Page 38 of Ruthless God

“Are you okay?” Giulia asked, stopping by the rows of lounge chairs.

I took a seat on one and looked out to the pool. “Yes. Thank you for sticking up for me back there.”

Giulia grabbed my hands, and I forced myself to relax. I wasn’t used to other people touching me, and though I didn’t know Giulia very well, she came off as someone comfortable showing affection through touch. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings by pulling away.

She squeezed my hand. “You don’t have to thank me for that. I’m sorry we didn’t get to spend any time together during the wedding. Matteo was tense in Chicago and didn’t want me to stray from his side. You know, he even got us in the same room.”

She made a face.

I smiled a little at that, though there was a part of me that was envious of her. She had brothers who obviously really cared about her and would protect her from all the bad and ugly things in the world.

She looked at me and smiled. “But we can change that. I always wanted a sister.”

“I would like that too,” I replied. I always wanted a sister I could be close to. My mother’s favoritism toward Lina had spoiled her. There was no way for us to ever be as close as sisters could be.

Giulia’s smile widened.

“Do you live nearby?” I asked.

She nodded. “We all do. I’m in the middle between Matteo and Elio’s house, Romeo’s house is off the corner to the left, and yours and Massimo’s house is to the right. I think Massimo might have purchased the entire strip of land surrounding our houses to keep other people from coming in.”

I hadn’t known that. I didn’t realize Massimo’s siblings were so close by.

“I’m sorry to show up unannounced like this. I wasn’t thinking. I’m so used to coming in and out of my brothers’ houses, but of course, this is your house now, too, so tell me if you don’t?—”

“I don’t mind,” I interrupted. And I really didn’t. There was something about Giulia that told me she wouldn’t cross any lines. Plus, I was thankful she was here to help me with the whole Lettie and Elena situation. I had never been a confrontational person. Perhaps that was why Lina always managed to make me feel small with a few sharp words. But I hadn’t realized just how badly I would freeze at the first sign of it, maybe because there hadn’t been many people who had spoken to me like that before.

I shook my head at the thought and looked back to the pool. The water gleamed under the sunlight. “Do you want to go swimming?”

I did have a swimming suit with me.

“Are we allowed?” I asked Giulia.

She shot me a strange look. “This is your house, Luna. You can do whatever you want.”

Perhaps that was the case, but this didn’t feel like my house yet. Giulia stood up.

“Come on. Why don’t you change into your swimsuit, and I’ll do it too. I’ve kept some of my swim clothes here. I hope that’s okay?”

I nodded, but she was already pulling me away. She let me go when we got to one of the guest rooms. “I usually keep my clothes in here,” she said.

I nodded again, and she shot me one last smile before disappearing into the room. I stood there for a beat before forcing myself to go back into…myroom.

And judging by the closet, Massimo’s room as well. But that was the one fact I was trying to shove to the far back of my mind.

I quickly pulled on my white swimsuit, a simple two-piece. I looked at myself in the full-length mirror hanging from the wall inside the bathroom. It hadn’t looked or felt revealing when I first bought it. There hadn’t been any time I could have worn this back in Chicago, even if Andre’s home had a pool. I never felt safe enough to swim with Andre nearby, and there wasn’t a chance in hell I would have felt safe with Lina.

I wasn’t the strongest swimmer, and Lina would shove my head underwater, leaving it there rather than help me should something happen.

But now that I was wearing it here in Massimo’s house…

I shook my head. At least my husband wasn’t here.

A stupid point, considering all that we’d done before. I had been trying hard not to think about last night’s memories all day, mostly because I didn’t think I would be able to look into Massimo’s eyes after, but he wasn’t here now and…

The memories flashed in my mind briefly before I forced myself not to think about them and grabbed the towel nearby, wrapping it around me.

Taking a deep breath, I walked out of the room. Giulia was waiting for me by the stairs in a one-piece navy-blue swimsuit that nicely contoured her figure. As I had been every time I looked at her, I was taken aback by how much she looked like Massimo. Her green eyes flashed excitedly when she noticed me and waved me over.

---