Salvatore laid me on the couch and rested my hurt ankle in his lap as he sat beside me.

Rainey smiled and handed me a cup of her homemade lemonade and two Advil.

“Thought you might need these.”

I returned her smile as I popped the pills in my mouth. “Thank you. You’re a lifesaver.” Rainey went to wait for the doctor, and I took a sip of the lemonade, yelping when Salvatore tugged my shoe off. “That hurt.”

“I’m sorry.”

He gently peeled my sock off, inspected the swelling limb, then placed the ice bag on my ankle.

“How did you know about Dominic?”

“I’ve had men watching the house since the day I saw Luke there. Luke’s involved in some dangerous things. I truly hope, for her sake, that Isabella isn’t a part of those things, Lucia.”

I didn’t miss the warning, but Salvatore wouldn’t hurt her. He’d promised.

Salvatore continued. “I guess I was surprised to hear it was Dominic who made a visit in the middle of the night rather than Luke. Is she sleeping with both of them?”

“Salvatore! You don’t know that! I don’t know that! She’s not some kind of—” I couldn’t say the word.

“I don’t care if she sleeps with a hundred men in one night, Lucia. But I do care if she’s fucking my brother.”

“She wouldn’t! She hates him. She hates all of you!” I tried to take my ankle off his lap, but he placed the palm of his hand firmly on my thigh.

“Who is Effie’s father, Lucia?”

I looked at him, my breath coming in loud and heavy, my eyes watering with the accusation. It was like he was picking information from my brain. Things I hadn’t yet come to understand, things I couldn’t have be true.

“Why do you do this? Every time I feel like we’re finally getting somewhere, feel like I maybe understand you, why do you have to fuck it all up?”

Two sets of footsteps came from the foyer. “This way, Doctor,” Rainey said, ushering him in.

Salvatore and I had devolved into some kind of staring contest. I finally had to forfeit when a tear rolled down my cheek. I turned away.

“Dr. Mooney,” Salvatore said. “You’ll excuse me for not standing, but I think I’d only cause her pain to move her leg.”

He did. He only caused me pain. Every. Single. Time.

17

Salvatore

I stepped out of the room when I saw Roman’s call come in and left Dr. Mooney to wrap Lucia’s leg. I was right; just a sprain, but painful nonetheless.

“Roman,” I said as I entered my study and shut the door.

“Well, you know how to make an entrance.”