From my vantage point on the carpet, I was able to see both Loppa and Firenze freeze in place. The guilty grimaces on their faces were easy to read.
I brushed my knees off, preparing to stand. “We were watching your movie.”
“My movie?”
The screen was still paused at the point Loppa stopped it. The phantom in the mask frozen in place, a rope in his hands.
Mario shifted his eyes from the screen to me. “You see me as a villain?”
“No.” Unfortunately, I didn’t sound as certain as I felt. Maybe I wasn’t certain at this point. There were similarities. For instance, I wasn’t free to leave. From Firenze to Don Manca, they truly believed it was for my safety, but I wasn’t buying it anymore.
“Cara.”
I lifted my eyebrow. Sure, I knew the word meant heart or beloved or something like that, and I could tell by Mario’s tone he was using it as a term of endearment, but were we there yet?
He held out his hand.
I let him help me up.
No sooner than I was on my feet, he turned my chin from one angle to the other, checking the damage to my neck. The grim frown and the tightness of his jaw were an instant clue to the emotions running through his thoughts.
“Loppa?” Mario spoke his name without shifting his gaze away from me.
“Nephew.”
Mario paused. Loppa practically growled the word.
“I didn’t know he was your uncle.”
“He is Don Manca’s third son. Just a few years older than my mother.”
I stared at his eyes to tell him to calm down and that I was unharmed. Embarrassed, sure. But then again, as Loppa repeatedly stated, I knew less than a child. But if they taught this technique to their children, that meant Mario must have learned in a similar manner. “I’m not hurt.”
His finger traced across my neck. It traveled along the path that had hurt the worst, but the sting was almost gone. His fingertip actually tickled, and I flinched.
“Not hurt?”
“That tickles.”
His frown cleared, and a small smile replaced it. His eyes moved to lock onto mine. And once again he traced along my neck.
I fought the urge to flinch away again. But he hit the softer skin behind my ear and I twisted to avoid further torment.
“Firenze will instruct her until she’s better acclimated to the lifestyle. He is my second cousin, and not so bloodthirsty.”
Silence greeted Mario’s order. He turned to scrutinize Loppa. “Are we clear?”
His uncle remained silent for a short time longer. “I will cover the non-contact safety training. For example, entering and exiting buildings and vehicles.”
Mario nodded. “That will be acceptable.”
He glanced at the screen again. “How is the movie?”
“Not nearly as good as the wedding was,” I said.
Mario grinned. “We have time before we leave. Shall we?” He took my hand and led me to the couch.
Loppa backtracked the movie once more as I caught Mario up on the plot up to that point.
