“I’ll go,” Maggie Beautiful volunteered. “But I need some sun before.”
“It’s settled then. Scarlett will stay home and play mamma and we can go out and ride some stallions. But before, pool time with the girls.”
I agreed that lounging by the pool sounded like a fresh idea. We had gotten plenty done, and relaxing by the pool with one of Violet’s special cocktail concoctions (clementine with limoncello and champagne) seemed like a fair reward for a long day.
We all scattered to our rooms to change into our swimsuits, but before I could make it downstairs to meet Violet and Maggie Beautiful, I heard Violet giggling.Giggling.
“Scarlett.” Violet’s voice rose, sounding a bit girlish. “Can you come down?”
The swimsuit was crimson, one piece, but was mostly thin straps in the back. I quickly fixed them, made sure that I was all tucked in, and then grabbed my towel before heading down.
I almost ran back up when I stepped into the kitchen.
Rocco stood against the wall, arms and legs crossed, Brando style. Two other—I took a deep breath—men stood on either side of him. The three of them were a mishmash of each other. My husband found in each one.
“Holy Mary,” I breathed out.
Maggie Beautiful’s eyes were as hard as stone on their faces.
Violet snatched my arm, like old times, and whispered in my ear, “What the hell? Why am I seeing three of Brando? But—” she cocked her head to the side “—different. Lord. What are they feeding the men here? It has to be all of that olive oil.”
Rocco looked me over from bottom to top, in a way that I knew and didn’t feel all that comfortable with. I placed a hand over my stomach, not wanting to make it obvious and cover my breasts. Men like him sensed discomfort and found it a challenge to get a woman out of the habit—especially in the bedroom.
My husband employed this same tactic on me, though there was no chance of me ever getting used to it. It hit me time and time again, forcing the butterflies to flutter in madness. Rocco’s look only made me feel uncomfortable, almost scrutinized.
“Did we come at a bad time,bella?”
Maggie Beautiful’s head swung in my direction, her face laced with suspicion.
I cleared my throat. “Rocco, this is—”
He came forward, taking Maggie Beautiful’s hand. “MaggieBellissimo. We have been introduced already.”
Violet flung her arm out, offering her hand.
He smiled, his mouth curving to one side. “Of course, ViolaCastellanos.”
“Yes,” she breathed. “I am ViolaCastellanos.”
Rocco turned back to me. “If you are occupied, we can—”
“No!” Violet almost shouted. “We were just going to the pool. Would you like to join us?”
I never wanted to kick someone so hard in my entire life. She wore a scanty leopard-print bathing suit, and the man standing to the left of Rocco watched her with enough intent that her cheeks blazed.
“Sì, we accept.Grazie.” Rocco nodded, his eyes still on me. “You asked me the last time we spoke if I had siblings,bella. We happened to be all together.” He shrugged. “All in the area.”
He pointed to the man to his right. “This is my brother Dario.” Then he pointed to the man on his left. “This is my otherfratello, Romeo.” Rocco explained that Dario was an architect and that Romeo had something to do with the law.Guardia di Finanza.
“Oh, Romeo,” Violet almost purred.
Three brothers…
“We are called the Fausti three.” Rocco grinned.
Make that the Fausti four.
Maggie Beautiful turned back to me, and our eyes met briefly, but I had enough time to nod so that she would understand.
