When I came downstairs in long black dress pants and a loose-fitting blouse tucked into my waistband, Cassio gave a pleased nod. I felt as if I was wearing a costume. The clothes were uncomfortable. They weren’t me.
“My men are waiting in my office to meet you.”
“What about Simona? Where is she?”
“With Sybil in the kitchen. After I’ve introduced you to your bodyguards, you need to get Daniele down here. He can’t stay in his room all day.”
“I need to go clothes shopping. Nothing fits him.”
“Then do that. Domenico and Elia will accompany you.”
With his hand on the small of my back, he led me down the corridor to a massive wooden door. As we passed the room Loulou was locked in, she barked, causing Cassio’s expression to tighten once more.
His office offered a stunning view of the gardens, beautifully kept as if they belonged to a mansion in the English countryside and not a family home. It didn’t look as if the garden was used at all. Two men sat in wide armchairs across from a sleek oak desk. Both rose the second Cassio and I entered the room. Cassio kept his hand on my back as he motioned at the older man. “This is Domenico.” The man looked to be in his sixties with short gray hair. He looked like he’d served in the military—straight back, perfectly ironed shirt, no-nonsense expression. “It’s a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Moretti.”
Mrs. Moretti. I glanced at Cassio, my husband. It hadn’t really sunk in yet, not really. “And this is Elia.” My gaze followed that of my husband’s, toward the second man, and he was the complete opposite of Domenico. For one, he was young. Mid-twenties tops. He had wavy light-brown hair that was loosely styled back. His clothes accentuated a muscled body, and his smile came quick. It was easy-going, almost charming, but still with the necessary respect.
“Nice to meet you.”
Cassio looked at me.
“Nice to meet you too,” I said quickly. I was surprised. Domenico was exactly how I’d expected my bodyguards to look, considering how jealous Cassio seemed to be. Elia definitely wasn’t. Maybe that explained why Cassio hadn’t wanted me to wear the miniskirt. Yet it seemed unlikely that he’d choose a man as my bodyguard he didn’t trust absolutely. Cassio thrived on control. He was sure of his power. Or maybe he wanted to confirm the extent of his control, and this was his test. Question was: whom was he testing? Elia or me.
Cassio left shortly after introducing me to my new bodyguards. I thought he might have breakfast with the children and me, but apparently he never did. He startled me when he bent down for a goodbye kiss. I didn’t think he was the type of man for public displays of affection, but maybe that kiss was meant to show dominance. Still, his lips on mine felt nice.
When the front door shut after him, I stood in the lobby, feeling a little lost. I could feel Elia’s and Domenico’s eyes on me as they hovered a few steps beside me, waiting for orders.
I was the mistress of this house now, responsible for two small children and a dog. Trying not to panic, I smiled at my bodyguards. A smile almost always saved the situation. “I’ll have breakfast with the children first. After that, we can go shopping. Would you like to join us for breakfast or do you have a room where you’d rather rest until I need your services.”
Domenico nodded. “There’s a guard house on the premises—”
“We’d like to join you for breakfast,” Elia interrupted him. Domenico frowned but didn’t say anything. Elia established eye contact with me. He was friendly and open. Domenico definitely had the surly bodyguard act down.
“All right. Why don’t you go ahead…” I trailed off. “Do you know where breakfast usually takes place?”
Elia smiled.
Domenico only shook his head.
I gave an embarrassed smile. “Okay then, I’ll head into the kitchen to find Sybil.”
Gaia used to eat in the dining room, but the room was too big, too formal for my taste. The kitchen, however, had a white country-house style with big windows and a long wooden table that showed traces of use.
Simona rolled around the kitchen in her baby walker while Sybil cooked a sort of breakfast bake with eggs and sausage. Simona eyed me critically, but she was busy turning colorful wheels on the tray at the front of her walker.
“Why don’t you go ahead and sit down while I get Daniele?” I said. Domenico and Elia sank down in the chairs at once.
“He doesn’t eat breakfast. He usually hides when I try to get him.”
Turning around to Sybil, I said, “I’ll get him down, don’t worry. Did you walk Loulou yet?”
“No, I never do. She’s got the box.”
“I’ll let her into the garden then until I have time to walk her later.”
Sybil turned to me, wide-eyed. “The master doesn’t want the dog in the garden.”
“He put Loulou there last night so he doesn’t seem to mind.”
“No, no. That was to punish the dog, but it’s not supposed to pee in the garden.”
“Well, that’s going to change now.” Elia and Domenico regarded me curiously. I gave them another smile before I headed upstairs.
I had a feeling I knew how to draw Daniele out of his room. When I stepped inside, he was gone. I didn’t find him in his mother’s old bedroom either, but I heard a sound from under the bed. “Daniele? I’m going to let Loulou out into the garden so she can run around a bit. Do you want to join us?”
I waited and after a couple of minutes, a dark-blond head poked out from under the bed. He scrambled to his feet and regarded me suspiciously, the tablet clutched to his chest.
I held out my hand. “Come. I’m sure Loulou can’t wait to see the garden.”
He didn’t take my hand, but he followed me downstairs. I stepped in front of him
