Page 33 of Cold

My heart skipped a beat when I heard that voice. Vito. His body pressed up against my backside as he grabbed the pan without even flinching. All of the breath in my body stopped and I swallowed thickly. Until he disappeared.

He popped the pan into the sink and turned the water on to spray it down. Vito had redressed quickly into a pair of blue jeans and a button up. He gazed at me before his eyes diverted to a space over my shoulder. I frowned until I realized it was Amadeo staring at us both.

“What do you need, Amadeo?” Vito asked before he grabbed the coffee pot and poured himself a cup. “I see you’ve brought the whole calvary with you.”

Ama sat down and waved a hand. “Six wouldn’t leave me alone, and Riccardo and I are doing other work. It’s best to just bring them along.” He looked at me. “Can I have a cup of coffee?”

I nodded, but Vito grabbed my arm and growled. “Amadeo is perfectly capable of getting his own damn coffee. Or ask your boyfriend to do it. Romare isn’t a slave anymore.”

My eyes widened as he spoke to Amadeo that way. But Ama only smiled and nodded.

“Six, get Daddy a cup of coffee,” he said.

I bristled. Daddy? They were more than boyfriends. The two of them had what I wanted with Vito.

“Fuck no,” Six answered.

My jaw dropped. Did he just say no? I watched the two of them stare each other down and neither one budged. I didn’t understand how Six wasn’t trembling under Amadeo’s intense gaze. One look like that from Vito and I would have dropped to my knees already.

“Enough with the foreplay,” Riccardo grumbled as he walked over and poured a cup of coffee. He doctored it up and brought it back to Amadeo.

“Thanks,” Ama said before he narrowed his eyes at Six. “You and I will talk about this later.”

I shivered, but Six chuckled. He’s insane. I occupied myself with cooking. Now that I had to start all over with an audience, I was shakier than before.

“What’s with the impromptu visit?” Vito asked.

“It’s been days.” He was quiet, and I glanced over my shoulder to look at him and Vito. They stared at each other and Amadeo sighed. “You should have something by now.”

Vito sat his mug down. “Romare has been through a lot of shit,” he said pointedly.

I turned toward them. “This is about…me?” I asked.

“No, go back to cooking,” Vito growled. “Before you burn down my apartment.”

“Yes,” I said as I whirled back around. “Sor- Okay.”

I went back to cooking and let them chat. While they did, I tuned them out. I was used to ignoring conversations around me that had nothing to do with me. The only time I tuned in was when I was told. Or if I was completely bored.

“Romare.”

When I heard my name, I flipped a sandwich out of the pan and turned to face them. Vito looked irritated, but Amadeo just stared at me.

“I need to talk to you about Sergei.”

Immediately my heart leapt into my throat. The one thing I didn’t want to talk about was front and center. I fidgeted and tugged at my lip. Vito reached over and removed my fingers from my mouth.

“Stop,” he growled. “Answer him.”

I pleaded with my eyes, but Vito didn’t back down. That was what I loved about him, but I hated it equally. I wanted to stay in my imaginary world where nothing was wrong and I was free.

“What about him?” I mumbled.

Ama leaned forward. “Do you know where he is?”

“No.”

“Romare…”

---