Page 42 of Little Dove

Papa’s expression doesn’t change as he says, “Nope. But if there is anything I learned with your mother, it’s that women have their own minds on who the men in their lives will be. Push her too hard, be too protective, and you may find she slips through your fingers.” Then he claps me on the shoulder and quietly adds, “If she is the one you want, then I’m happy for you, my son. I’ll look forward to getting to know her better, and talk her down when you eventually fuck up and piss her off.” He gives me a wicked grin, then heads off, leaving me to glare after him.

14

AMARA

“You knowwhat you should do, Gia?” Sienna giggles excitedly, sitting cross-legged on the stool she pulled from the corner of the bathroom, next to the chair Gia is sitting on in front of the mirror. “You should do something wild and crazy like rainbow colors. Really give Nico something to freak out over.”

Gia’s eyes widen in shock. “No!” she gasps. “No, I could never do that. I’m not brave enough. I was thinking some highlights or something. Wild colors are definitely more a you thing.”

Sienna purses her lips, staring at her reflection contemplatively. “I could probably rock it, but it sounds like a lot of maintenance.” She looks over at me questioningly.

I nod. “Yes, it’s a lot of work to maintain. Color fades too, so it won’t stay as vibrant if you don’t follow steps exactly.”

“I’m too lazy for that,” Sienna pouts. “I mean, not saying I can’t rock it, and I might do something cool eventually, but I need to think on what color I want.”

“You could always get some wigs, or even clip in extensions,” I suggest. “There are also dyes that wash out after a day or two. There are lots of ways to try out colors without commitment.”

Sienna grins. “Yeah, maybe I’ll try that. Do some role playing with Alessio to spice things up.” She winks saucily.

“I don’t think you need to worry about that,” Gia giggles. “The two of you are plenty spicy already. Any spicier and you might burn the place down.”

Sienna laughs wickedly, but doesn’t deny it.

It’s funny to watch them interact. You’d think that they’ve been sisters, and close ones at that, all their lives. I’d never have guessed that they only just met a few short weeks ago, neither knowing the other existed. Both of them are completely relaxed, open, and comfortable to tease and joke. Maybe there’s a sisterly connection that just always exists, no matter the circumstances.

When they originally brought me up here, I was sure they were going to start grilling me, wanting to know every little piece of my life, but so far, they haven’t asked me a single question, other than ones about my hair, a couple superficial questions about my favorite products to use, and one small question about my middle name. I feel like I’m on edge, just waiting for their masks to drop and their true natures to emerge. For them to show me they’re just like the women back home, not wanting another woman in their ‘territory’, stepping on their toes.

The bathroom we’re in is huge, complete with a giant walk-in shower, and a clawfoot tub nestled between ornate windows. This bathroom is opulent like mine, though on an even grander scale. Hell, when Gia and Sienna led me into the bedroom, I gasped out loud. That room is cavernous, boasting a huge bed, a sitting area, and a set of stairs that lead up to a second level that Gia mentioned is a library.

It also has a walk-in closet with more square footage than my entire salon, complete with an island in the middle full of whoknows what. The racks are empty, so I don’t think this room is being used, but damn, it’s something.

“It’s a lot, I know,” Gia says then, pulling me back from my thoughts. She’s looking up at me with a knowing smile. “Trust me, the first time I saw it, I was shocked too. I had an apartment and I thought it was super nice, but this is something else.”

“I’ve…I’ve just never been in a place like this before,” I admit, not wanting to offend her. No need to piss off the lady of the house.

Sienna snorts. “None of us have before now, trust me. Though, if you like this, you’ll love the Caruso castle in Sicily. It’s freaking huge, like something out of a fairytale. This place reminds me more of the villain’s lair.” She laughs when Gia gives her a playful shove. “What? You know it’s true.”

“I like my house,” Gia sniffs, though she never loses her smile. “But you’re right, the castle is gorgeous.” Then she looks back at me. “It can be a lot to take in, but don’t worry, it’ll get easier after a few days.”

“You’re probably going to want a map to find your way around,” Sienna adds. “I know I still need one.”

“You’d need a map even if you were trapped in a box with only one door,” Rori laughs as she walks into the bathroom, Hades at her side. When he sees me and the others, he rushes forward, quickly making the rounds to us all for attention.

“I’m not that bad!” Sienna argues, glaring at her. “You get lost in a giant maze one time and you never hear the end of it.”

“If you mean the maze when we were in college, where we had to send in a search party to find you, yeah pretty much,” Rori sneers. Sienna flips her off. Rori ignores her and then turns her attention to me, smiling. “How are you, doll? You all look like you’re getting along well up here.”

“What did you expect to happen?” Sienna demands with a scowl. “That we were going to torture her?”

“If she had to sit and listen to you explain color theory like you did to me that one time, then pretty much,” Rori shoots back.

The two of them start to toss insults back and forth, and with each one, my eyes get comically wider and wider. Are these two friends or not? The way they’re talking makes it seem like they may very well be enemies, but they’ve clearly known each other a long time.

“Yeah, that’s about what I feel when the two of them get going,” Gia whispers, moving to stand next to me. “I just stay out of the way in case they start throwing punches.”

I blink at her. “They hit each other?”

Gia nods. “Well, to be fair, Sienna punched Rori in the nose once when she found out Rori had snuck onto the grounds. That was just before Alonzo left to come and get you and Lazaro, so it’s only been a few days. Sienna told me that they spar and stuff a lot, so that’s when they get their licks in.”

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