Elle’s head started to sting a little, reminding her how she’d ended up here in the first place. She could still hear the sound in her ear before she had passed out.
Elle grabbed Nero’s hand to look at it. She could tell he didn’t want her to see it, but Elle studied his hand anyway. It had been healing the last time she had looked at it, but now the whole hand was seriously messed-up. Every knuckle was inflamed and bloody looking. She had no idea how they weren’t broken.
“What did you do with him?”
Nero didn’t sugarcoat it. “I beat the shit out of him and left him there.”
Elle thought that should have scared her or resonated with her; instead, she brought his hand to her lips and placed kisses over each knuckle.
“You should get someone to look at this, Nero.”
“It’ll be fine. I’ll go disinfect it and wrap it up later.”
Elle looked up at him, pleading “Can you please quit fighting now? Trying not to doesn’t work for you.”
Nero waited a moment to answer. “Yes, for you, I will.”
I’ve heard that before. “That’s what you said last time.”
Nero shrugged. “I mean it this time.”
Elle heard Nero’s phone ding.
“Chloe’s here.”
What?! “She is?”
“Yeah, so are Amo and Vincent.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Not Even a Morsel Was Left
Elle went down the huge wrought-iron staircase into the foyer. Nero had given her tiny shorts and said they were his sister’s. They don’t look any different than my underwear, but at least I’m a little bit more clothed.
Nero had called Chloe from Elle’s cell, telling her what happened and that Elle was going to sleep over at his house for the night. When he’d asked her to cover for Elle and say she was spending the night at Chloe’s, she had insisted on seeing Elle to make sure she was all right. The only thing Elle didn’t know was why Amo and Vincent had decided to show up.
Elle finally got to the bottom of the staircase where Chloe was waiting. She instantly knew Chloe must have been at an important dinner by the way she was dressed. She wore a black, long-sleeved, Peplum dress with black tights and heels. Her outfit was meant to be business attire, but Chloe’s curves made it look like she was dressed to go on a hot date.
“You didn’t leave until it was over, did you?” Elle was worried. She didn’t want Chloe to get in trouble.
Chloe silently shook her head.
Elle saw that Chloe was a little rattled at what had happened to her. She’d figured that would happen.
She tried to smile for her friend. “I’m okay. Thankfully, Nero was there, and that’s all that matters.” Elle wished she could properly comfort her friend by giving her a hug, or anything, but she never could, having to use only her words.
Chloe nodded.
Elle whispered. “Do you think Mom will believe I’m spending the night over at your house?” Elle was going to have to think of a reason why because, after three-and-a-half years, Elle had never spent the night over there. She had almost spent the night at Chloe’s once right after they had become friends, but unfortunately, it hadn’t lasted very long until Elle left, asking Chloe to come with her.
Chloe finally spoke. “I-I don’t know.”
Elle didn’t, either. “What about if I told her we have a project due tomorrow?”
Chloe tried to ease up. “It might work.”
“Come in here a second,” Nero yelled from the other room.
Elle didn’t know why Nero needed to yell. Why couldn’t he come and tell me? Then she remembered he was Italian. Oh, yeah, right.
Elle and Chloe followed the voice, leaving the foyer and going into a huge room that was the living room and kitchen combined. The space was ginormous. She wanted to see what the outside looked like because she was pretty sure it was a small mansion.
As Elle walked towards Nero, only seeing the back of him, she also noticed Vincent, Amo, and Leo beside him. Great.
She saw Nero turn to look at her and behind him one tall-legged, golden blonde appeared. She was stunning and looked like a young Victoria’s Secret model, even in a floral, modest dress. Elle had remembered seeing her at school, but she had never spoken to upperclassmen or even met any of them. The kids in her grade were already bad enough.
Elle watched her walk towards her and then the girl gave her a hug.
“You must be Elle. It’s nice to meet you.” Her voice sounded sweet, which was the opposite of what she thought it would sound like.
“This is my sister, Maria.” Nero laughed, looking at her stunned face.
Elle lightly hugged her back. “Nice to meet you, too.”
Maria pulled away and went to hug Chloe, but Chloe took a step back.
Elle tried to laugh it off. “This is Chloe. She’s a little bit of a germaphobe.”
“Oh, sorry. I’m a hugger, and I haven’t learned yet that everyone else isn’t. Nice to meet you, Chloe.”
Chloe tried to smile. “You, too.”
Elle quickly asked, “How many are there of you guys?” Elle wanted to know if she should prepare herself for another Caruso sibling.
Maria laughed. “There’s one more, Lucca. He’s the oldest. Then you just have me, Nero, and then Leo. Oh, and Dad, but that’s all of us that live here anyway.”
Elle knew Maria was older than Nero, but she also knew it couldn’t be by much, and another brother? Elle admitted she wasn’t very anxious to meet the oldest brother. She had a feeling, if the two youngest boys were heartbreakers, she didn’t want to see the oldest.