Daniele moved closer until his knees bumped against my thigh. I could tell how much he wanted to touch Loulou. I regarded her for a while to see if she was ready for more closeness. In the last few days, she hadn’t tried to avoid Daniele anymore. Now, she seemed completely relaxed, her eyes half-closed as she watched Daniele. “Do you want to touch her?”

Daniele gave a quick nod.

“Try to move slowly, so she can get used to your presence, all right?” Another sharp nod.

“She’s shy. She needs to get to know you and see that you’re her friend.”

I took Daniele’s hand and put it on Loulou’s back. Her ears twitched in curiosity and her eyes opened a bit more. Slowly, I moved Daniele’s hand along her side, staying away from her head for now because I’d read that dogs often felt threatened by a touch there. Loulou’s eyes drooped once more as she enjoyed the caresses. “See? You have to be careful. Loulou is small. Don’t tug at her ears or tail, all right?”

Daniele nodded, watching his hand on the fur, mesmerized.

I pulled away, allowing him to do this on his own. Maybe we were on the right path. Even Cassio had stopped complaining about Loulou. Simona allowed me to calm her at night often now, which gave Cassio the chance to sleep more.

I smiled, feeling a wave of optimism.

I was half asleep when Cassio returned home that night. A week had passed since the killings, and the kids and I had barely seen him.

I watched him get ready for bed. Then he stretched out beside me.

“When will you be home for dinner again?”

Cassio touched my hip, pulling me closer. His lips found mine but despite the rush of heat, I drew back. Our only interactions apart from a few exchanged words had been sex. He sighed. “Work is important. I have too much to do. I’m tired. I only want to take my mind off things when I get home and not argue with you.” He kissed me again, and this time I pushed him back, angry.

“You treat me like a nanny and whore, Cassio. 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 enjoy it.”

I did. Cassio 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 a good path, 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 you and my kids are safe. I need to be in absolute control of my city to guarantee your safety.” He kissed me again, softer this time, but I could feel the urgency lurking just beneath. “I’ll try to be home around dinnertime.”

Was it to appease me? I allowed him to deepen the kiss, to slide down my nightgown and awaken my body with his lips.

The next day, I browsed party ideas for third birthdays. Daniele’s special day was in a week, and I wanted to surprise him with a cake and a themed birthday party. Clutching the edge of the sofa, Simona pulled herself up to her legs beside me, grinning proudly.

“Good,” I cooed while I kept an eye on Daniele and Loulou. He was throwing her ball, and she dropped it in front of him every time. It was beautiful and I wished Cassio could see.

My phone pinged with a message. Surprise rushed through me when I saw it was from Christian, telling me he was in the area and wanted to visit. I hadn’t seen him since the wedding. In the past, I would only see him every two months because we lived in different cities, but now that had changed, at least until he returned to Baltimore to rule at Dad’s side—whenever that was going to be. I hurried into the kitchen to tell Sybil to prepare a few sandwiches and coffee.

Fifteen minutes later, his car pulled up in front of the house. “Your uncle’s coming to visit,” I told Daniele, who’d been following my every step all day. I carried Simona on my arm, despite her squirminess. She wanted to crawl but she was quick and it was difficult to keep an eye on her in the vast house.

Daniele’s eyes grew wide, a mix of shock and hope marking his face. His reaction surprised me. Cassio only had sisters. Had Gaia had a brother? I didn’t remember. The bell rang. Loulou stormed out of the living room, barking. She jerked to a stop in front of the door, scratching it.

“I’m getting the door!” I called before Sybil could come forward from the kitchen. Elia and Domenico could see the front step with the surveillance cameras surrounding the house so they’d know it was only my brother.

“No, Loulou,” I said sternly as I carefully pushed her to the side with my foot before I opened the door. Loulou tried to squeeze past me again, but I nudged her back again.

Christian wore a thick coat against the bitter cold December air and gave me a curious look. “Of course you’d keep the dog.”

Daniele stared at my brother then turned around and rushed upstairs. Puzzled, I smiled at Christian as I kept Loulou away with my foot. She growled at Christian. We really needed to work on her treatment of guests.

“What’s with the kid?” he asked, indicating Daniele who’d disappeared from view.

I shrugged and opened the door wider so he could enter.

Christian came in and hugged me with one arm, trying not to crush Simona, who made a sound of protest at his closeness. The cold clung to his coat and seeped into me.

I quickly pulled back and closed the door. For a moment, I didn’t pay attention, and Loulou dashed past me, jumping at Christian with angry yaps. He glared down, not impressed. “Go away,” he said, shoving her away with less gentleness than I had done.

“Loulou!” She finally stopped and trotted a few steps away.

“How are you?” Christian asked as he slipped off his coat and hung it up at the coatrack. It was obvious that he’d been here before and knew where everything was. The worry in his voice was unmistakable.

I touched his arm. “I’m fine.”

His eyes narrowed. “I can tell that you’re lying.”

“I’m fine, really. Just a bit overwhelmed. Daniele won’t talk and barely eats. I’m trying to break through his walls, to find out what happened, but I don’t know how.”

I led Christian into the living room, even if I worried about Daniele. I’d check on him later if he didn’t come down soon. Loulou followed close behind, never letting Christian out of her sight. She was brave, I had to give her that.

We settled on the sofa where I’d had Sybil set up cake, sandwiches, and cookies as well as coffee. “The kid lost his mother. Of course he’s traumatized.”

“I know, but it’s more than that. He’s avoiding Cassio.”

“Maybe you should let the past rest, Giulia.” The way he spoke it was more a warning than advice, and his worried expression only affirmed my suspicion.

I set Simona down on the floor when her squirming got too much. She crawled off at once, heading for her blanket with her toys. “What do you know that you’re not telling me?”

Christian’s mouth thinned. “I know that Cassio doesn’t want people to rummage in his past, especially where Gaia is concerned, and I think you should respect his wish.”

“To protect him or me?”