Sweet Temptation(30)

Giulia winced as if I’d slapped her. She turned, walked out, and silently closed the door.

I rocked, watching my daughter who looked wide awake. This would be another sleepless night.




Simona had eventually fallen asleep so I was able to catch two hours of sleep before my alarm rang at six. Groaning, feeling bone-tired, I straightened in bed. Giulia sat up too. Just like after our first night together, her eyes were puffy from crying. Maybe our bond was doomed the same way my bond with Gaia had been.

“Good morning,” she said, tugging a strand of hair behind her ear and straightening her bangs. “I didn’t hear you come to bed.”

“It was late. Simona wouldn’t fall asleep.”

Giulia bit her lip. “Sybil’s going to be here today, right?”

I nodded. “You don’t have to worry. You won’t have to be alone with my children yet. Sybil will show you how to take care of them until you know what to do. But Sybil’s main job is to clean and cook.”

“Okay,” she said softly.

“I’m going to get ready. Your bodyguards are coming over at seven so I can introduce you before I leave for work.”

“Are they your late wife’s bodyguards?”

Fury burned in my chest. “No.” Which was mostly the truth.

Giulia got out of bed, but her eyes were on me. “When will you be home tonight?”

“I don’t know.” I headed into the bathroom and closed the door. The hot shower did nothing to dissipate the heavy sense of exhaustion.

While Giulia got ready, I dressed in my usual three-piece suit before I headed to Daniele’s room. As expected, he wasn’t inside. I found him on Gaia’s bed, still in his PJs, staring down at his tablet. “Daniele, you know you aren’t supposed to be in here.”

He didn’t react, except for rounding in his small shoulders and jutting out his chin. I went over to him and picked him up. He squirmed in my hold, but I didn’t set him down.

“It’s enough,” I snapped. My patience was running thin after last night.

He only struggled harder. My chest tightened in a mix of despair and frustration. “Daniele, stop it now!”

He froze and so did Giulia, who was watching from her spot in the doorway to our bedroom.

Simona began wailing in her room. Seconds later, the dog began barking up a storm downstairs. I stopped and for a moment, sure I’d lose it. Swallowing hard, I went over to Giulia and set Daniele down in front of her.

“Get him dressed and don’t allow him to spend all day on the tablet. I’ll take care of Simona.” I didn’t wait for her reply.

Turning my back on her and my son’s accusing little face, I headed to my daughter. Once in her room, I rested my forehead against the cool door for a couple of heartbeats before finally I felt in a state of mind to console my little girl.





I stood frozen, staring down at the little boy. What had just happened? Daniele had struggled against Cassio’s grip as if he was terrified of him. And for a moment, Cassio had appeared as if he was on the verge of losing control.

Loulou kept barking downstairs, but Simona quieted eventually, probably because Cassio had taken her out of her crib. Remembering last night’s mess, I squared my shoulders and squatted before the little boy.

“Hello, Daniele. I’m Giulia.”

Daniele looked at me with miserable milk-chocolate-brown eyes. His caramel-blond hair was a tousled mess and even looked knotted in places, as if it hadn’t been combed properly in a long time.

“How about we get you ready for the day?”

He didn’t react, only stared. My stomach tightened. This kid was hurting. His mother had died only a few months ago, and his dad was obviously overwhelmed by the situation. I didn’t know what had happened, didn’t know the extent of Daniele’s trauma, but it was obvious that he needed help. He looked thin too.

I straightened and held out my hand. “Will you show me to your room?”

Nothing. He looked down at the tablet clutched in his hand and turned it on. A sort of game with colorful balloons popped up. I didn’t want to forcefully carry him into his room like Cassio might have done. That wouldn’t help me getting the boy’s trust.

“Daniele, please, help me? I’m new here and I need you to show me your room. Will you help me?” I waited with extended hand.

Daniele didn’t take my hand or look up from the tablet, but he moved toward his room. I followed him inside. He sank down on his bed, the tablet on his lap.

Looking around, I spotted a wardrobe on the right side. Everything was in neutral tones: the walls, furniture, rugs—except for the colorful stuffed toy dinosaurs on the shelves and on his bed. I’d have to do something about that. In my research about children, I’d found images of beautiful hand drawings for nurseries.

After some rummaging, I finally found a pair of jean pants and a sweatshirt. Most of the clothes inside the drawers were for warmer temperatures and most of the winter clothes that I’d found looked too small for Daniele. I headed back to him and knelt down in front of him, tilting my head to see his face. He was focused on the screen, but briefly his lashes fluttered up. “Can you dress yourself?”

I didn’t know when kids learned things like that. When Daniele didn’t react, I reached for his tablet. He let out an enraged cry and turned away. “Daniele, we need to get you dressed.”