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My fingers itched, forgetting about the sadness lurking too closely, to enjoy something so incredible. For the first time in almost a year, I had more than a few veggies and cheap meat. The only time I allowed myself something special was when Kasey let me have a slice of pizza or I could pay to split one with her. My manners still requested I wait for the head of the table to either say it was okay to dig in or have the first bite.
Draven noticed my hesitation, lifting his palm toward me like an offering. "Please, eat as much as you'd like."
Everyone turned my way then, wondering why he'd say something like that. Sensing my trepidation, Kasey began scarfing too much into her pie hole all at once, taking the focal point off me. She understood me like no one else. Lifting the corner of my mouth, I watched her moan around the food, making many men pause to listen, knowing she'd make it doing something else. Sometimes, I wished I could be centered in my sexuality enough to allow myself to be more open about my desires.
Kasey had everything I thought men wanted, and most did. She never stuck with one long enough to prove themselves because her mother always picked losers who were charming for a week before the abuse began. She'd sneak over often, and my dad never questioned her random appearances in the morning. He knew she'd never tell the cops from hating the system, so he finally gave her a key and spare room in our house. She never used that bed because we still shared one if we were under the same roof. We made adult slumber parties a thing because we never stopped doing them.
Taking a bite of food for the first time, I made an audible reaction. Just like Kasey, I hummed my delight with the fork still in my mouth. The chicken had so much flavor with the veggies around it. I couldn't believe what I put into my mouth. Now everyone looked at me, and it had been my own fault. Chewing respectfully and swallowing, I pointed to the food in front of me. "What is this?"
"Chicken Tagine," Antonio answered. "It's my grandmother's recipe."
"It's delicious."
"Grazie." That's when I noticed the elderly woman. She was placed right by Tony.
"I've never had something that tasted this good before." Having another bite, I felt like I might have an orgasm around the food.
Antonio spoke in Italian for the first time in front of me. I knew by his accent he could, but it sounded better than I could ever imagine. Something about the way his tongue rolled in a language I didn't know made my core throb a little. His eyes returned to me after she replied to him. Turning back with a grin, they argued for a moment before he rolled his eyes and let them fall on me. "She says she'll make the cooks prepare more of her specialties because you need more meat on your bones. Please don't take that offensively. You look absolutely radiant."
"She just needs Nonna over here to thicken her out in a few meals." Kasey snorted and chugged some water. Her plate had already been cleared because she ate fast. She had to in her youth and at work.
Keeping my head down the rest of dinner, I didn't know when it would be appropriate to let them know I planned to stay. Through the meal some excused themselves to head other places, and Antonio took his grandmother to her room because she couldn’t move well like he had told me during one of our coffee dates. Draven began toting a dish with him to deliver to his sister. According to what Kasey found out, she wouldn't leave her room and hasn't since it happened. Well, she came out here and there, but the video releasing put her in a bad place.
"Emilia," Tony called for my attention to fall on his handsomeness. I glanced up at him to give him my attention now that he returned. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Kasey giving her sex eyes to a man across the room. I had no doubt she'd keep them all on their toes. "Would you mind stepping into my office for a minute when you're through? I have a few business things to finish, so no rush."
"Oh, um, where is it?" I bit my lip, knowing that would be the time and place to let them know my choice.
"I'll show her," Kasey interrupted. "I have all the good places memorized."
Of course, she did. The woman thrived in the secrets her work held. So she'd been doing her work here to do the same thing.
thirty-six
Tony
Nervous felt under qualified to describe my emotions as we waited for Emilia to find us. The woman joined us for dinner and left her room after spending the afternoon with her friend, so I had high hopes, but I'd also been a man never to rely on such emotion. Hope dwindled quickly when those who hated you learned you had it.
"How did today go with her in town?" Draven kept pacing the edge of my office in his home, wearing my Persian rug thin under his Italian shoes. Costas took his stance near the door like Mario had taught him all those years ago. Keeping his stare straight ahead, he dipped his chin before turning to see both of us.
"Her friend favored her staying." Pouting, he tipped his head from side to side in a slow motion to mull over the idea. "I think her words got through enough for Millie to think about it."
"She came down," Draven whispered, pausing his racing pace.
"She spoke too," I hummed in approval. Again, hope kept trying to blossom within me. "She didn't come off as though she felt like a captive in our home but rather a guest."
"I think she just needed a day to clear her mind and come to terms with the idea of being here," Costas agreed. He'd been the one watching over her for us, and he handled his job to a certain level of perfection a mere human couldn't obtain, yet he did. The man listened, protected and reported like no other. His level of loyalty felt more like family than just him being the head of my security, under my father's head honcho.
"Is she still mad we kidnapped her?" Draven had to ask the one thing we were afraid to hear the answer to.
"I'm not entirely sure. She started out quite frazzled, but she felt more adjusted by the end of her shopping trip. She also struggled buying things that were above what she’d spend. Her friend, on the other hand, felt rather comfortable draping anything with a larger price tag over her arm."
"But the dress she wore tonight?" I argued, seeing the finer quality in the design.
"She had looked at it but put it back when she saw the price. I purchased it on her behalf because of how her face lit up when she saw it."
"You're truly amazing, Costas." I praised him before looking at the clock.
"After seeing her dig for coin to buy a dollar tea, I couldn't let the price of a beautiful dress make her feel poor. She needed to feel like she belonged in your world, and I think it gave her that power."
