By Fate I Conquer (Sins of the Fathers #4)(21)

“Mia cara?” Dad’s quiet voice filtered through the whooshing in my head. I peered up, realizing that we were alone. He touched my cheek. “You’re cold. Take a hot bath.”

“Momo’s missing.”

Dad’s mouth tightened with disapproval. He didn’t like Momo very much. Though that had less to do with Momo and more with the fact that Dad disliked many things, humans and animals alike.

“If we haven’t found him by the time you’re done taking your bath, you can join in the search, but now I want you to warm up.”

If Dad demanded something, I knew he wouldn’t budge. I nodded. “Where are Nevio and Massimo?”

Usually, my brother stuck to my side, especially in situations like this. That he wasn’t here meant Dad had ordered him to stay away. Probably because of Amo, if Alessio was right.

“Helping your Mom wrangle Giulio into submission until I have time to talk to him.”

“Did he trigger the alarm?”

“Who else?” Savio muttered as he returned to the common room, followed by Alessio and Nino. I assumed they’d let out Amo and his father. I felt a pang when I realized I hadn’t even said goodbye to Amo. Would he return tomorrow?

I felt myself wishing for it.

Savio smirked. “Now that Nevio goes bump in the night, Giulio took over his spot as the residual trouble maker.”

“He’s only six. He’s not always going to cause trouble,” I said, feeling protective of my little brother.

“Take a bath now. We’ll look for the dog,” Dad said.

“Which one?” Savio asked. “If I have to look for that ugly beast, I’m not wearing my new Balenciaga sneakers.”

“He’ll go for your throat not your sneakers,” Alessio said, one corner of his mouth edging up.

“It’s not Bear, it’s Momo.”

“You should have never allowed her to bring the beasts into the house,” Savio said.

“I didn’t,” Dad said with a reproachful look at me.

“Momo was in the studio with me, and Bear’s locked in my room.”

“That he is. Nice surprise when I tried to check on you,” Nevio drawled as he stalked into the room. His left forearm was covered in blood but because he wore leather wrist cuffs, I couldn’t see the extent of his injuries. In three long strides, he was in front of me. Our eyes locked.

“You didn’t kill him, did you?” I whispered, my voice trembling.

“That dog tried to rip him to shreds and you worry about a rabid beast,” Alessio muttered.

I ignored the remark. Nevio knew that I’d die if something happened to him, but Nevio was Nevio, and even Bear couldn’t stand a chance against him.

“I only hurt it enough to get it off me,” he said quietly. I knew what Nevio was, knew he didn’t need much incentive to kill. That he didn’t kill Bear though he’d attacked him was only because of me. Sometimes it felt as if I was holding Nevio’s darkness by the leash and if I ever let go…I didn’t want to think about it.

He took my hand. “Come.” He pulled me along.

“Momo,” I said over my shoulder.

“We’ll find it,” Dad said.

Nevio didn’t slow, pulling me upstairs and into my room. My eyes fell on Bear who lay beside the bed. Nevio had bound his leash to the bed post. His tail began wagging when he spotted me. I went over to him and rubbed his maw like he loved.

“If that thing ever as much as growls at you, I’ll kill it, no matter what you say,” Nevio said, coming to a stop beside me. Bear stopped wagging and peered up at my brother but didn’t react otherwise. Whatever Nevio had done, had intimidated Bear for the time being.

“He would never do that,” I said fiercely.

Nevio looked into my eyes. “You put too much trust in dangerous creatures.”

I raised my eyebrows, but his expression became wary and darker. “Alessio told me you were locked in a cell with Vitiello.”

I rose to my feet and moved toward the bathroom. For some reason, I was reluctant to have this conversation with Nevio. Maybe because Alessio’s words replayed in my head.

I didn’t want to lie to my brother, but I knew I had to.

“Let me draw a bath and get in, then we can talk.”

Nevio stayed in my bedroom while I turned the water on and got undressed. I put a generous amount of bubble bath into the water until a thick layer of foam covered the water surface, then I slipped in, hissing as my skin began to prickle from the heat.

“Greta?”

“I’m fine. You can come in.”

Nevio slipped in and closed the door then he perched on the closed toilet lid, his body angled my way. He leaned his forearms on his thighs, his mouth briefly twitching in what looked like discomfort. I glanced at his bloody arm.

“You should have that treated.”

“Tell me everything he said, everything he did. Don’t leave anything out.”

“He didn’t do anything, Nevio.”

“Let me be the judge,” he said with a hard undertone. “No offense, but you wouldn’t know if he did something.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I’m not a stupid child.”

“No, you aren’t, but your kindness and innocence make you entirely unequipped to deal with someone like Amo Vitiello.”