me that even if I did, he wouldn’t tell me.
When the front door opens, I hear Antonio’s voice mixed with another man’s voice. My body tenses, and out of the corner of my eye, I swear I see Theo tense, too. But when I glance at him, he looks like his normal confident self.
Antonio steps into the living room, followed by a man.
