“Still mine.”
“What do you need it for?” he asks, picking bacon off my plate.
“I don’t. I just want it.”
“Fine.”
“Fine?”
He shrugs a shoulder. “Fine. I don’t have it on me,” he says, leaning back in the seat. “But you can have it back if you want it. I have no use for it.”
That’s it? I can just have it? “What about my iPod?”
“How old is that thing?”
“There’s nothing wrong with it. It works just fine.”
“That too. I’ll get it back to you.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to isolate you,” he says, using my own words. “You have shitty taste in music by the way.”
“You listened to my music?”
“Only as much as I could stand.” He grins, takes the last piece of bacon off my plate.
I slap his hand away. “Get your own.”
“I like yours,” he says, watching me and I don’t know if it’s that he’s more relaxed now than usual or the fact that he’s half naked, but it’s hard to focus.
A sound interrupts us and a moment later, a sleepy Clara walks into the dining room wearing a nightie that’s so short and so see-through, I don’t know why she bothers. She’s barefoot and I’ve never felt anything like this against any woman ever, but Christ, even her feet are perfect.
When she sees us, she starts to say good morning but yawns and makes her way to a cup of coffee.
I look at the wall just beyond Stefan’s shoulder as he makes a comment about too much champagne and she laughs. I’m relieved when she leaves with her cup of coffee instead of sitting down with us.
“Did you sleep well?” Stefan asks when she’s gone. Is he taunting me?
“Not really,” I lie.
“You have a cute little snore.”
I feel my face heat up. “I don’t snore.” I don’t know why I say it. How would I know if I snore and why would I care?
“You’re sweeter when you’re asleep, too. All soft when you curled up into me and even reached out for me when I got out of bed.”
“Shouldn’t you go shower?”
“Does it bother you that I’m not wearing a shirt?”
“No. It’s not…” I clear my throat. “I hadn’t noticed,” I lie badly.
“Right.”
“I’m not interested in you, Stefan.”
“Don’t be so defensive, Gabi.”
“Then don’t make fun of me, Stef.”
“I’m not making fun of you.”
“Did you slip out of bed for that?” I ask, gesturing to where Clara was just standing.
His eyebrows knit together and a moment later, he exhales. “Is that what this is about? I already told you—”
“That you’re kissing cousins. Got it.”
“I don’t think I said that.”
“You didn’t deny it either.”
“Well, we’re not so don’t be stupid.”
“I’m not being stupid. And you shouldn’t have slept in my bed last night. You took advantage—”
“Enough. I did not take advantage of you and you know it.” His expression hardens, and I can see him growing angrier as he speaks. “I’m a man of my word. I realize you haven’t had many of those in your life but do not ever accuse me of taking advantage of a vulnerable girl. And for your information, last night was me making sure you didn’t do anything stupid and force my hand.”
I swallow, unable to answer.
I’ve poked the bear and now he’s awake and hungry.
“Do you remember the morning I came to get you, Gabriela?”
I’m not sure where he’s going with this but yes, I remember. How could I forget.
I nod.
“That’s good. Do you remember what happened when you mouthed off then?”
I narrow my eyes at him, thinking how different this version of Stefan Sabbioni is to the one of last night. How this is the real Stefan. The one I need to remember.
“Did I make a mistake not punishing you last night?”
I swallow and it takes all I have to hold his gaze. But I can’t show fear. I can’t show weakness.
I clear my throat and push back from the table. When I move to stand, he clamps a hand over my knee to stop me. I look down at it.
“I asked you a question.” I hear the warning in his voice.
I lift my gaze to meet his. “Get your hands off me.”
His eyes narrow. “I already told you, I’ll touch you whenever and wherever I please. Remember, respect is a two-way street, Princess. Now answer my question. And be careful, Gabriela.”
“No,” I bite through gritted teeth.
“No what?”
“No, you didn’t make a mistake.”
It’s another minute before he pulls his hand away and another until he stands, and I see how the muscles flex when he lifts his arm to run his fingers through his hair, his expression annoyed or ruffled or something.
“Get packed and ready to go. You’re leaving.”
18
Gabriela
He shipped me back to the house in Palermo before lunchtime. Stefan and Rafa, and presumably Clara, stayed behind. I guess they’re spending the day in Rome shopping and having fun and doing whatever the fuck it is they do.
But true to his word, he gave me back my iPod and the fake passport and I text Alex as soon as I’m alone to make sure he and his aunt are okay.
He tells me Stefan sent someone to fix their door and that they’re fine.
That surprises me. Why would Stefan do that?
But then again, he did break it so why shouldn’t he? This doesn’t make him a saint or something.
I spend the day on my own and this time, I put on one of the bikinis, a simple yellow one, and sit on the edge of the pool to stay cool. I take a long nap in the afternoon and have dinner on my own and by nine in the evening, I’m bored and fed up.
From the patio, I can see the lights of Palermo and if I listen hard enough, I think I hear music on the beach but I’m probably imagining that.
I find Miss Millie in the kitchen. “I need something to do,” I tell her. “Can I go for a walk or something?” I hate asking permission like this, but it was the same at home.
“Oh, I don’t know—”
“Just a quick one. Maybe—”
“What about a book?” she asks.
“A book?” I love reading but I finished what I brought, and I haven’t seen so much as a magazine in the house. Stefan doesn’t strike me as the reading type.
“I don’t think you’ve seen the library. Come on.”
I follow her. “There’s a library?”
She smiles. “Well, it’s small but maybe you’ll find something to occupy your time.”
I’m surprised to see her take out her keys to unlock the door to the library, which makes me wonder why it’s locked at all. But as soon as we’re inside, I realize.
So much for Stefan not wanting to isolate me.