“Related how?” Pepper asked. “I read the file on Cheng. He seems very alpha, and he definitely is older than Zhu by several years.”
“I think they’re brothers. Maybe half brothers,” Zara qualified. She might as well say what she thought. What did it matter if they all thought she was crazy? Maybe she was. “I know they don’t look that much alike. At first, I thought cousins, but they share some of the same movements, but more specifically, identical markers. Their hands, for instance. Their fingers on their hands are too exact. The way they’re formed, the length and even width. Both have a flattening on the upper joint of the thumb that’s very distinctive and unusual. Cheng isn’t particularly beautiful, but he is attractive and the things that make him attractive, his bone structure, he obviously inherited from his mother. Zhu has that same bone structure. He’s quite beautiful in a deadly sort of away.”
“The only reason I’m not taking offense is you tacked on the ‘deadly sort of way,,” Gino said, a trace of amusement in his voice. “You’ve never described me as beautiful.”
Pepper and Cayenne laughed softly. Nonny’s lips twitched. Zara pulled forward so she could look at Gino over her shoulder. “I think you’re beautiful even if I don’t say it out loud.” She didn’t care if everyone heard. She didn’t want his feelings hurt. Her gaze moved over him.
He didn’t have an ounce of fat on his body and he had more muscles than anyone she’d ever met, although they were subtler than some of the other GhostWalkers’. His shoulders were wide, his hair shaggy and his black eyes were cool and calm. He had scars and a permanent five-o’clock shadow. He might not be traditionally handsome, but she thought he was far more beautiful than Zhu—or any other man she’d ever laid eyes on.
“Princess.”
He didn’t believe her. “No, I do. I think I did tell you in the car earlier, when the drugs were kicking in.”
“I think they’ve really kicked in now, but thank you. I appreciate your assessment, skewed though it might be. And if any of you gossipy women tell your man what my woman just said, I’m going to have to plan revenge.” Gino pulled Zara closer to him, wrapping her up tightly in his arms. His chin nuzzled the top of her head.
“This is too good to worry about your revenge,” Cayenne said. “Trap is so going to love me when I tell him this.”
“What’s wrong with saying you’re beautiful, Gino?” Zara asked. The drugs really were slowing things a little bit for her. She felt dreamy. “Is there something wrong with it, Cayenne?”
“Not at all, Zara,” Bellisia assured.
“Then why are they laughing?” Zara demanded. She noticed Bellisia wasn’t laughing. She had gone silent and looked at her strangely, as if she was suddenly worried. Her gaze moved speculatively between Zara and Gino and clearly, she didn’t like what she was thinking.
“Tea’s ready,” Pepper announced, trying to change the subject. “Is it for a poultice or for drinking, Nonny?”
“Both. She should drink a cup, and we’ll cool the rest. Once it’s cold enough, we’ll soak her feet and put some on rags for her face.”
“What’s in it?” Zara asked, suspicion in her voice. She couldn’t help it. The tea didn’t look like any tea she’d ever had before. More, there were flowers at the bottom of the cup.
“Good things. Pharmaceuticals that will help heal you faster,” Nonny assured. “It’s sweet and actually tastes good. One of the few I’ve found that is drinkable without doctoring it too much.”
Gino took the cup of tea and sipped at it. “Doesn’t taste bad at all, princess. Go ahead and try it.” He gave her the cup but kept his hand around hers for support. “Perhaps we might try a little food. She’s been on nonstop painkillers for obvious reasons. I think a little food might help.”
Zara took a cautious sip. The liquid tasted strange to her, but not bad. She could drink it. She waved her free hand in the air. “I like feeling this way. I don’t need help, Gino. In fact, I might be able to walk if I just get the courage to try.” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m not very courageous. I could never be a spy. Or do the kinds of things Bellisia does.”
“I’m learning to cook,” Bellisia said. “That takes serious courage, and you’re already good at it.”
“I am.” Zara was proud of her cooking abilities. “And don’t listen to Bellisia. She’s very brave all the time.”
“That’s it,” Gino said decisively. “I’m taking you to the bedroom before you start telling people about how you attacked me.”
“She attacked you?” Bellisia echoed.
“She did,” Gino asserted, pushing the teacup closer to Zara’s mouth. “First she took a swipe at me with the cane. Nearly took my head off.”
Zara started laughing. “Not his head-head. A different kind of head.”
Gino rolled his eyes and took the cup out of her hand and put it on the table. “You’re done. Let’s go.” He stood up easily, cradling her close to his chest. “Nonny, when it’s ready, will you bring the tea to put on her feet and face? I’d greatly appreciate it.”
“I have smothered chicken and sausage hot on the stove right now,” Nonny offered. “Give me time to make the rice and I’ll bring both of you a meal.”
“I would appreciate it.”
Zara stroked Gino’s bristles. “I love the way your face always has this perfect shadow,” she whispered conspiratorially.
“Baby, did Zeke give you more meds after I brought you out here?”
She tried to remember. She petted his face again. “He might have. He gave me a glass of water. I really have to go to the bathroom.”
Gino laughed softly. “Yeah, baby, he gave you more. I’m going to have to talk to him about this.”
She clutched his shoulders. “You said you wouldn’t leave, and you did.” The hallway was really spinning, making her feel a little sick. If he left her, she wouldn’t be able to crawl her way out of there. Her feet were beginning to throb again, pain pounding through her toes and the heel of her foot. It was a terrible sensation because, as if in counterpoint, the ball of her foot felt as if a thousand bees were stinging it. The floating feeling only served to make her dizzy. “I might need to get sick.”
The amusement was gone in an instant and he took a detour, turning away from the direction they’d been going to open a door. She could have cried with relief when she realized they were in the bathroom. He carried her straight to the toilet, but shockingly, didn’t put her down.
“Um, Gino. Put me on the floor and go.” She wasn’t in the habit of sitting on a bathroom floor, but her lurching stomach told her that her body was done with painkillers. He’d spent enough time with her at the embassy and on the plane in the bathroom. Now that she was a little better, he didn’t need to be with her. It was too embarrassing.
“That’s not happening.”
She pressed a hand to her stomach, desperate not to vomit in front of him. “Really, my body isn’t used to so many painkillers. I’ve had more over the last six days than my entire life. Whitney didn’t believe we should ever have to use them—me especially. He wanted me to build up my pain tolerance.”
Her stomach lurched again and she leaned over and threw up what little contents were in her stomach. It could have been the most humiliating moment she’d had with Gino so far—and she’d had one terrible incident after another. Her hair hung in tangles around her face and fell like a rat’s nest down her back. Her face was still swollen, which was bad enough, but when he’d first seen her, her eyes had been nearly closed. Her skin was still green and purple and black. Her feet were mangled, and her body a mess. Of course she had to look—and act—her absolute worst in front of the hottest man she’d ever met, especially when three of the most beautiful women she’d ever seen were just in the next room.