Dante gave me a questioning look. I shrugged, wishing I could slap Leonas over the head. 揕ike a teenager, she had her difficult moments but she抯 grown up in the last couple of years. I can抰 complain.?
An image of Anna waking me up with a very pleasant blowjob this morning came into my mind but I quickly shoved it away.
Leonas shook his head and gave me a condescending look through the rearview mirror. The little shit knew too much.
Dad and I picked a cozy restaurant only a short walking distance from the Four Seasons in case an emergency arose. But with Leonas and Dante there, Valentina, Anna, and Bea were well protected. Even if Leonas could be an annoying brat, he was a good shot and knew how to handle his knife. Still, it felt strange to let Anna out of my sight for the first time in six months. We抎 spent so much time together, being apart felt alien.
揌ow are things between you and Anna??Dad asked the moment we抎 sat down at our table.
揋ood.?
揋ood how??
揌ave you come to Paris to interrogate me or because you missed me??
揃oth.?
I gave him a doubtful look. Luckily the waitress appeared at that moment with the menu cards. I took one of them with a quick merci before I scanned the wine selection.
揧ou didn抰 even look at her.?
I raised my head. 揈xcuse me??
揧ou didn抰 even look at the waitress.?
揙f course. And I even said thanks.?
Dad nodded toward the woman who was now serving another table. 揕ook at her. She抯 attractive. The son I remember would have checked her out.?
I couldn抰 help but laugh. 揑抦 still that son. You make it sound as if I jumped every woman I saw. I can assure you that wasn抰 the case. Maybe you should consider dipping your toes into the dating pond again if my dating life concerns you so much.?
揟hat抯 not a joking matter.?
揇ad, if you抮e worried about me, stop seeing things that aren抰 there. You抣l only act suspicious and that, in turn, will make the Cavallaros suspicious and really get me in trouble.?
Dad sighed. I patted his shoulder. 揝top worrying so much. Get a life and live a little. I抣l be fine.?
It wasn抰 that I was unaware of the danger I was in. If Anna let something slip, I was dead. But Anna was clever. I trusted her to protect our secret. Not just because of me, but also because she wanted to avoid the backlash too.
Santino was even more nervous about my family抯 visit than me. Maybe he worried about me letting something slip but I抎 learned from an early age to put on a mask in public. Now I only used that talent to put on a mask for my family. That didn抰 mean I didn抰 feel guilty because I did, especially when I looked Mom and Dad in the eyes. But I had no other choice if I wanted to stay in Paris and protect Santino.
Maybe the lingering guilt was why I was glad when my family抯 visit in Paris was over and we all flew to Chicago. It felt strange being back home when so much had changed. The last few months in Paris had been freeing, exhilarating, and I抎 started to take this newfound freedom for granted. Back in Chicago with its limitations, I realized the freedom I抎 gotten drunk on would be taken from me in a few years. What Santino and I had in Paris was doomed.
I joined Dad in his office a couple of days after we抎 all arrived in Chicago.
Mom was already there as well, standing next to Dad by the window, and it looked as if they抎 been arguing. 揑抎 like to discuss your future with you,?Dad said calmly.
I抎 always assumed Mom and Dad would allow me to return to Paris for my second semester. They抎 never said the opposite, but Dad抯 words made me doubt it, and I was terrified. I didn抰 want to stay in Chicago, not yet. I wanted to live a little more, enjoy more time with Santino. He and I had barely seen each other in two weeks. We hadn抰 shared a single kiss, much less more. My body yearned for his closeness.
揙kay,?I said hesitantly. 揑 thought Santino and I would be returning to Paris after Bea抯 birthday in August??
Mom and Dad exchanged a look that made me increasingly nervous. Mom came toward me and touched my shoulder. 揑f that抯 what you want??
I nodded vehemently. 揙f course. Why wouldn抰 I? I love the city and my fashion studies. It抯 my dream come true.?
Mom touched my cheek briefly. 揧our father and I had concerns in the beginning, but we have to say you proved us wrong.?
揝till,?Dad said. 揚eople are starting to wonder where you are.?
揟hey know I抦 studying abroad. Don抰 they understand we have to keep it a secret for safety reasons??
揙h, they do,?Mom said with a shake of their head. 揑 think what concerns them more is that you抳e dropped from their gossip radar.?
I loved Mom抯 honesty. She hated how judgmental some people in our world were. She抎 been submitted to their cruel words at the start of her marriage to Dad too.