In contrast, the Fausti women raised their own children in traditional households. Even when the woman was known for something other than being married to a Fausti, it was this life and all the expectations of it that she lived.
The men were in a constant battle for their flesh. The women were in a constant battle for their men’s souls.
Guerra e fede.War and faith,as Luca had described it.
Still, we were both truly happy for them, even if Rosaria made an effort to make underhanded remarks to me every chance she got.
She hadn’t let go of her problem with me.
In fact, it was getting worse.
Staying clear of her had become a point of mine. I wasn’t running; I just didn’t have time for drama. If she wanted Luca, she could have him. He seemed to sense this about me. The more she wanted his attention, the less I did, and it drove him toward me even more.
Luca was a man who was used to women dropping at his feet—that was too easy. A challenge was what he was after. For all Rosaria claimed to know about “men like them” and “the inner workings of the Faustifamiglia,” she missed the most glaring points.
The tension and comments had started to grate on Brando’s nerves though. He wasn’t a man accustomed to letting other people steamroll over him, and since she was doing it to me, he felt like she was doing it to him.
It wasn’t only me she seemed to be angry at, either. It was Brando too, and in a way, she knew pushing me would push him. She was disappointed that Brando wasn’t more enthused at the prospect of the power the five of them could create together.
She seemed to think the threat on my life was an occupational hazard, and that once the matter was settled, it would only reinforce the power the Faustis held.
Easy for her to think. She wasn’t the one who a madman longed to choke with a rosary.
I hadn’t forgotten what Rosaria had gone through for me, though, when another madman had attacked her instead of me. She refused to tell him where I was and took the brunt of it. Brando hadn’t forgotten either, which was why he was tolerating it as much as he was.
It was hard to stay away as much as I wanted, though, simply because this was a family vacation and we saw each other every day.
Taking a box of the baked cheesy treats with me to get ready for the evening, I wondered if it was a good idea to even go out with the group tonight.
The younger couples were heading into the village to enjoy a night out, while all of the grandparents and older folks were meeting at Luca’s house for dinner. The kids were going to be in the care of the grandparents for the night. And Eunice.
I wondered how this was going to pan out. Osvaldo and his wife, along with Niccolo, were both seeing Luca for the first time since his release. He and Maggie Beautiful had invited them over for the dinner.
No word from Lothario yet.
Brando wasn’t in the most celebratory of moods either. He’d gone into the office earlier to be updated on our situation. Giulio Cesare was still on the loose, and since Zermatt was basically a car-free zone, there were only a few ways for him to slip into the village. Brando had a feeling that if he attempted to get in, it would be from the sky.
It wasn’t only that.
Luca had arranged for two twinmaledoctors to keep an eye out for his son’s pregnant wives.
The reason Luca had arranged this was because Aunt Lola had invited him over to discuss the stress Uncle Tito had been under.
Aunt Lola, no qualms, had confided in me that after Uncle Tito had concluded that Luca would be released, his, ah, performance in the bedroom was affected.
Uncle Tito had stood by Brando’s side, but he was at a point in his life where he was tired ofthelife. After Marzio’s death, he didn’t consider himself the resident doctor of the Faustifamigliaany longer. He’d fallen in love with Brando and our family—Aunt Lola had, too—and it was only his loyalty to his nephew that kept him close at hand.
Aunt Lola hadn’t gone into that much detail with Luca, only highlighted the finer points.
Agreeing that Uncle Tito deserved his golden years to enjoy them as he saw fit, Luca enlisted the twin brothers to see to our care, even though we all had doctors in Italy.
Luca hadn’t bothered to tell his sons.
After Nino had showed them in, I was confused as to why they were there. Brando and I both felt comfortable with my doctor, and those two didn’t put me at ease like she did.
Brando had walked in right as Doctor Twin One was in the middle of asking me when my last menses was.
Doctor Twin Two must have sensed Brando’s intent, because he snatched his computer off the table, holding it to his chest, as though the device could shield him from my husband’s wrath.
