“Thanks for thinking of that, though I had no worries on that score. Your family’s reputation is above par. I couldn’t be happier for my daughter to become close to yours. Maybe they can help break her out of her shell.”
“That’s a possibility. I hear you have another daughter at home.”
“My stepdaughter Victoria, yes.”
“I hope it’s not a problem that the girls haven’t included her. Truth is, they’re not usually allowed to hang around with kids that are much older than they are, but since your daughter is their new tutor and they’ve taken a liking to her, their mother and I didn’t object.” Not exactly true, but close enough, they just never brought anyone home that was much older.
“Oh, not at all; Victoria has her own group of friends, she’ll be fine. I understand, your daughters are what, fifteen? Why would she want to hang around with them at her age?”
“Excellent. Now that that’s out of the way, I hear you’re a financier…” That conversation went on for as long as I wanted it to before we said our goodbyes. My job as a father is never-ending. When it’s not one thing with these kids, it’s another.
I knew when my daughters tag-teamed me last night after talking to their brother that they were up to something. I didn’t need to know anything more than that they didn’t want this other kid around, who they seem to have taken a strong disliking to.
Now I have to sit here and talk to this guy when I have more pressing shit to do. One good thing to come out of all this is the fact that my son seems preoccupied with the whole mess, which means he’s not obsessing over the other.
Last time I checked, his grandfather had given him a list with all the names of the heads of the families in Sicily. Of course, he doesn’t know why the boy was asking, but I have a pretty good idea. I just need to get in front of this thing before he makes a move, one that he might regret.
GABRIEL
I picked her up from class for lunch as promised, forgetting the shit show that it would be. “Get your sketchbook, and let’s go.” She walked us back to her locker, where she kept it and still hadn’t said a word to me. At least she remembered to keep her head up and not down as if she were counting the tiles.
Lance was already seated at a table alone, waiting, which is what I’d told him to do. No one would dare sit with him in case I showed up, and it was the best table in the room, according to him. Fuck I know, this is only my second time coming into this place, and both times were for her. “Why are you standing there? Grab what you want to eat.”
The other idiot kids got out of the way and stood around staring like I was some sort of an enigma, which was making her nervous. A good stare was enough to remind them of why they were here, and they got their shit together and went about their business, ignoring mine. She grabbed an apple and a salad while I turned my nose up at the offerings under the chafing dishes.
“Is that all you’re having?”
“Yeah, if I eat too much at lunch, I’m tired the rest of the day.” I nodded my head in understanding and led her to the table as the twins who start lunch about five minutes behind her grade were coming in. They made a beeline for us with a couple of their friends in tow.
I could read their plays; I most certainly wrote the playbook, in fact. Because I’ve taught them everything I know, from fencing and martial arts, to reading ancient thesis on war and life, we pretty much think alike. The only difference is my sisters have no chill.
They quite frankly don’t give a fuck and show it while I keep who I am well hidden. For this reason, they’re a bit overprotective. Now that they’ve got it into their heads that she’s of interest to me, I could almost feel sorry for Victoria and anyone else who stands in their way.
Introductions were made, and I watched Gianna fight not to go back into her shell. “Relax, with me here; no one would dare.” I didn’t mean to let my lips touch her ear when I whispered the words to her and was almost certain she hadn’t noticed until I saw her shiver and heard the sharp intake of breath.
I barely prevented myself from pulling back in shock and had enough control to ease back in my seat as if that didn’t just happen. What the hell was that? I stared at the side of her head for a minute too long, saw the red flush on her cheek, and swallowed around the growing lump in my throat.