Page 147 of Empire of Temptation

Leo, Luca’s oldest son, was holding a frozen drink with an umbrella in it. As he sat the glass on the ground next to me, I shaded my eyes from the sun to study him. “Are you a mind reader?”

“No.” He lowered himself to the edge of the pool and slipped his feet in. “But I know it gets hot out here.”

“Is it poisoned?”

“No,” he answered with all seriousness.

That was good enough for me. I lifted the glass and took a long sip of the cool drink. Orange and strawberry with a kick. “Yum. What is this?”

“A frozen Aperol spritz. We haven’t officially met. I’m Leo.” He put his hand out and we shook.

I could see the resemblance in his eyes, but he wasn’t a mini-Luca like Gabi. Leo’s face was thinner, more angular. His hair was lighter, as well. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Tell me, why would I poison you?”

“Because you and your family are still pissed at me for meeting with Colonel Palmieri yesterday.” I hadn’t been invited to dinner last night. Instead, Gabi brought food and we ate together in my room. The uncles hadn’t tried to stop me from wandering around today, though no one would answer me about when I could return to New York.

“I’m sorry for the way my uncles reacted, but we aren’t all pissed. I’m grateful for your help.”

“You are?”

“Yes, even though my father doesn’t want you mixed up in all of this. He called yesterday and yelled at Sergio for a long time.”

“I’m already mixed up in this. I have been since the moment your father arrived in the States. And I don’t care if it made Luca mad. I had the ability to help him, so I did.”

“You are brave, signorina. Not many go against my father’s wishes.”

“Your father’s wishes don’t mean shit to me right now.” I was still angry and hurt, and being in his house, surrounded by his things, wasn’t making me feel better.

“But you care about him.”

Worse. I think I love him.

I sipped more of the frozen drink. “It doesn’t matter. I’m returning to New York as soon as possible.”

“You don’t plan to stay?”

This life swallows women whole.

I shuddered at the words. I had my own life in New York, a business. Friends. My mother’s things. I refused to get lured in by pink deck chairs and frozen cocktails. “No, I don’t.”

“This is too bad,” Leo said, swirling his feet through the water. “It’s obvious my father cares about you. I’ve never heard him so mad and worried before.”

“It doesn’t bother you?’

“What, that he cares about someone?”

“Someone who isn’t your mother. Someone not much older than you. Someone who isn’t Italian. None of that bothers you?”

Leo took a beat, his expression thoughtful. I could already tell he was the complete opposite of his brother, who said whatever was on his mind. Leo seemed more careful than Gabi. His personality was definitely closer to Luca’s.

Finally, Leo said, “First, my mother is happy with her husband. He’s a good man and takes care of her. I never had any dreams of my parents getting together. Second, I don’t care about your age if you make Luca happy. And why would I care that you’re American? I think American girls are hot.”

“You sound like Gabi,” I said with a laugh. “Pretty sure he got more phone numbers in New York than his phone can hold.”

“I believe it. My brother said he enjoyed working at your restaurant.” He paused. “He also says our father is in love with you.”

You hold my heart and my soul, fiore mio. Per sempre.