Loulou came trotting up with a ball in her snout, as she usually did when I sat on the floor. I took the ball away from her and rolled her on the floor. Daniel followed everything with curious eyes. After two throws, I gave him the ball. He took it and threw it away, then smiled when Loulou chased her toy.
We did this for a couple of minutes before putting the ball away and stroking the puck in front of me. Loulou came closer, her pink tongue dangling adorably. I stroked her gently, then crossed my legs and motioned for Loulou to come even closer. She curled up on my lap and I gently stroked her ears, amazed at how silky this spot of hers was to the touch.
Daniel moved closer until her knees bumped against my thigh. I could see how much he wanted to touch Loulou. I watched her for a while to see if she was ready for more closeness. In the last few days she had not tried to avoid Daniel. Now she seemed completely relaxed, her eyes half-closed as she looked at Daniele.
“Do you want to touch her?” Daniele gave a quick nod.
“Try to move slowly so she can get used to your presence, okay?” Another nod of the head.
“She is shy. She needs to get to know you and see that you are her friend.” I took Daniel’s hand and placed it on Loulou’s back. Her ears twitched in curiosity and her eyes opened a little wider. Slowly, I moved Daniel’s hand down her side, keeping away from her head for the moment because I had read that dogs often felt threatened by a touch there. Loulou’s eyes lowered once more as she enjoyed the caresses.
“See, you have to be careful. Loulou is small. Don’t pull her ears or tail, okay?” Daniel nodded, watching her hand on his fur, mesmerized.
I backed away, allowing him to do it on his own. Maybe we were on the right track. Alessio had also stopped complaining about Loulou. Simona allowed me to soothe her often at night, which gave Alessio a chance to sleep more. I smiled, feeling a wave of optimism.
I was half asleep when Alessio came home that night. It had been a week since the murders and the children and I had barely seen him. I watched him as he got ready for bed. Then he lay down beside me.
“When will you be home for dinner?”
Alessio touched my side, pulling me closer. His lips found mine, but despite the wave of heat, I pulled back. Our only interactions, aside from a few words exchanged, had been sex. He sighed. “Work is important. I have too much to do, I’m tired. I just want to take my mind off things when I get home and not fight with you.” He kissed me again, and this time I pushed him back, angry.
“You treat me like a nanny and a whore, Alessio. I deserve better.”
“I would never treat you like a whore,” he growled.
“You are my wife and I want you. If I remember correctly, you always like it.” I did. Alessio made sure I came before and during intercourse.
“That doesn’t mean I don’t need us to form an emotional bond as well. I thought we were on the right track, but now you’re pulling back again. Is it really just because of your workload or is it something else?” He was silent for a moment.
“I’m trying to make sure that you and my children are safe. I must have absolute control of my city to ensure your safety.” He kissed me again, this time more gently, but I could feel the urgency lurking just beneath.
“I will try to be home around dinner time.”
Was that to appease me? I allowed him to deepen the kiss, to slide down my nightgown and wake my body with his lips.
The next day, I flipped through party ideas for a third birthday. Daniel’s special day was a week away, and I wanted to surprise him with a cake and a themed birthday party. Clinging to the edge of the sofa, Simona lifted herself up on her legs beside me, smiling proudly.
“Good,” I cooed as I kept an eye on Daniel and Loulou. He would throw the ball to her, and she would drop it in front of him each time. It was beautiful and I wished Alessio could have seen. My phone received a message. Surprise went through me when I saw that it was from Christian, telling me he was in the area and wanted to visit. I had not seen him since the wedding. In the past, I only saw him every couple of months because we lived in different cities, but now things had changed, at least until he was back in Baltimore to rule alongside Dad when that would happen. I rushed to the kitchen to tell Sybil to make some sandwiches and coffee.
Fifteen minutes later, her car pulled up in front of the house.
“Your uncle is coming to see me,” I said to Daniel, who had been following my every step all day. I carried Simona in my arms, despite her squirming. She wanted to crawl, but she was fast and it was hard to keep an eye on her in the vast house. Daniel’s eyes opened wide, a mixture of shock and hope marked his face. His reaction surprised me. Alessio had only sisters. Had Gaia had had a brother? I couldn’t remember. The doorbell rang. Loulou rushed out of the living room, barking. She stopped short in front of the door, scratching at it.
“I’m getting the door!” I called before Sybil could step forward from the kitchen. Elijah and Dominic could see the front step with surveillance cameras surrounding the house so they knew it was just my brother.
“No, Loulou,” I said sternly as I carefully pushed her to the side with my foot before opening the door. Loulou tried to push past me again, but I pushed her back again. Christian wore a thick coat against the frigid December air and gave me a curious look.
“Of course you would keep the dog.” Daniel stared at my brother, then turned and hurried upstairs. Puzzled, I smiled at Christian as I kept Loulou away with my foot. He growled at Christian. We really needed to work on his treatment of guests.
“What’s wrong with the baby?” he asked, pointing to Daniel who had disappeared from view.
I shrugged and pushed the door wide open so he could enter. Christian came in and put his arm around me, trying not to crush Simona, who made a sound of protest at his proximity. The cold clung to his coat and penetrated inside me. I pulled back quickly and closed the door. For a moment I paid no attention, and Loulou walked past me, jumping on Christian with an angry shout. He lowered his gaze, unimpressed.
“Go away,” he said, pushing her away less gently than I did.
“Loulou!” She finally stopped and trotted a few steps away.
“How are you?” Christian asked as he took off his coat and hung it on the coat rack. It was obvious he had been there before and knew where everything was. The concern in his voice was unmistakable.