Page 25 of Poison and Wine
“Just a little dizzy,” I admitted.
“I know you’ve not been eating, but have you at least been drinking?”
“Not exactly.” Once the world stopped spinning, I started easing back into bed. When I threw a glance at Kellan, I found him staring at me with furrowed brows. “I’m fine.”
“You almost passed out.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
After throwing a glance over his shoulder, he took a few steps closer to the bed. “Couldn’t you eat just a little?”
“I’m really tired and dizzy right now...”
His gaze dropped from me to the tray with the soup. “I…I could feed you.”
As I stared wide-eyed at him, he grabbed a spoon before stirring the soup. After scooping out a bite, he held the spoon out to me. “Come on, lass. Just a little.”
His expression was so earnest and his kindness so endearing I didn’t think I could turn him down. “Will Callum be angry if you get me to eat?” I questioned softly.
The corners of Kellan’s lips quirked up. “Aye, I imagine he will.”
“He won’t hurt you though, will he?”
He shook his head. “He’ll just be angry that for once, I could do something he couldn’t.”
The devious side of me wanted to piss off my future husband. I especially liked the idea that I could elevate Kellan at the same time. In the end, the groaning of my stomach outweighed anything else. Leaning forward, I opened my mouth and brought it over the spoon. Although the soup was lukewarm, it tasted like heaven, and I couldn’t help the moan of pleasure.
“Good, huh?” Kellan asked with a smile.
“It is.” As he spooned another bite, I asked, “Is it maccu di fave?”
“I think that’s what I heard it called.”
My brows quirked in surprise. “Irish brothers know how to make maccu di fave?”
He laughed. “Seamus hired a cook from the area.”
I took in another hearty spoonful. “I thought as much. Please give them my compliments.”
Kellan could barely keep up with my appetite. Once I finished with the soup, I grabbed the bread off the tray and broke it apart. Without even buttering it, I brought a chunk to my lips and began devouring it. My ravenous actions caused Kellan to chuckle. “Sorry,” I mumbled around the bread.
“It’s okay. I know you have to be starving.”
“So much for being a hunger striker.”
Kellan’s face darkened. “I know this may be hard to believe, but none of us want you to suffer, Caterina. Especially not Callum.”
I swallowed hard. “How can you say that when he kidnapped me?”
“He didn’t have much of a choice.”
“You always have a choice, especially when it comes to good and evil.”
With a shake of his head, Kellan countered, “You know as well as I do that the mafia life doesn’t give us many choices.”
“He could’ve picked a girl from another family—one who wanted to be married and have children. This is not the life I wanted.”
Kellan frowned. “I’m sorry, but it’s the connections to your family that we need.”
