“Not in a million years,” she says with a laugh, and walks toward the house. “Freaks.”
Apprehension snakes through my belly as I watch her go. If Ariana has noticed that Damiano and I don’t act like a normal brother and sister, what if Mom and Dad notice too? They’ll excuse any mistakes that Damiano makes, but never mine.
“I hope she’s not going to tell Mom and Dad what she just saw,” I murmur.
Damiano glares after her. “Dad is tired of her whining about us. She can blow it out her ass.” He turns to me with a smile, his mood shifting as it always does when it’s just the two of us. “What are you doing tonight?”
I almost tell him the truth, that I’m doing nothing. Then I remember that he wouldn’t be honest with me about what he and Dad were doing last night.
Two can play at that game.
I shrug nonchalantly. “Oh, this and that.”
His eyes narrow slightly. “That’s vague. I thought we could stay in and watch a movie.”
“Sorry. Maybe another time.”
His expression shifts, something dark flickering across his face. “You’re busy on a Saturday night?”
“Is that a problem?” I smile like I’m thinking about the most handsome boy I know. Like I’m not already plastered against said boy’s chest.
Damiano’s expression grows stormy. His fingers dig into my waist. “You have a date? With who? You’re sixteen. I forbid it.”
A thrill runs through me at his possessiveness. I shouldn’t enjoy it this much, but I do.
“Oh, youforbidit?” I ask archly. “What gives you that power?”
“Because I’ve heard every disgusting thing the boys of St. Peter’s say about the girls from St. Agatha’s, and I don’t trust any of them anywhere near you.” His voice is low and dangerous.
My smile remains mysterious. “Who says he’s from St. Peter’s? I know lots of boys.”
It’s a complete lie. I don’t know any boys. I don’t want to know any boys. There’s only one person I want, and I can’t have him.
“Youwilltell me who he is,” he insists, and his hands slowly tighten on my waist.
“Maybe I will, maybe I won’t,” I counter playfully, enjoying pushing his buttons more than I should.
He laughs without humor and shakes his head. “Oh, Lucy. You think I’ll be merciful with you just because you’re my sister?”
But I’m not your sister!
I can’t say that, so instead I say, “I’ll never beg for mercy. A Barone doesn’t spill her secrets.”
Damiano gives me a hard, steely look that makes my pulse race. “You have three seconds to tell me. Three. Two. One. Right. You asked for this.”
He attacks me with all ten of his fingers, tickling me mercilessly. I shriek with laughter and try to get off his lap, buthe wraps a strong arm around my waist to hold me in place and redoubles his efforts.
I thrash from side to side, trying to free myself or make him stop. “Damiano! Damiano, please.”
“Pleading won’t help. I demand the truth.” He keeps tickling me until there are tears streaming from my eyes, and I can’t breathe I’m laughing so hard.
“All right, all right,all right!” I scream.
He pauses, but his fingers remain poised to resume torturing me. “You’ll tell me who you have a date with?”
Panting, I sit up and push my curls out of my face. “I don’t have a date. I was teasing you.”
He captures my jaw with his thumb and forefinger and makes me look at him. His expression is fierce and possessive in a way that makes heat pool low in my belly. “I’ll know if you sneak out. You had better not be lying to me. Remember what Dad has always taught us? Barones are not liars.”
