Page 66 of Pretty Plaything

Chapter 32

WHEN ALESSANDRO TELLSme he accepted a dinner invitation from my family, I’m surprised. But I’m not going to complain.

I miss my family. All I could get was a brief call a few days ago, but it’s been way too long now since I could really talk to them.

Alessandro holds my hand when we walk through the front door of the house where I used to live.

My mom rushes to me first, wrapping her arms tightly around me. She looks me up and down, her gaze focusing on my burgundy dress.

“You look wonderful,” she says, placing her hand on my cheek. “It’s like you’re glowing.”

I don’t know what to say to so many compliments from her that actually sound honest, so I just give her a smile.

My father approaches next, winding his arms around me.

“Honey,” he says. “Is your husband treating you well?”

I glance at Alessandro over my shoulder. He’s smiling, completely confident that I’m not going to tell anyone that he kept me in his sex dungeon.

And he’s right.

“Yeah, Dad,” I say.

My brothers pretty much surround me like a group of bears. They pull me into their arms, and it takes me a while to disentangle from all of them.

It feels so good to be back, even if not all my memories of this house are nice. It used to be my prison, but my home too.

Once we’re all seated around the huge table in the dining room, it’s like I never left. There’s so much noise as everyone tries to talk about something.

My dad discusses business with Alessandro. Rico and Leo are bickering about something. My mom fusses over a drop of wine that fell on her cream dress.

Watching them like this is strangely peaceful, even if it’s in reality anything but.

My mom places her hand over mine. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too, Mom.” Despite our differences over some things, she’s still my mom.

She’s still the same person who read me stories every night when I was a kid and who would stay with me in bed if I had a nightmare.

“Your brothers are insufferable,” she says with a groan.

“What did they do, aside from being themselves?”

“Fabio thinks he’s in love with some girl.”

“Oh. Who is she?”

“He met her at a bar.” My mom shakes her head. “She’s going to college, and she has no clue who we are. And your father already has someone in mind for him, but Fabio doesn’t want to hear of it. I don’t know what to do. Rico and Leo are on Fabio’s side. Ciro and Santiago think Fabio should marry the girl your father chose.”

“Um, okay. That sounds messy.” I didn’t get a choice, but maybe Fabio should.

Only, if his girlfriend doesn’t know who and what he is, that’s going to be a huge problem.

“Oh, it is.” My mom sighs. “I swear your brothers will send me to an early grave.”

“Don’t say that. It’s going to be fine. Dad will take care of it.” I glance at my father.