Trusting that her friend wouldn’t reassure her if something was truly wrong, Alessia turned her attention to Carina’s intriguing statement. “Your Daddy spanks you?” Having a friend with a Daddy had helped Alessia compare her relationshipwith Titus to someone else’s. Alessia appreciated that insight tremendously.
“Too often,” Carina had confessed, not looking upset at all. “Sometimes I deserve it.”
The two had been immersed in that titillating conversation when Titus reappeared. She’d smiled at him when he’d dropped a kiss on the top of her head before vaulting over the bar and diving into his entertaining drink concoctions. Titus patted his chest three times as their secret signal.
Distracted by Titus’s reminder that he loved her, she didn’t notice his change of clothing until her Daddy alerted Gio that he had some dirty laundry in the trunk. Titus didn’t answer her questions other than to share that it was handled.
“Areyou ever going to tell me what happened on Friday at Nightfall?” she asked as they chatted during breakfast the next morning.
“Nope.”
“Daddy!”
“Everything is fine,” he assured her.
Alessia wrinkled her nose at him, hating that answer but accepting it. Titus never changed his mind. She’d learned that during her time with him. Making up her mind not to fret about minor details, Alessia devoted herself to exploring their relationship.
Since she’d arrived, Titus had cared for her with a degree of kindness and genuine connection that Alessia hadn’t ever experienced. She had no doubt she was number one on his list of priorities and treasured every moment with him.
“Little mate, this bite is perfect. See what you think,” Titus said, lifting the crispy edge of one of his pancakes to her lips.She opened her lips to accept the treat and leaned against his shoulder, savoring it.
“No more, Daddy,” she refused when he offered her another piece. “I’m full.”
“Then this one’s all for me,” he teased and popped the bite into his mouth. “Yum!”
She studied his handsome face, marveling at how lucky she was to live with him. “What should we do today? Maybe go to the zoo or shopping?”
“Is there something you need, Alessia?” he asked as wrinkles appeared on his forehead.
“No. Not really. I thought heading out somewhere would be fun. We always hang out here.” A idea popped into her mind. “Are you ashamed of me? Because I’m related to Enzo?”
“Absolutely not, Little mate. Your relationship to Enzo doesn’t affect who you are. Are you getting stir-crazy? We could take a trip away.”
“Like out of town?”
“Sure. I’d need to be back in town Friday night, but we have several days to explore another city. What sounds fun to you? We could jet off to Chicago? Have some deep-dish pizza?”
“I’m supposed to get together with Carina on Wednesday. She’s going to show me her nursery.”
“Fun. You’ll enjoy that. How about if we drive to the lake? It’s about two hours away. We could rent a hotel room for a couple of nights and have some fun.”
“Hmmm, I don’t know, Daddy. Are you worried that someone will see me around here? We could go to one of my favorite restaurants. It’s on the east side of the city.”
“I’ll be honest. Your family doesn’t have a clue where you are. You’re safer if no one alerts Enzo that you are still in town.”
“So, I’m a prisoner here?” The idea that she’d never be able to go anywhere—that her freedom was over forever—pissed Alessiaoff. She’d thought being out from under Enzo’s thumb would allow her to do all the things she’d always dreamed of experiencing. After her father’s death, Enzo had restricted her movements, but she’d always had hope that she could be free of him.
“You are not a prisoner, Little mate. Your brother is a problem now. He won’t be forever.”
“Do you promise?” she asked, searching his face to make sure he wasn’t lying to her.
“I promise, Alessia. Alaric tries not to interfere with the power structure of any town. Most people realize they can continue on with their lives before we came in, leaving us alone. Occasionally, a power-crazy madman can’t exist if he isn’t completely in control. Unfortunately, Enzo may decide he can’t exist in conjunction with us. That choice eliminates him.”
Alessia stared at Titus, processing his words. Images of her older brother when they were children popped into her mind. He hadn’t always acted like this. Enzo had saved her kitten when Hazel got stuck on a high branch. He’d played catch with their father and allowed her to join, giving Alessia his mitt so her hand didn’t sting when she caught the ball. They’d made wonderful memories together in childhood.
“Enzo still has time to stop these attacks, but Alaric will cut the head off the snake if the beast continues to attack,” Titus said softly. “Before the idea of preventing Enzo’s demise even pops into your head, shut it down. You cannot rescue Enzo from his poor decisions. At this point, I doubt Enzo can save himself.”
She considered those words. They rang true in her head. Enzo might have listened to her as a child, but those days were long gone. The choices he’d made since her father’s death had changed him.
