Page 36 of Caruso
“For your childhood, your bad luck in stepfathers and your mom’s overdose.”
“Don’t be. Shit happens, and then you develop a taste for it.”
I’m surprised when he tugs me onto his lap, his strong arms closing around me and his hand forces my head against his chest. I’m even more shocked when he kisses my hair and whispers, “You are magnificent, Taylor. That wasn’t easy what you did back there.”
I’m speechless. I’ve never been hugged before. Not like this. It’s as if he wants nothing from me but to comfort me. To make things better and for the first time in many years, a lone tear trickles down my face.
His arms tighten, and he says in a low voice, “Don’t say anything, baby girl. I’ve got you—we’vegot you. Grieve for your mom, for your past, knowing you are free now.”
“Am I though?”
My heart aches as I experience something I’ve only dreamed about. Nobody has ever had my back, unless you count Jason, but he never hugged me. It was too awkward between us, but Matteo doesn’t appear to care about that.
I snuggle in, loving the traces of earth and spice, his manly scent that I could take deep breaths of all day long, surrounding me with reassurance. His muscles comfort as they provide a welcome reprieve for my cheek to press against. Skin on skin through the open-buttoned silk shirt he wears so well.
He strokes my hair and kisses my head softly, not saying a word, just reassuring me that I’m not on my own.
As we pull into the airfield, I sense this may be the only time I get the softer side of the man and, almost in desperation, I whisper, “Can I stay with you tonight?”
“Of course.” His words sharpen as he whispers in my ear. “We have a deal—remember. I get your virginity, and nothing is going to change that.”
I disguise my smile because, thank fuck for that. I thought he was going soft on me. I can’t deal with that.Not when I’ve just found him, and as the car comes to a stop, I shift off his lap and wink. “I won’t tell if you won’t.”
“It’s our secret.” His easy expression is soon replaced with the usual glare as the door opens and he says roughly, “Follow me. Let’s get the fuck out of Oklahoma.”
As soon as we step foot on the plane, Matteo points to my seat. “Strap in, we have a quick slot to make.”
I watch as the doors close quickly and the brothers take their seats, and before long, we are airborne.
There is a solemn atmosphere, and I don’t miss the tension between the brothers as they sit in silence, not even looking at one another. It sets me on edge, and when the seatbelt sign goes off, Matteo says gruffly, “Go to the bedroom and get some sleep. You could do with it.”
I say nothing and do as I’m told, desperate to be on my own, to be away from the weird atmosphere that has come out of nowhere. I head to the bedroom and as I slip inside, I gaze around with wonder as I relish the moment I am finally free of my past.
I got my revenge. I made it happen. Ding dong, the witch is dead. In this case, the wizard.
As I lie on the silk sheets and curl up in a ball, so many things pass through my mind as I finally fall asleep, secure in the knowledge that I did what I came here to do.
Jasonis nervous. He’s never nervous. For some reason he won’t look at me, and I’m worried its something I’ve said—done even.
“What’s happening tonight?”
I attempt to make conversation, and he shrugs, gazing moodily over the horizon as he sits smoking a cigarette on the hay bale.
“The usual.”
“Fighting?”
He sighs, flicking the butt some way from the hay, watching it flicker in the sunlight before it takes its last gasp of oxygen.
“Are you nervous?” For some reason, I think he may be, and that’s not like Jason.
“I’m never nervous about fighting.”
He sighs, raking his fingers through his hair as he fights internally for once.
“It’s my birthday today.” I remind him with a happy smile, and he nods, his eyes downcast and his mood grim.
“What are you doing for that?”
