“Yes,” I said, not even missing a beat. Guilt bloomed in my chest but I never wavered, only stared up into Nino’s face. I couldn’t explain why I lied, only that I wanted to protect Amo and I knew the reason why he lied was that he considered himself in danger. I tried to console myself with the fact that I’d probably protected Nino and Alessio too. Because if they’d attacked Amo, they would have suffered injuries as well, even if they were very capable fighters. Amo looked like he was very capable himself.
Nino gave a satisfied nod after he’d regarded me for a few more heartbeats and released my wrist.
“I advise you to put on your shirt,” he told Amo. The latter shook his head with a muttered curse, then bent forward and took his shirt from the ground before he slipped it on.
Alessio took a step toward Amo, all the while turning the dagger in his hand. “You’re damn lucky that it wasn’t Nevio who found you like this. He wouldn’t have waited for an explanation.”
Amo buttoned his shirt with steady fingers, his cold gray eyes resting in an almost bored fashion on my cousin. Alessio was several inches shorter than Amo, though he was already 6’1 tall at seventeen. Amo was probably 6’5 and towering over him. He didn’t say anything.
“Let’s go upstairs and inform everyone that we found you,” Nino said. He motioned at Amo. “Go ahead.”
Amo walked past us, his eyes briefly hitting me, and I held my breath, not even sure why. When I burst out of my reverie, I caught Nino’s eyes on me. I gave him a quick smile. He lightly touched my shoulder before he followed Amo.
“Come on, Greta,” Alessio said and I stepped up to him and we walked at a slower pace.
“Did he say anything inappropriate?”
“Like what?” I asked as we ascended the staircase. I really couldn’t imagine what Alessio had in mind.
Alessio stopped on the step below mine, which brought us almost to eye level. “Something sexual.”
I pursed my lips. “You, Nevio and Massimo talk about sex around me all the time.”
“Not to you,” Alessio said as if it should be obvious and I was stupid not to see it.
“Of course, we’re related but Amo and I aren’t.”
Alessio shook his head, bringing his face closer and spoke in a low, warning voice, “Do not say anything like this to Nevio, you hear me?”
I blinked at him. “What if he asks the same question you did?”
“Then you come up with a better answer. Say you didn’t talk at all, or you talked about cotton candy. I don’t care, but do not say what you said to me.”
“You want me to lie to Nevio?”
“Greta,” Alessio said in an imploring voice, grabbing my shoulders, which was why I knew it was serious. “Nevio’s waiting for a reason to kill Amo. Trust me when I say he’ll kill him if you give him that answer, or better yet tell him Amo sat beside you half naked, massaging your feet while you hugged his shirt.”
“You’re stating the facts wrong.”
“Nevio won’t care for the correct facts. He’ll take the facts that suit him and go with it. He won’t be able to control himself, he won’t want to.”
I sighed and nodded. Our conversation was cut short when Uncle Savio appeared above us. “Your presence is required, dollface, so stop the chitchat.”
Alessio let me pass and I walked toward Savio. He was the second youngest of my uncles, in his mid-thirties and always called me dollface. I never understood why he did it considering dolls looked lifeless at best, and creepy most of the time. When I’d asked him why he compared me to a dead thing, he’d laughed so hard, I’d thought he’d pass out. He still called me dollface but because he meant it in a nice way, I didn’t mind.
Savio wrapped an arm around me as he led me in the direction of the common area. “You okay?”
“Of course,” I said.
He shook his head. “Convince your crazy father.”
I didn’t get a chance to ask what he meant because raised voices came from the common room and made my anxiety flare up. The atmosphere when we stepped inside was so tense, I felt a little sick. Dad and a man who looked remarkably like Amo were face to face, looking as if they were about to throw fists any moment. Amo’s expression told me he was willing to join in. Only Nino seemed to keep a cool head. I didn’t see anyone else, which was fortunate. Nevio and Massimo probably wouldn’t have improved the situation.
The moment Dad spotted me, he stepped back from the other man. “Nino told me what you said.”