Page 70 of In My Blood
“You would shudder more if you ever met Enzo. That man was the closest thing to evil I have ever encountered, and I knew that even as a small kid. He always terrified me. He used to stare at me, and his eyes were so cold…nothing behind them. There were rumours that he was the reason Dante’s mother killed herself. Even at eight years old I had heard them, but they never meant that much to me, since I didn’t know Dante or his Mum back then. I only knew the monster and believed the story I overheard.”
“Dante’s Mum committed suicide?” Cal gasped.
“I think so. I mean, I was young when the rumours were flying, but I was smart too. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up if Dante hasn’t told you,” I worried.
“Don’t worry. It won’t leave this room,” Cal assured me.
“He can’t hear me, can he?” I asked as I glanced to the camera in the corner nervously, suddenly remembering it was there.
“No. There’s no audio on the cameras down here.”
I sighed with relief as I laid back down again. It made me feel ill to think of the childhood Dante had to have endured at the hands of the monster that was his father. I hadn’t even thought about the rumours about his Mum for years, but putting it all together now that I knew Dante, made me feel ill for him and all I was sure he’d been through. I didn’t know how he had come through all of that to become a good man, but I knew he had, because there was no doubt in my mind that he was good.
“Are you sure you’re alright? You do look pale,” Cal asked as he propped his head on one elbow and looked down at me.
“I always look pale. That’s my wonderful complexion,” I teased him. “But seriously, I’m fine. Just disappointed about how pathetically unfit I am. I managed five K on that treadmill and I might as well have crawled the last eight hundred metres, I was going that slowly.”
“You’re still injured. Bruised ribs are a painful injury to live with. I’m not sure you should even be trying to push yourself right now,” Cal pointed out.
“I know. I just wanted to do something positive though. I wanted to feel as though I was taking steps to do better, you know?”
“I do, but you can’t do better if you’re ruining the healing of your injuries. If you really want to do something to exercise, why don’t you try the pool? Swimming should be much gentler on your ribs,” he suggested.
“That sounds great,” I agreed, “But I don’t know how to swim,” I added with a smile.
“What? How does that happen?”
“Don’t know,” I shrugged. “I never had swimming lessons as a kid, then I left London and there was no time to swim, or to even consider the life skill had passed me by.”
“Well we have to rectify that. Come on,” he jumped to his feet, surprising me, then held his hand out to me.
“Where are we going?” I asked as I trustingly put my hand in his. He carefully pulled me up to my feet, then into his side, supporting my aching body as we left the gym and started up the stairs.
“To order you a swimsuit. I’ll get next day delivery, and then when it gets here tomorrow, I’m teaching you to swim,” he explained with determination.
“Don’t you think I’m a bit old for that now?” I laughed.
“You’re never too old to learn new skills, and swimming is an important one. We’re doing this,” he told me flatly, leaving no room for argument.
“Fine. Is there something in the water here that makes you all bossy bastards?” I laughed.
“Kind of a dominant household you find yourself in, I’m afraid, gorgeous,” he told me with a cheeky wink that brought out the playful side, which I loved in him.
“Well, I’m equally afraid to say that none of you guys will find me a very obedient submissive. I don’t like to do as I’m told.”
“Fine by me. I like a challenge, but I’m not sure what Dante will actually do if you say ‘no’ to him. No one ever says ‘no’ to Dante, with the exception of your brother, obviously.”
“I guess we’ll find out eventually,” I told him with a grin. I had to admit, I quite liked the idea of going toe to toe with the protective giant. It would be interesting to see his reaction when challenged.
“We will, I’m sure. But not now,” Cal said. We were in the kitchen now, and I sat in one of the stools at the island while Cal went to the fridge. He pulled out a large, bottled water and set it down in front of me. “Dante said you need to drink all of that before he gets back. I was also ordered to make you something for lunch.”
“It’s not lunch time yet,” I argued.
“Which is why we will swimsuit shop first, then I’ll make lunch. Drink up.” He was smirking as he grabbed a laptop from the side of the counter and opened it up between the both of us.
“You’re enjoying this,” I accused, and he just chuckled happily.
“Not enjoying, but I am happy to help Dante take care of you. I think you need some TLC right now. Plus I love the confused look on your face every time you start doing exactly as you’retold, like you don’t know why you’re going along with any of it, but doing it anyway.”
