Page 77 of Sins of the Orchid

“You are not being babied. I gave you a job to do and you did it. You found the men that gave us answers. It is only because of you that we now know they want Amore and Savio too.”

“Exactly,” I exclaimed, pushing both hands through my hair. “And I got this new location for you. So, I deserve to go tonight. With you.”

It was past midnight and Santi had come back from a date. No fucking idea what woman could tolerate his grouchy, psycho killer ass during an entire date. Nobody smart, that’s for sure.

It was even more weird that he had a date. He usually fucked and left.

“If something happens to me, it falls on you to take over. You can’t do that if you get killed,” he growled. “Now stop throwing tantrums. You are not going and that is final.”

Motherfucker! I knew him well enough to know there was no changing his mind.

“What-fucking-ever.” Without another word, I turned around and fucking left him with Carrera and our cousin.

Whether he liked it or not, I’d get involved.

* * *

It was almost eight in the morning when I pulled up at the Bennetti residence. Hopping out of the car, I spotted Luigi.

“Where is Amore?”

“Still sleeping.”

I frowned. She was usually a morning person. Though her system might still be fucked up from the time change. Striding through the large manor, I took the stairs two at a time.

She flew back all this way for Pà’s funeral, and I had barely spent any time with her. I couldn’t believe he was gone. Some days, I still expected to see him in his chair. I had to move out of that fucking house and get my own place or something. Santi insisted I stay, but every time I turned around, I saw Pà.

I opened the door to her bedroom, and sure as shit, Amore was sound asleep. Her fancy bedroom in tones of gold was so opposite of mine. She always kept it in pristine order, not a single thing out of place except for her little creative corner.

Maria called me a pig. It was an exaggeration, of course. But who had time to put shit in its place. The only things that had a designated place in my world were guns and condoms. Everything else could go just about anywhere.

I placed the ice cream on the breakfast food tray that someone had left on her side table. I guess they couldn’t wake her up.

“Good morning, Sunshine!” I shouted at the top of my lungs.

Amore shot up, lost her balance, and fell right off the bed. I burst into a fit of laughter, seeing her body twisted on the floor. Her bright red hair was a mess and her sleepy eyes darted around like it was a fucking fireworks show.

The second her eyes landed on me, she glared. “What the fuck, Adriano?”

I threw myself on her bed and grinned. “What are you doing down there?”

“Looking for treasure, asshole.”

She climbed to her feet and pushed me off her spot, crawling back under the covers.

“I didn’t say you could go back to sleep.”

“I didn’t ask,” she muttered. “Why in the hell are you so happy this early?”

“You are leaving today, and I want to spend the morning with you. I know you have lunch with your dad and Grandma. But at least we can spend an hour or two together.” She made some ‘mmmm’noise, like she didn’t believe me. “I brought you ice cream,” I added.

Lazily opening one eye, she peeked at me. “Isn’t it kind of early for ice cream?”

“Didn’t you tell me it is never too early or too late for ice cream?”

A soft smile spread across her face, and she sat up, her covers sliding off her. “I did, huh?”

She wore a pink satin tank top and matching shorts. Amore was crazy about anything pink but insisted she couldn’t wear it because it made her look like a clown with her red hair. I thought she looked cute. Totally girly.