“But?” Emma prompted. She reached out and caught Siena’s tube, linking them together as the current took them around a bend. “What’s wrong? I can tell something is. We both can. Are you afraid of him?”

Catarina reached out as well and caught the other side of Siena’s tube. The two women hitched closer, keeping their voices lowered.

“No. Elijah would never hurt me,” Siena defended immediately. “He might not show that side of himself often to others, but he’s incredibly sweet to me.”

“I’ve known him a long while,” Emma said. “He’s always been respectful but distant. Jake really likes him and I know Drake does as well, but he doesn’t laugh—not ever that I remember. The mess his family created for him is just plain scary.” She tipped her head back to look at Siena. “Is that what worries you?”

Siena didn’t have girlfriends, but she knew they talked to one another. She wanted to be friends with these women, but Elijah was alone. Too alone. He only had her. She might not feel she could stay in his world, but she was planning to try. She’d promised him she would talk to him. That didn’t mean sharing anything he said with the rest of the world, not even the women trying to be her friends.

“I have a lot of problems I’m bringing to the table,” she said quietly. “My grandfather was murdered, and I think the man who did it will try to kill Elijah.” She’d thought about what Paolo’s next move would be and she was fairly certain he would go after Elijah, unless he decided to take the chance of killing her before he established himself as her grandfather’s successor. She’d tried to have the conversation with Elijah, but he simply told her not to worry about it, like that would stop her.

“Elijah takes everything on himself.” She chose her words carefully. “He doesn’t want me worrying, so when I bring things up, like I believe someone will try to kill him, he sort of blows me off, expecting me to just not worry my empty little head.”

Catarina snickered. “I think that must be a leopard trait. Eli doesn’t want anything to touch me. I was raised in Rafe Cordeau’s home. He was my guardian. He was a big crime lord in Louisiana. I escaped, but he followed me along with some of his men. I nearly got Eli killed, but he doesn’t want me to even listen when he’s talking about Cordeau’s network and who might be taking it over. By the way, that scares me, because I’m afraid they’ll send someone else after me and that would put Eli back in harm’s way. He won’t listen to anything I say though.”