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More than shocked, I stared at Vincenzo, who looked at me with a grim expression.
"Could you stop yelling like that? She doesn't like it."
"SHE?!"
"The tiger is female. Her name is Gattina."
"Gattina?"
"Yes. Are you hard of hearing?"
"Why does the damn tiger have a name?!"
"Because she lives here."
"And you were going to tell me this when?"
"Preferably never."
I snorted and scowled at him. "A tiger lives on your property, and you were going to keep it from me?"
"Well… when you put it that way. We also house a mountain lion, Simba, and a female leopard named Daisy."
"Sure. Maybe a herd of elephants, too?"
Irritated, he looked at me. "Why should I keep elephants?"
"Why do you keep large wild cats?" I groaned.
He couldn't be serious!
"What are you doing back here anyway?"
"I was looking for a lounge chair for the pool."
"You won't find them here."
"Oh, but a tiger."
"She's basically harmless." Like an absolute psychopath, he went to the fence, stretched half his arm through the bars, and began to scratch the much too-large cat under the chin.
"Why do you keep wild cats, Vincenzo?" I asked again, staring at him in disbelief. Since when was it a good idea to bring his extremities near a predatory cat?
"Gattina is harmless, really. She is missing most of her teeth. She came from a zoo abroad that didn't take good care of her welfare. So are the other two ladies, by the way."
"Sure. And you thought to yourself, why not? Can't be much harder than with a cute Maine Coon."
"Actually, I thought it would be a shame if no one gave them a second chance at a significantly better life, and they were euthanized because a handful of people were unable to take proper care of them."
I exhaled loudly. And hated him for making it sound plausible and understandable.
"You still shouldn't be around them. I have no idea how they'll react to other people."
"You mean they won't let just anyone touch them?"
"I mean, I could easily imagine them trying their luck if they get the opportunity. Especially the leopard, it can be hazardous."
"Sure. Okay. Wow. Emilio didn't mention any of that. Not once."
