Page 33 of His to Honor

“As do I,” Damiano adds with a smile.

Matteo squeezes my knee under the table. I glance at him and he nods approvingly. I guess I passed some sort of test. Now perhaps I can relax and enjoy this incredible lunch.

CHAPTER 11

Matteo

As the server sets down our coffees and a plate of my favorite biscotti, Giulia leans against the back of the booth and sighs dramatically.

“You okay, sweetheart?” I reach across and brush the backs of my fingers down her cheeks. Usually, I’m not into public displays of affection, but I’m among family and nobody else is paying us any attention.

“I’m going to burst,” she complains. She forces herself to sit up so she can glare directly at Lorenzo. “Didn’t you say something about it being a light lunch?”

My cousin barks out a laugh. “Thatwasa light lunch,carina.”

Giulia groans. For a woman used to grabbing a quick sandwich in the middle of the day, the two-hour meal was a lot. The Caprese salad was followed by a rich, flavorful seafood risotto with the most succulent prawns. Then we had a wild boar ragu served over polenta and accompanied by sauteed spinach thatGiulia definitely ate more than her fair share of. For dessert, we had a creamy panna cotta. I have to admit to also feeling pretty full.

“And all that wine!” Giulia shakes her head. “If this coffee doesn’t work its magic, I’ll be too sleepy to go out tonight.”

“You have plans?” Damiano asks.

“Yes, at your club, actually.” Giulia looks at Damiano as she talks to him. “La Stanza Rosso.”

“Oh?” He glances at me. “You didn’t mention…”

“I’m not going.”

Damiano’s eyebrows lift. He’s obviously as surprised as I am that I’m letting Giulia go to his club, a well-known hook-up joint, on her own. It’s a testament to my trust in her. Though I’ve only just made Giulia mine, we’ve been friends long enough for me to know her character. Even when she broke off our friendship, I knew she would never betray me. It’s not who she is. The least I can do to reward her loyalty is rein in my tendency toward possessive assholery.

Pursing his lips, my cousin turns to Giulia. “You’re going alone?”

“With Rosalia. It’s her eighteenth birthday.”

“It is?” Damiano sounds surprised. “Then we will roll out the red carpet for her.”

“That’s nice of you,” Giulia says. “Not a lot of employers would do that.”

There’s something about the way Giulia saysemployersthat suggests she’s curious about Rosalia’s situation. I’ve wondered about the girl too. She’s young to be in charge of looking aftersuch a large house and I don’t know many girls her age who would want that kind of job.

Damiano shrugs. “She’s a good girl. Her sister works for Gabriele in Rome. She asked him to give Rosalia the job so she can save money for a place of her own. Their stepfather is what you Americans would call a douchebag.”

“Why?” Giulia’s tone is laced with concern. “Does he abuse her?”

My fists clench at the thought of the vivacious young girl being beaten or worse by some lowlife. I don’t know Rosalia well, but I can’t stand the thought of a man hurting any innocent woman.

“He wouldn’t dare.” Lorenzo bares his teeth in a wicked snarl. “Gabriele made it known the sisters are under our protection.”

“Arturo is merely unpleasant to be around,” Damiano adds. “Rosalia cannot stand him.”

“So why not let her stay at the villa?” Giulia voices the question that was also on my mind.

“Gabriele offered, but her mother forbade it.” Damiano lets out a sardonic laugh. “She worries about her daughter’s reputation.”

“Because of who you are?” Giulia asks.

Lorenzo nods. “She thinks we will corrupt her.”

“Doesn’t she worry about her other daughter?” Giulia frowns thoughtfully as she sips her coffee and sets the cup back down.

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