Page 43 of Ruined By Blood (Feretti Syndicate #2)

Z oe's arm drapes around my shoulders as we climb the stairs, her touch gentle but steady. Lucrezia leads the way, her dark hair swinging with each step.

"You must be exhausted," Lucrezia says, glancing back at me with concern in her eyes. "We can talk in my room. It's more comfortable than the guest suites."

I nod, unable to find words.

We get in Lucrezia's bedroom and she gestures toward a plush seating area near the window. I sink into a velvet armchair, my legs suddenly too weak to hold me.

"Do you want tea? Water? Something stronger?" Zoe asks, perching on the arm of a nearby loveseat.

"Just water," I whisper. My throat feels raw, like I've been screaming, though I don't remember making a sound.

Lucrezia pours water from a crystal carafe on her nightstand and hands me the glass.

The water tastes clean and cool. I focus on the sensation as it slides down my throat, anchoring myself to this small physical reality.

"Your brother is..." I trail off, unsure how to finish the sentence. Terrifying? Beautiful?

"A force of nature?" Zoe supplies with a small smile. "Trust me, I understand. The Feretti men are overwhelming."

"I still can't believe you got your mother back," Lucrezia says, settling into the loveseat beside Zoe.

I nod knowing that she is genuinely happy for us.

Silence falls between us. I feel their eyes on me, waiting for more, but words stick in my throat. How do I explain what it feels like to have your entire world upended in a matter of weeks?

"You don't have to talk about it," Lucrezia says finally. "Not if you're not ready."

Her kindness breaks something loose inside me. "I don't know how to feel," I admit. "Part of me wants to run back to my mother. Part of me wants to see my father suffer. And part of me..." I swallow hard. "Part of me just wants to stay here, with him."

"Is that crazy? After everything that's happened?" I ask.

Lucrezia leans forward. "Sometimes the safest place is with the most dangerous person in the room."

"I just..." I take a deep breath. "I love being here. With all of you. It feels like..." I struggle to find the right words.

"Family?" Zoe suggests.

Tears prick at my eyes. "I don't even know what that means anymore. But yes, I think so. "

Lucrezia reaches over and squeezes my hand. "Then stay. For as long as you need. Forever, if you want."

I take a deep breath, determined to shift the heaviness in the room. "Zoe, how's your pregnancy going? You're... four months along now, right?"

Zoe's face lights up immediately, her hand instinctively moving to rest on her small bump. "Almost five months now, actually. Everything's going well—the morning sickness finally stopped last week, thank God."

"That's wonderful," I say, genuinely interested. Something about new life feels like a balm after all the darkness.

"I can't wait to meet her," Zoe says, her eyes softening. "Or him. We decided not to find out."

"Damiano must be excited," I venture.

Zoe laughs, the sound warm and genuine. "Excited doesn't begin to cover it. He's already talking about building a security detail for the baby. Can you imagine? Armed guards around a crib?"

Lucrezia rolls her eyes. "My brother is ridiculous. Both of them are."

"What about names?" I ask, eager to keep this normal conversation going. "Have you thought about?—"

A firm knock interrupts us. The door opens, and Enzo fills the frame, his broad shoulders nearly touching both sides. His eyes find me immediately, like he doesn't even see the others in the room.

"There you are," he says, his voice a deep rumble that sends a shiver down my spine.

"Here I am," I answer softly.

Enzo's gaze sweeps over me, assessing. "You need rest," he states, not a question but a declaration. "It's been a long day. "

"We were just having a girl talk," Lucrezia protests. "You can't just barge in and?—"

"It's okay," I interrupt, already standing. My body aches for sleep, for quiet, for him. "He's right, I am tired."

Zoe gives me a knowing look. "We'll talk more tomorrow."

Enzo waits for me at the door, his hand extended. I take it, feeling his warm fingers curl around mine.

"Goodnight," I call over my shoulder.

Lucrezia waves. "Sleep well. Both of you."

In the hallway, Enzo slows his pace to match mine. I can feel tension radiating from him, coiled energy barely contained beneath his calm exterior.

When we reach his bedroom door, Enzo pushes it open and steps aside to let me enter first.

The door clicks shut behind us. For a moment, we just stand there, looking at each other in the dim light.

"I need a shower," I say finally, breaking the silence. My skin feels grimy with the residue of my father's house, his hands, his threats.

Enzo's lips curve into a slow smile, tension melting from his shoulders. "Funny," he says, his voice dropping to that low, intimate tone that makes my stomach flip. "I was thinking the same thing."

I raise an eyebrow, pretending I don't catch his meaning. "Were you now?"

"Mmm." He steps closer, his fingers tracing a path from my wrist to my elbow. "Seems wasteful to use the water twice. Environmental concerns and all that."

I bite my lip to hold back a smile. "Very thoughtful of you. I didn't realize the Ferettis were so eco-conscious. But you keep reminding me of that."

"Oh, we're very..." his eyes darken as they sweep over me, "...conscious of many things."

Despite everything, heat blooms low in my belly. "I don't know," I say, feigning reluctance. "I might just want to be alone."

"No," Enzo says simply, his thumb brushing over my pulse point. "You don't."

The certainty in his voice sends a thrill racing up my spine. He knows me, sees through my pretense.

"Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?" I challenge, even as I step closer to him.

"When it comes to you?" His eyes lock with mine. "I'm learning to be."

I hold his gaze for a long moment, then deliberately turn away. Without looking back, I pull my top over my head and let it drop to the floor. My bra follows, then I shimmy out of my pants, acutely aware of his eyes on my every move.

I pad toward the bathroom, completely naked now. Just before I reach the doorway, I hear his sharp intake of breath.

"Christ, Sienna," Enzo's voice is strained. "The view you're giving me right now..."

I pause, glancing over my shoulder to find him staring at my bare backside, his eyes hungry and dark. "You like it?" Not really knowing how that confidence comes out of me.

"Absolutely," he growls, already unbuttoning his shirt as he follows me into the bathroom. "Every fucking inch of you."