Some of the men’s postures promisedlater, but not right now—business.
A man armed to the teeth came out of a private beach house—I hadn’t even noticed the long line of them lining the edge of the mountain, facing another side of the sea, until then—and the entire group disappeared behind the door.
“Still as intense as ever,” Violet muttered, laughing.
Turning away, I secured my glasses back in place, and though no one could see, I closed my eyes. I fiddled with the cross around my neck, sending up a quick prayer.
“The Fausti men are all that way.” Rosaria waved a hand. “You cannot escape them if you are claimed.”
“Speaking of.” I turned to Violet. “Romeo?”
She snorted, sitting up. She grabbed for the bottle of suntan lotion, smearing it all over her skin. We were in the shade, but the sun felt powerful, sneaking long rays underneath our cover. I breathed in and out, wanting the tropical smell to cling to me.
“After that scene on the steps with you and Brando—the way he was looking at you.” She shivered. “I told Romeo we could be friends.However, I did get to see his package.”
Rosaria’s face became serious. “Another Fausti trait. One of the most glorious. The trait of the well-endowed and the blessing of knowing how to use it.”
“You’ve seen it too?” Violet gave her a scandalous look.
“He was coming out of the bath. I pretended to trip and catch his towel on the way down.” She shrugged. “I had to compare.”
Violet snorted again and I grinned, looking away. The three men behind us stirred some, but ever the professionals, they pretended not to hear. Not only that, but the Faustis were a tight group. It came to my attention that most of the men traveling with us were related to Brando in some way. They knew Rosaria well.
“Mick?” I nodded toward him.
With a towel around his forearm, he had taken a seat on the opposite side of the pool. He had changed so much since the last time I had seen him, during my trip home. His muscles shone with the golden touch of the sun, and his hair was buzz-cut, his dazzling blue eyes as bright as the sky above.
Violet sat up again, taking notice of the bevy of beauties starting to circle him. Her drink came down with a crash against the glass table next to her. She stood, inserting a finger underneath her bathing suit, releasing the clinging fabric from her behind. Slipping her heels on, she sauntered over to him, and the women dispersed at her sharp words.
The next minute, they were arguing, loud enough that a few people stopped to take in the action. Shouting and moving, they somehow made it to us, and their boisterous voices filled the area.
Violet raised her hand to slap him, and he caught her wrist.
“Stay your hand, woman,” Mick said, his eyes hard, but his mouth was grinning. “You’re the only one I have eyes for.”
“I didn’t sleep with him,” she said, and not quietly.
He snatched her up then, and what started out a simple kiss became moans and groans. Rosaria laughed, clapping, encouraging them.
I tugged at Violet’s bathing suit. “Go back to your hut!”
Mick carried her, their lips pressed together until they disappeared.
Rosaria went back to reading her magazine, and I settled in, not really knowing what to do with myself. Every so often I’d glance at the beach house, hoping their business would be settled soon. I tapped my foot in time to the music overhead, wishing the minutes away. A low whistle made me look up.
“You are the classiest woman that my eyes have ever had the pleasure of seeing.” A well-built Greek man stood before me. His friend stood next to him, eyeing Rosaria. She looked over her glasses at him, giving him a dirty smile.
Donato stood in front of me, the other two men spreading out. He cracked his knuckles, stretching his neck, eyes menacing. The man who spoke to me gave his name, like it meant something. Donato grinned, but not in a friendly way.
A third man approached, hitting his two buddies. “No,” he said, low-voiced. “Those women belong to the Fausti family. If you want to keep your neck above your shoulders, or your heart beating in your chest, you will move on.”
Rosaria wiggled her fingers at them as the three moved on, then resumed her magazine surfing. Taking in all of the nonsense going on around me, thinking of how flirty she could be, I turned to her. “How do you stand it?”
“Hmmm?” She was lost in whatever she was reading.
“How do you stand knowing that Rocco touches other women?”
“Ah.” She set the magazine on her lap, giving me her undivided attention. “We have an agreement.”
