Twisted Bonds (The Camorra Chronicles 4)

Feeling bad, I decided to make it up to Fabiano. “Are you hungry? I could bake us muffins. They won’t take long.”

Forty minutes later I pulled a tray of triple chocolate muffins with a cheesecake filling from the oven.

“They smell amazing,” Fabiano said.

“They’re still pretty hot. We can risk a bite anyway.” I took out three plates.

Fabiano motioned at one of them. “I can’t let you go up to Serafina. Nino made that quite clear.”

Sighing, I put a muffin on each plate, then put one of them to the side so Remo could take it up to Serafina later. Two plates in hand I headed over to the table and sat across from Fabiano. “I hope you like it.”

Fabiano dug in immediately. “Perfect.”

“It’s strange that we’re sitting at this table, eating muffins, when we were raised to hate the Camorra. But we both found a family here.”

Fabiano regarded me. “To be honest, I felt pity for you in the beginning. Even before I knew what happened to you, I thought living under a roof with the Falcones would be the end for a girl like you.”

“Did you think they’d abuse me?”

“No, I thought they wouldn’t know what to do with you. Dealing with someone with your past takes patience I didn’t think Remo or Savio possessed. Nino yes, but he doesn’t feel emotions, so that’s a big problem.”

“They’ve all been trying in their own way, and I feel like it’s getting better every day.”

“They see you as family now, so you’ve won.”

I bit my lower lip, wondering if it was true. Nino, of course, but the rest of them? I wanted nothing more than to be part of their family.

We were still in the kitchen when Remo, Adamo and Nino returned. Nino immediately scanned me from head to toe, which led to Fabiano rolling his eyes and saying. “She’s in one piece.”

Nino came over, bent low and kissed my ear. “Are you all right?”

I nodded. “I made muffins. They’re still warm.”

I looked to Adamo who appeared a bit pale. “You should eat one. The chocolate will make you feel better, trust me, and I didn’t make them very sweet.”

I stood, headed over to the tray and scooped four muffins onto the plates, then handed them to each man. Remo cocked his eyebrow.

“You know I hate sweet things.”

“Maybe you haven’t had the right kind of sweet yet?”

Not waiting for his reply, I moved on to Adamo and gave him the plate. His forearm was wrapped with a bandage. “How did it go?” I asked softly.

“Okay,” he said with a hint of relief. Maybe he’d come to terms with everything now that he was initiated.

I handed the last two plates to Nino and Fabiano. “Where’s Savio?”

“With two whores,” Nino said, and I nodded. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Remo and Nino both only ate half of their treats, and I finished Nino’s then stopped Remo from throwing away his. I took the half-eaten muffin and took a huge bite.

“You realize I bit into that before.”

“And now I’m biting into it. That’s what muffins are for.”

Remo shook his head. For once his face didn’t hold the scary harshness it usually did.

“And you say you don’t like sweet things, Remo,” Fabiano said in a teasing voice.

Remo and he exchanged a look I didn’t understand.

“You’re full of shit, Fabiano.”

CHAPTER 4

KIARA

On Remo’s request early the next day I went clothes shopping for Serafina. Nino was busy visiting a drug lab in the suburb to discuss new designer drugs and Remo hated shopping, which left Savio with the task of playing babysitter.

He was munching on one of the muffins when he swung himself behind the wheel of his Ferrari. “If you’re bored, I wouldn’t mind if you bake again.”

I smiled, happy that they all enjoyed my cooking when in the past I’d barely had the chance to try my hand at it. “What’s your favorite?”

“Red velvet.”

“Then I’ll make those next.”

Savio tore his eyes away from the traffic to give me a curious look but didn’t say anything.

“You have to turn right there.”

“I know Vegas by heart, don’t worry.”

“Even boutiques?”

“I like nice clothes.”

I tilted my head in agreement. Savio was always impeccably dressed and styled.

He said, “Your new style works better for you, by the way.”

I flushed, glancing down at myself. I’d chosen a red off-shoulder summer dress with white dots that ended above my knees. “Because of the red?”

“That and you’re not hiding your body anymore. With curves like yours, it was a fucking shame to hide them under those wide dresses.”

I laughed uncertainly.

“Don’t worry. I’m not coming on to you,” he said with a smirk. “Nino would chop my balls to pieces like a Tataki master. And you’re like a little sister to me. I’m not that kinky.”

My cheeks burned, causing Savio to chuckle and shake his head after catching a glance at me. He said, “That you can still blush like that living under a roof with my brothers and me…”