Sweet Temptation

by Cora Reilly

  “Enough!” Cassio roared and Daniele’s weight lifted off me. I jerked into a sitting position, still stunned. Cassio stood over me, clutching Daniele against his side, restraining the little boy’s thrashing arms. “I said enough!”

  Daniele froze in Cassio’s hold. Cassio’s expression was thunderous. I swallowed and slowly scrambled to my feet. Cassio’s eyes slanted to my cheek, which was throbbing. I touched the spot and my fingertips came away stained with blood.

  “Goddamn it,” Cassio said harshly, his voice shaking with an emotion I couldn’t place. He looked down at the now motionless boy in his arms. Daniele wasn’t the only one who was hurting. He went over to a changing table I hadn’t even noticed before and set Daniele down on it. I picked up the tablet from the floor and put it on the bed before I approached Cassio. I held out the clothes I’d chosen for Daniele.

  Cassio nodded at the table. I put the clothes down as I watched Cassio undress Daniele who was still wearing diapers. Surprise washed over me. Shouldn’t he be potty-trained at almost three?

  “Can you change a diaper?” Cassio asked, but his voice held an edge that suggested he knew the answer was no.

  I shook my head. “I can learn.”

  Cassio’s mouth thinned into a line. He changed the diaper quickly, and Daniele didn’t as much as twitch, only stubbornly stared off to the side. After that, Cassio got his son dressed. As suspected, the clothes were on the verge of being too small. Not too wide because he was thin, but definitely too short. Cassio lowered Daniele to the floor, and the boy went over to his tablet at once.

  “For a while he didn’t need a diaper, then…” Cassio fell silent.

  Then Gaia died.

  “Is that why he’s so thin and not talking?”

  Cassio swallowed and his expression hardened. “Yes. See if you can get him to eat more than a few morsels of food.”

  Cassio scanned my face, his eyes lingering on my scratched cheek once more. “This was a mistake.”

  Me. He meant I was a mistake because I wasn’t what he’d expected. But he and his family weren’t what I’d expected either.

  So many things needed fixing in this house. Daniele, the boy with a trauma because of his mother’s death and his father’s possible involvement. Simona, who wailed the second I touched her. Loulou who’d never learned to be a family dog. And Cassio who dealt with demons I had no clue about.

  Cassio rubbed his hand over his stubble then sighed. “This isn’t one of the dresses I bought for you. You can’t wear this when you meet your bodyguards.”

  I glanced down. I wore black tights, a black pleated miniskirt with suspenders, and a yellow cashmere sweater. It wasn’t fancy, but certainly nice enough for a day at home. “I don’t see why I need to dress up for them.”

  Cassio’s eyes flashed. “Giulia, don’t test my patience. Not right now. I didn’t marry so I’d have another stubborn child to deal with.”

  Gritting my teeth against a snappy comeback, I turned around. I didn’t want to fight with Cassio, but I wouldn’t change into one of those stuck-up dresses when there was absolutely no reason to do so. I didn’t get far. An arm wrapped around my stomach and sharply pulled me back so I was pressed to a hard body. Cassio’s palm pressed flat against my belly, holding me in place as he leaned down. “You will change now.”

  The low command vibrated through my body in a way that thrilled and scared me.

  “What’s your problem?”

  “My problem is that you keep disobeying me and that your skirt is far too short when I’m not around.”

  I laughed. I couldn’t help it. Even my mother had never considered my clothes too daring or sexy, and she was conservative. The miniskirt might be short, but the tights were opaque, and my sweater certainly didn’t scream sexy vamp.

  “I’m not joking,” Cassio growled.

  I laughed again. “You’re being unreasonable.”

  Cassio turned me around, one arm around my waist, the other cupping the back of my head. It wasn’t an intimate, loving gesture. It was dominance. “Don’t fight me on this. Not this. I won’t have you around men in that skirt when I’m not with you. Understood?”

  His eyes burned with angry possession. I probably would have said more, but the sound of Daniele’s game reminded me that he was in the room behind us.

  “Understood,” I said. “Now let go of me.”

  He stepped back. I turned and went into our bedroom to change.

  When I came downstairs in long black dress pants and a loose-fitting blouse tucked into my waistband, Cassio gave a pleased nod. I felt as if I was wearing a costume. The clothes were uncomfortable. They weren’t me.

  “My men are waiting in my office to meet you.”

  “What about Simona? Where is she?”

  “With Sybil in the kitchen. After I’ve introduced you to your bodyguards, you need to get Daniele down here. He can’t stay in his room all day.”

  “I need to go clothes shopping. Nothing fits him.”

  “Then do that. Domenico and Elia will accompany you.”

  With his hand on the small of my back, he led me down the corridor to a massive wooden door. As we passed the room Loulou was locked in, she barked, causing Cassio’s expression to tighten once more.

  His office offered a stunning view of the gardens, beautifully kept as if they belonged to a mansion in the English countryside and not a family home. It didn’t look as if the garden was used at all. Two men sat in wide armchairs across from a sleek oak desk. Both rose the second Cassio and I entered the room. Cassio kept his hand on my back as he motioned at the older man. “This is Domenico.” The man looked to be in his sixties with short gray hair. He looked like he’d served in the military—straight back, perfectly ironed shirt, no-nonsense expression. “It’s a pleasure meeting you, Mrs. Moretti.”

  Mrs. Moretti. I glanced at Cassio, my husband. It hadn’t really sunk in yet, not really. “And this is Elia.” My gaze followed that of my husband’s, toward the second man, and he was the complete opposite of Domenico. For one, he was young. Mid-twenties tops. He had wavy light-brown hair that was loosely styled back. His clothes accentuated a muscled body, and his smile came quick. It was easy-going, almost charming, but still with the necessary respect.

  “Nice to meet you.”

  Cassio looked at me.

  “Nice to meet you too,” I said quickly. I was surprised. Domenico was exactly how I’d expected my bodyguards to look, considering how jealous Cassio seemed to be. Elia definitely wasn’t. Maybe that explained why Cassio hadn’t wanted me to wear the miniskirt. Yet it seemed unlikely that he’d choose a man as my bodyguard he didn’t trust absolutely. Cassio thrived on control. He was sure of his power. Or maybe he wanted to confirm the extent of his control, and this was his test. Question was: whom was he testing? Elia or me.

  Cassio left shortly after introducing me to my new bodyguards. I thought he might have breakfast with the children and me, but apparently he never did. He startled me when he bent down for a goodbye kiss. I didn’t think he was the type of man for public displays of affection, but maybe that kiss was meant to show dominance. Still, his lips on mine felt nice.

  When the front door shut after him, I stood in the lobby, feeling a little lost. I could feel Elia’s and Domenico’s eyes on me as they hovered a few steps beside me, waiting for orders.

  I was the mistress of this house now, responsible for two small children and a dog. Trying not to panic, I smiled at my bodyguards. A smile almost always saved the situation. “I’ll have breakfast with the children first. After that, we can go shopping. Would you like to join us for breakfast or do you have a room where you’d rather rest until I need your services.”

  Domenico nodded. “There’s a guard house on the premises—”

  “We’d like to join you for breakfast,” Elia interrupted him. Domenico frowned but didn’t say anything. Elia established eye contact with me. He was friendly and open. Domenico definitely had the surly bodyguard
act down.

  “All right. Why don’t you go ahead…” I trailed off. “Do you know where breakfast usually takes place?”

  Elia smiled.

  Domenico only shook his head.

  I gave an embarrassed smile. “Okay then, I’ll head into the kitchen to find Sybil.”

  Gaia used to eat in the dining room, but the room was too big, too formal for my taste. The kitchen, however, had a white country-house style with big windows and a long wooden table that showed traces of use.

  Simona rolled around the kitchen in her baby walker while Sybil cooked a sort of breakfast bake with eggs and sausage. Simona eyed me critically, but she was busy turning colorful wheels on the tray at the front of her walker.

  “Why don’t you go ahead and sit down while I get Daniele?” I said. Domenico and Elia sank down in the chairs at once.

  “He doesn’t eat breakfast. He usually hides when I try to get him.”

  Turning around to Sybil, I said, “I’ll get him down, don’t worry. Did you walk Loulou yet?”

  “No, I never do. She’s got the box.”

  “I’ll let her into the garden then until I have time to walk her later.”

  Sybil turned to me, wide-eyed. “The master doesn’t want the dog in the garden.”

  “He put Loulou there last night so he doesn’t seem to mind.”

  “No, no. That was to punish the dog, but it’s not supposed to pee in the garden.”

  “Well, that’s going to change now.” Elia and Domenico regarded me curiously. I gave them another smile before I headed upstairs.

  I had a feeling I knew how to draw Daniele out of his room. When I stepped inside, he was gone. I didn’t find him in his mother’s old bedroom either, but I heard a sound from under the bed. “Daniele? I’m going to let Loulou out into the garden so she can run around a bit. Do you want to join us?”

  I waited and after a couple of minutes, a dark-blond head poked out from under the bed. He scrambled to his feet and regarded me suspiciously, the tablet clutched to his chest.

  I held out my hand. “Come. I’m sure Loulou can’t wait to see the garden.”

  He didn’t take my hand, but he followed me downstairs. I stepped in front of him when I opened the door to Loulou’s prison. She waited right in front of it. The floor behind her was covered with pee and poo. Sighing, I bent down and scooped her up.

  Daniele watched me, open-mouthed. I stroked Loulou’s fur and his face filled with longing. Remembering Cassio’s words about her snapping, I decided not to let him touch her for now. Both needed to heal before they could really become friends.

  Daniele fell into step beside me as I crossed the living room to the French doors. The cold November air wafted into my face. Staying inside, I set Loulou down on the terrace. For a moment, she didn’t move, only raised her nose and let the wind tug at her fur. Then she stormed off. My heart skipped a beat thinking she was trying to run away. Instead, she just ran, twisting and turning like a hare. She ran and ran and ran, as if she was delirious with her newfound freedom.

  Daniele stood close to me, following everything with childish wonder.

  I squatted beside him, even as the uncomfortable fabric of my pants made it difficult. “She’s happy, see?”

  He nodded but didn’t take his eyes off Loulou. Daniele and I stayed like that for almost ten minutes, and Loulou only stopped once to pee before dashing off again. But I was getting cold. Straightening, I pushed two fingers between my lips and let out a whistle. Daniele’s head snapped up to me, his little mouth falling open.

  I whistled again, even though Loulou was already trotting my way. “Do you want to learn how to whistle like that?”

  Daniele nodded slowly.

  “Then I’ll teach you.”

  Loulou wagged her tale hesitantly, but she kept a few steps between Daniele and her. I didn’t know if something had happened or if she’d just never learned to deal with children, but I hoped I could fix both of them.

  Daniele and I entered the kitchen. The room smelled of bacon and freshly brewed coffee, and my stomach tightened at once. I hadn’t eaten much last night, too nervous before coming to my new home. Now I was starving. Loulou was a couple of steps behind us, her tail tucked between her legs, obviously overwhelmed. I knew how that felt…

  Sybil shook her head. “That’s not good. The master won’t like it.”

  I only smiled. “Thank you for making us breakfast.” Simona already sat in a highchair, but there was a second one beside it.

  Sybil set the breakfast casserole down on the table then grabbed Daniele, who started screaming. Despite his struggling, she took the tablet from him and tried to push him into his highchair. Domenico got up as if to help her restrain him.

  “No,” I said firmly. Both of them gave me looks. Elia remained, watching me.

  “He won’t eat if he’s not confined to his chair,” Sybil said.

  I took Daniele from her, which wasn’t easy due to his struggling, then I set him down on a chair. “Do you want a big boy chair?”

  He quieted. Then his eyes darted to the tablet.

  “No,” I said softly. “You can have your tablet after breakfast, but none of us are playing games while we eat. You’re a big boy, Daniele. That’s why you can’t play during meals and why you’re allowed to sit on a grown-up chair.”

  His eyes met mine and for a moment. The sadness in them seemed too big for someone that small to carry. I swallowed. Without thinking, I stroked his head. He stilled. Clearing my throat, I straightened and pushed his chair a bit closer to the table. “Can you get a pillow?” I asked Domenico. He disappeared and returned a couple of minutes later with a throw pillow.

  “I have to lift you so Domenico can put the pillow on the chair so you’re taller, okay?”

  Daniele gave a small nod. I grabbed him under the arms and raised him then quickly lowered him on the pillow. Now his head was level with the table.

  I took the seat beside him. Sybil gave me a small thankful nod before she turned back to Simona, who refused to be spoon-fed.

  “Eat,” I told my bodyguards before I scooped a bit of the casserole on my plate. “Do you want to share a plate with me?” I asked Daniele, holding out a fork to him. After a moment of consideration, he took it. I pierced a slice of sausage and stuffed it in my mouth. “It’s good. Try it.”

  Daniele only poked the food with the fork. Soon Loulou hovered under the table, obviously hoping for scraps. Before I could stop him, Daniele threw a slice of sausage on the floor, which Loulou scarfed down at once.

  “Daniele!” Sybil exclaimed, but I raised my palm.

  Daniele jutted his chin out and one look at his eyes told me he was about to retreat into himself if I didn’t do something.

  “If you want to feed Loulou, you have to eat too. How about this? For every bite you give her, you need to eat one in turn?”

  Daniele considered that for a moment before he gave a quick nod then speared the smallest slice of sausage on the plate and pushed it into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed, then tossed another scrap down for Loulou.

  Sybil sighed. “The master won’t like that. The dog isn’t supposed to be in the kitchen, much less get food from the table.”

  It wasn’t ideal, but if this bargain got Daniele to eat, I’d take it until I could figure out why he acted the way he did and could fix it. I almost laughed. How was I supposed to fix traumatized children? A neglected dog?

  By trying. That was all I could do, and I would try, because Simona, Daniele, and Loulou, and maybe even Cassio needed me.

  After breakfast, Loulou, sated by more sausage and eggs than a small dog should have, curled up under the table to sleep. Domenico and Elia went ahead to prepare the cars for our shopping trip while Sybil was busy cleaning Loulou’s room, which wouldn’t serve as that from this day on. I wanted her to be part of this family.

  I was left alone in the kitchen with Daniele, still perched on the pillow, now with the tablet on his lap, an
d Simona who squirmed in her high chair. These two kids were now mine to take care of. The weight of my responsibility sat squarely on my shoulders as I watched them. I didn’t feel like a mother. Would they ever accept me? Maybe I should lower my expectations and start by becoming their friend. That was the first step.

  I approached Simona and smiled. She eyed me curiously. “Hello, Simona, I’m Giulia.” Some of the banana oatmeal she’d had for breakfast stuck to her cheek. I reached for a tea towel and wetted it with my spittle before I wiped at Simona’s skin. God, I was turning into my aunts. I’d always hated when they’d wiped at something with their own spittle. Now that was me. Simona squirmed but didn’t cry. I marked it down as a small victory.

  “All done,” I declared. “Now we need to get you out of this chair and ready for a shopping trip.” I grabbed her under the arms, lifted her out of the chair, then balanced her on my hip like I’d seen other people do. Simona was silent, but her eyes had become big; she wasn’t convinced of me yet. For once, Daniele wasn’t looking at his screen. His intense look was fixed on me and Simona.

  “You don’t have to be worried about your sister, Daniele. I’m going to take care of you two.”

  Sybil sighed from the doorway. “They’re too young to understand everything you’re telling them. Maybe you should explain less. You’re the adult, and you don’t need to justify your actions to them.”

  I frowned. It was obvious that she thought I was another child to take care of. I was young and inexperienced when children were concerned, but I was also supposed to be the new mistress of the house and a role model for these children. I had to put my foot down. “Thank you for your input, Sybil. But how we raise Daniele and Simona is only Cassio’s and my business.”

  After a moment of stunned silence, Sybil gave a curt nod. “Of course.” Disapproval still oozed from her every pore, and I didn’t really blame her. It must be strange to have someone as young as myself as your boss.