“We’ll deal with that problem when we get back,” Constantine bit out, then motioned for the door.
Instead of following them out, I went over to the window and set a palm to the glass, my thoughts racing. I still couldn’t grasp the idea someone Bianca knew would want to hurt her. But I’d never thought Thomas would come after me, either, and . . .
“People in love do crazy things,” I said at the memory of my words earlier to Maria about her ex. “Did you love someone, Bianca?” And if so, why’d they want to kill you?
TWENTY-TWO
Maria
The dining room table was covered in platters and dishes, and everything smelled amazing. Not that I could take credit for anything other than the salad. I was pretty sure Mrs. Costa didn’t trust my culinary skills.
At the feel of a warm body behind me, I closed my eyes, knowing it was Enzo. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me tight to his frame, setting his chin on top of my head. “You okay?”
I wasn’t sure how much time we had alone before everyone joined us, so I shared my wine-induced thoughts. “Your mom hates me.”
“No way. She loves you.” He was quick to respond, but he wasn’t in the kitchen while his mom had given me the third degree, and I’d nearly caved to the pressure and shared the real reason we were in New York.
“All I know is that she doesn’t want me with you.” Not that she said that, but that’d been the vibe.
He turned me around and snatched my cheeks. “She doesn’t want me with you, that’s the issue. You’re a Romano, remember? My parents promised to protect you and Natalia. That’s all. And she thinks I’ll break your heart.” Worry lines cut across his forehead, and then he frowned. “My sister thinks the same.”
“She told you that?” I lifted my brows in surprise.
He let go of me and backed away, his eyes going to the entranceway as if checking to ensure we were still alone. “I came to see you earlier, and I overheard her talking to you. She doesn’t think I love her.”
Before I could respond, Isabella and her boyfriend came into the room, along with Mrs. Costa. “Looks like your dad will be late. He said to eat without him.”
Enzo let go of a deep, gruff breath. He must’ve been eager to talk to his father and let him know what was going on. Given his father’s past, maybe he could help.
“This is Pablo,” Isabella introduced him, and Pablo stepped forward, taking a bit too long in admiring my dress, and before I knew it, Enzo stepped around me, blocking my view of Isabella’s boyfriend.
“Your ears aren’t the only thing you’re in danger of losing,” Enzo sharply warned, and Isabella grabbed Pablo’s arm.
“He’s an artist. He’s just admiring beauty, and Maria is stunning.” Isabella’s excuse didn’t seem to do anything for Enzo, so I came by his side and gave Enzo a gentle nudge, hoping to redirect his focus.
“My girl is right.” Pablo smiled. “She’s an understanding woman. I paint women in the nude all the time. It’s just art.” He held open his palms as his gaze took a slow journey over my body again. “I’d love to—”
“If you say you want to paint Maria, I’ll fucking kill you,” Enzo remarked in a low, cutting voice.
“Enzo,” Isabella snapped. “Seriously? Why do you have to be such a dick?” She released Pablo’s arm and left the dining room, and their mom held up her hand, probably a directive to Enzo not to follow her. Not that Enzo would leave me alone with Pablo.
Isabella’s mom went after her, and Pablo’s shoulders shrank without his girlfriend there to protect him, and he stepped back—right into a wall of three other intimidating men.
Startled, Pablo turned to see Constantine, Alessandro, and Hudson there.
“What’s wrong?” Hudson was the first to ask, and he turned to the side, his attention lingering in the direction Isabella had run.
I walked my fingers up and down Enzo’s spine, hoping to calm him. He was wound tight for so many reasons, and the artist was about to get the brunt of all his anger.
“He wants to paint Maria naked,” Enzo said as Pablo twisted back around to face him.
“I’ll paint you both. I don’t care. A beautiful body is a beautiful body.” Pablo’s tone was borderline panic now. “Your sister lacks curves. Not much up top, either, if you know what I mean.” He held open his palms, eyes set on my chest as if he were considering touching me. Was the man insane?
And that had Enzo snapping. He reached out and circled Pablo’s throat with his hand.
“Let him go,” Constantine abruptly ordered, and it took Alessandro and Hudson prying Enzo away from Pablo to get Enzo to listen.
“You can’t choke every man who looks at me,” I reminded Enzo, then peered at Pablo as he held his throat. “But you are kind of an asshole. And Isabella deserves better.” I stepped forward. “So,” I began, nearly snarling, and my protective instincts kicked in, “if you don’t want these guys killing you in your sleep tonight, I suggest you apologize to Isabella and then leave.”
Pablo backed up, bumping into Alessandro, who did some ridiculous but cute kind of growl, and then Pablo took off after Isabella.
Enzo spun me around, clearly not giving a damn we weren’t alone, pinning me against his chest. His brows slanted as he held the sides of my arms. “What you said . . . that was hot as fuck.” Then he bent forward and captured my lips with a searing kiss.
But seconds later, his mother interrupted our moment. “Lorenzo Costa, what do you think you’re doing?”
Enzo took his sweet time peeling his mouth away from mine, and then he released my arms to face her. “Is Izzy okay?” he asked instead of acknowledging his mother’s question, and I knew my cheeks had to match my dress.
“I highly doubt it, since from the sounds of it, Pablo is threatening to break up with her because of her crazy family.” She cut her hands in the air and began yelling at him in Italian.
Hudson looked at me and shrugged, and oh . . . Hudson. It just dawned on me we’d yet to say hi, and the last time I saw him was in his office where we’d been exchanging banter six years ago before Enzo had kicked him out.
He nodded a small hello as if registering the same thought himself, and then he tipped his head to the side, suggesting we leave since this seemed to be a family fight.
We stepped out onto a balcony just off the dining room, and I spied two guards down below, walking the perimeter of the property near the water.
“You remember me?” I asked Hudson as he grabbed hold of the railing, and his eyes went to the cloudy sky that hid the last bit of sunlight as night loomed in the distance.
“I do.” He looked at me from over his shoulder. “I also know you’re the woman who’s been driving Enzo nuts the last two years in Charlotte.”
“Have I now?” I chuckled. “Why do I feel like that’s a guess? I doubt Enzo would tell anyone that.” Well, would he?
“They’re Constantine’s words. But Enzo talks to his brothers regularly.”
Oh. I wasn’t sure why I was surprised by that. Maybe it was the fact he never told me they had heart-to-heart talks like I did with Natalia.
“Sorry about your ex. I heard he was the cause for this morning’s scare.” He let go of the railing, fully facing me.
“Yeah, I’m still not sure how to wrap my head around that. He’s my daughter’s father, but you saw Enzo with Pablo just now . . . I don’t know what he’ll do to—”
“He won’t. I’m sure he wants to, though,” he cut me off. “But hurting your daughter’s father would hurt your daughter. And from what Constantine’s said, Enzo loves that little girl like she’s his own. He’d never do anything to hurt her. Or you.”
I wanted to believe him. But did he not see just how quickly Enzo had gone overboard in choking Pablo?
“Pablo deserved that,” Hudson said, and I was beginning to wonder if I was truly that easy to read. Did I have a thought bubble over my head? “Pablo’s on something. High as a kite.”
“Wait, really? How could you tell?”
“Pupils blown and stupidly honest.”
Right. Wow. “Well, I suppose he did more than meditate in the pool house.”