“Quinn, what on earth happened?” she gasps, horrified as she brushes my hair away so she can take a proper look. “That’s some huge goose egg. How did it happen?”
I glance at Vittoria and the moment I do her eyes widen as though she realizes exactly what went on yesterday.
“I tripped and fell yesterday. I banged my head against the mirror,” I tell them as I swallow back the tears. They’re both watching me with too much kindness, far more than I deserve.
“Quinn,” Vittoria whispers as she moves so that she’s kneeling in front of me. She reaches for my hand as Valentina takes the other. “Please don’t lie to us, did someone hurt you?”
I press my lips together and nod once.
Valentina pushes closer to me, I feel her heat against me and I’m unable to stop the tears from falling. These women who barely know me have shown me more kindness and love than either of my parents ever have.
“Was it your father?” Valentina asks, her voice so very gentle.
I can only nod, and I’m not sure if it’s from the shit that happened yesterday or the way these women have welcomed me or even a mix of the two, but I start to spill my guts about everything that has happened to me, and what happened to Orla, including what Daire and my mam did to make me as the scape goat.
“Please,” I whisper hoarsely. “Please don’t repeat what I have said. The men...” I take a deep breath, trying to find the right words. “The men believe what my mam and Daire have put out there, they believe that I made Orla take her own life.”
“How?” Valentina gasps, her outrage clear. “They only need to speak with you, sit with you for a few minutes and they’d know that it was crap. How can they believe that you’d do that? Daire on the other hand. Oh, I can see that bitch doing that and so much worse.”
“Val is right, how can they think that poorly of you? Quinn, you are sweet and kind, we know you didn’t do what that bitch of a mother of yours has said.” Vittoria squeezes my hand.
I choke on a laugh. “How can you be so sure?” I whisper, wondering what the hell I’ve done to have these women believe me so blindly.
“Because so much doesn’t make sense,” Vittoria hisses as she raises to her feet. “When I meet your mother, she had better run, because if I get my hands on her, she’ll be in a world of pain.”
“She’s not worth it,” I tell her.
She crouches down once again and reaches for my chin and tilts it toward her so that I’m looking at her. “She’s not, you’re right, but you are. I’m so sorry you’ve had to deal with parents like those, Quinn, you deserve so much better. But I am glad that your brothers had some sense about them.”
“My brothers are the best, I love them so much.”
Valentina’s arm slides around my shoulders and she pulls me into her embrace as Vittoria watches us with a smile. “You’re family, Quinn. You’re my sister, and no one fucks with us. You’re safe here, we’ll make sure you are.”
I close my eyes as I lean against her. I dreaded coming here. I had no idea what to expect, but I could never have imagined it would be this. A home, a place where I can feel love and support without worry.
I take a deep breath and let both women just hold me.
I found my home.
Chapter 17
Lorenzo
The women have been in the library for hours. At first it was just Quinn and Valentina, but Vittoria joined them when Matteo went down for his nap. Vittoria left around an hour ago, and now both Sofia and Elisabetta have joined my wife in the library.
I don’t know why it bothers me that they’re with her. No, I do know. It’s because she’s my wife. I’m supposed to show her around our home, introduce her to everyone, and make her feel welcome. Instead, my sisters have taken it upon themselves to do so.
“Lorenzo,” my father says as he enters my office. I raise my head to look at him and see there’s a lot of anger swirling in his eyes. I haven’t seen my father this angry in a while. “We need to talk,” he says as he closes my office door behind him.
I sit back in my chair and wait for him to take a seat. Before he can speak, there’s a knock on the door and Marco enters. “I’m sorry to disturb you both, but I thought you’d want to know that both Daithi and Caden Delaney are here to speak with you.”
I turn to my father who doesn’t seem surprised but the anger hasn’t subsided. Whatever he wanted to talk to me about has to wait.
“Send them in,” I instruct.
“Get Ciro and Giovanni to join us too,” my father tells him and Marco hurries out of the office to do just that.
“Are you going to let me in on what’s about to happen?” I ask with a raised brow.
