Savage Pride

12

All of us kids used to play together when we were young, though I was closer to the boys than Gia or Grace. She wasn’t as affected by Zeno’s transformation, but she consoled me through bouts of tears and knows what I went through. She knows about our years of awkward encounters and my endless frustrations, and unlike Gia, Grace will offer to help me spike his coffee with a laxative rather than lecture me about being understanding. “And?” she prods. “He would have incinerated me from existence if he could have. I just don’t get it. He looks at me like I killed his dog and hung its severed head on my wall, and every time we’re together, he finds a way to point out my family is nothing but staff. At this point, it’s hard for me to deny his arrogance. All I can figure is that he’s worried someone might think he has a relationship with the help.” “What an ass.” “No kidding. If he’s worried about me crushing on him, he’s got another thing coming. I wouldn’t date him if he was the last man on earth. Not after the way he’s behaved over the years.” We emerge at the waterfront and slow our pace to admire the sweeping view. “Fortunately, you don’t have to put up with him for long. Once you’re back in the city, you can do whatever you want.” Her voice was edged with nervous excitement. “Are you still considering moving?” She bites her full bottom lip and nods. “I’ve crunched all the numbers, and it may take me a bit longer to finish saving the money, but I think I can do it. The biggest hurdle is the initial cost of getting over there and finding a job, but I’m almost ready. If I’d been better about saving over the years, I would already be hunting for apartments. Oh, well.” I clap my hands and jump with excitement surging up inside me like little champagne bubbles. “Oh, Gracie. I’m so excited for you! Anything you need, just let me know. I’ll help you move or whatever you need.” “Don’t get too excited yet. It’ll still be a while, but it’s in the works.” The tightness in her smile and the glimmer of nerves in her eyes speak to how desperately she wants this new adventure and how anxious she is about making it happen. Grace and I are both twenty-seven years old. If I were her, I’d be itching to get out of my parents’ house as well. I take her hand in mine and squeeze. “You’ll make it happen, Grace. I know you will.” “Thanks, honey. Your support means the world to me.” “Of course, I support you! Now, we better head back to the house. I’ll need to head to Hardwick soon.” I roll my eyes and sigh dramatically. Grace giggles. “You better keep me posted on how that goes. I want to hear all about it.” When we get back to her parents’ house, the sun has risen up over the trees, and her dad is standing out front talking with Carter and Zeno beside a fancy four-wheel-drive golf cart. All three men are casually dressed, which would otherwise be unremarkable had I seen Zeno in anything other than a suit since we were children. He looks like a corporate Grecian god when suited in sleek Armani, but formfitting jeans sculpted to his corded thighs are equally as mesmerizing, maybe even more so because of the rarity of its occurrence. A good three-piece suit may be the equivalent of sexy lingerie for men, but the gentle drape of a soft cotton shirt molded over muscle should never be discounted. The sight of a casual Zeno De Rossi threatens to scramble my brain. It’s fortunate I have absolutely no interest in him because the sight of so much masculine perfection might stir up a girl’s hormones. Not me. Only righteous indignation here. Woman scorned and something about wrath. Yeah. That’s it. “What did your dad just say?” I whisper to Grace. She eyes me curiously as we approach the men. “He said he wondered where we’d gotten off to. You okay?” “Yeah. Shh.” I grin and swath myself in feminine grace. “Hello, gentlemen. Is there something we can help you with?” Mr. Larson waves his hand. “Not at all. Mr. De Rossi here was going to borrow some chairs and tables for the wake tonight, but they’re in storage. I’m about to have a look at what condition they’re in.” “It appears the rental company we contacted double-booked,” Zeno explains. “Now, we’re shy some seating.” “It won’t be a problem, Z,” Carter assures him. “We’ll get the chairs all cleaned up and brought over. You don’t need to worry about a thing.” “Absolutely,” Mr. Larson agrees. “I’ve got it covered. You can head on back. I’m sure you have plenty of other arrangements to be made.” Then the older man turns back to me. “I hear you’re helping out as well, Luisa. I’ll bet that’s a big relief for your mom.” “It is, and she’s probably wondering where I’m at, so I better get to the house.” I give a parting smile and start to turn. “No reason to walk. Mr. De Rossi is headed that way. Surely, he wouldn’t mind giving you a ride.” Zeno’s gaze collides with mine. My heart stumbles, skipping over beats and rushing blood to my face. It takes every ounce of my composure to formulate a coherent response. “Thank you, but the walk will do me good.” My eyes stay locked with Zeno’s, neither of us willing to withdraw. “The temperature is already rising,” Z points out in a low rumble. “If you’re out for long, you’ll burn.” “I appreciate your concern, but I’d say the heat is far less abrasive than a jostling ride in a cart. But thank you for the offer.” With my parting jab at his own heartless words, I sever our connection and turn to Grace. “I’ll see you later.” His hostile stare burns at my back as I walk into the knee-high grass. I can’t believe what I’ve done—thrown his words back at him like an armed grenade. He’ll know now that I overheard him, assuming he cares enough to remember what he said. Would that bother him? I haven’t the slightest clue where Zeno is concerned. All I know is that I stood up for myself, and the resulting high has me convinced I could conquer the world.