While I observe their interaction, I can't help but feel like there's a stranger in front of me. Enzo is so free with his smiles, his voice so full of affection. It's the first time I'm seeing this side of him, and I don't want to.
Because if I know that he's not a bullyallthe time, I may falter.
The visit is soon cut short by the Mother Superior, who tells us it's time to leave. Enzo gives Catalina another hug and kisses Claudia's brow. I go over too and hug her goodbye.
But before I go, she whispers something in my ear.
"Be gentle with him—he needs it." I frown at her words, but I don't get to reply as we're ushered toward the exit.
"Your sister is wonderful," I say when we reach the car. "Even in that small amount of time, I could see that she's nothing like the rest of your family."
"She is," he agrees, starting the car and heading back home.
"Does she really have to stay there? You could rent her an apartment." I'd been outraged by the condition of her quarters—so crowded and rundown. To live there with a child? No, I can't imagine how hard that must be.
"I wish," he replies dryly, "but then she'd be fair game for everyone—enemies and allies alike. And Father would never help her if something happened, that's for sure. Here, at least she's safe."
I nod, but inside, I'm horrified by the world we live in.
"Why did you take me there with you?" I ask, though I'm mostly curious about why he lied about our marriage.
"My sister," he starts, taking a deep breath, "is a romantic at heart. She's too innocent for this world, and I know she always fears for my safety. I'd do anything to assuage her worries, even in some small way."
I look at him from the corner of my eye, his profile bathed in the shadows of the night, and I realize something.
The devilmayhave a heart.
22
ENZO
My plan is materializing.I've started noticing a slight change in Allegra, and for a few weeks now our confrontations have evolved from purely hostile to teasingly antagonistic. Considering how bad our arguments would get in the past, I'd say it's a vast improvement.
MamanMargot's advice to let her see my softer side worked, and after we'd come back from visiting Catalina, I'd even noted a change in the cadence of her voice—no longer accusingly bellicose, but now with a sweetness to it that was previously missing.
And I like it. A lot.
My little tigress has a quiet demeanor that shines through even when she's not sharpening her claws on my hide.
And so I find myself increasingly closer to my goal of making her more receptive to my will.
The door to my study opens, and I see her hesitantly move forward until she's in the center of the room.
When she'd found out that the library she'd loved so much was in fact my personal study, she'd been a little stubborn,refusing to set foot in it again. But after much coaxing, I'd managed to convince her that there was no harm in stopping by and borrowing a book.
Little does she know that the night she'd been here, she'd only made it inside because of a fluke. I'd forgotten to lock the door to the study when I'd gone to bed.
Since the room houses my extensive book collection—most of them priceless—no one is allowed inside. Not even the cleaning staff.
She's the first person to enter here and the only person I'd allow to handle my treasures. Not because she'sthatimportant, but because I can see the care she has for books, the way she handles them as if they are invaluable—just like I do.
"What's it going to be tonight?" I step next to her, joining her in her perusal of the titles.
"Hmm," she starts, lifting her finger to stroke her jaw pensively. "I don't know. What do you recommend?" She looks up at me, her eyes shimmering in the dim lighting of the room. They say brown is the most common eye color, but when I look into her eyes, it's like I'm seeing it for the first time.
I clear my throat slightly, realizing I'd been staring.
"What are you in the mood for? Romance?"
