Of course Jodie’s still in love with Antonio. She’s the type of person who holds on to things, like that small, stuffed purple elephant she used to carry around with her everywhere when we were kids. Also, she never got another goldfish after losing her first one.
And Antonio was her first love. She adored him. She loved him so much she wanted me to be him. Apparently, she still does. Even though Antonio has been gone for years, Jodie still misses him, dreams of him. He’s still the one in her heart and there’s no way for me to get him out of there. I couldn’t do it when he was alive. How can I do it now that he’s dead and can’t even put up a fight?
My jaw clenches as my grip on my towel tightens. The cotton digs into my neck.
I take a breath and let it go. There’s no use going up against someone who no longer exists. Besides, it’s my fault Antonio’s dead, so maybe this is my punishment. If so, I have no choice but to bear it.
I finish drying myself, more gently this time. Then I put on my robe and pick the water bottle off the floor. I make my way back inside the house but stop on the path when I catch a glimpse of someone through a window.
Cain? Yes, it’s my shit-faced fucker of a half-brother, alright. And he’s looking as cocky as ever. What is he doing here again? Did my father summon him again?
Again, my hands clench into fists. Why? Why does my father trust him so much? Why does he seem to rely on Cain more than me, even though I’m his own flesh and blood and Cain isn’t? He already sent Cain away once before. Why did he take him back? Don’t tell me he’s forgotten that Cain let Antonio die just because he was at his deathbed. Don’t tell me he’s forgiven Cain.
I haven’t. I never will, especially not after all those things he said to me the last time we spoke. Come to think of it, I still owe him a punch for that.
I continue walking, faster now so I can catch up to him. Suddenly, I feel a blow on the back of my knee. As I stumble forward, a hand grabs my arm and turns me quickly around. Another pushes me down and I find myself lying on my back. Before I can lift an arm to retaliate in self-defense, the blade of a knife gleams before my eyes. I feel its cold steel against my throat a second later.
I look up and narrow my eyes at my attacker.
“Pinning someone down when all he’s wearing is a robe? How romantic, Andrea. Too bad I don’t swing that way.”
The tall, blond-haired man on top of me frowns at first. Then his lips curve into a grin.
“Too bad indeed.” He pulls his knife away and gets off me. “Although I’m more disappointed by the fact that I could have killed you just now. Didn’t I teach you better?”
I pick myself up and dust my robe, which now has brown stains. Great.
“I didn’t know I had to keep my guard up here around the mansion,” I tell Andrea. “Especially with you around.”
“I’m your father’s bodyguard, not yours,” he points out. “You didn’t want one, remember?”
I do. I can’t think of any reason why I’d want someone sticking to me, watching my every move. I might end up killing the guy before he had a chance to save my life. Besides, I don’t need a bodyguard. I know how to use a gun and how to fight. Thanks to Andrea’s lessons, I can disarm an attacker and have him on his back in seconds. When I’m not distracted, that is.
“I can take care of myself.”
Andrea shrugs. “Maybe. But that doesn’t mean you can beat Cain.”
I turn my head to look at the window where I spotted Cain. Of course he isn’t there anymore. I let out a breath. Did Andrea know I was going after Cain? Is that why he tried to stop me?
“I was just going to give him a taste of my fist,” I say.
Andrea chuckles. “You really think you can land a punch on him?”
I meet his gaze and grin. “Don’t worry. It won’t be on his face. Your best buddy will still be pretty.”
“But I can’t promise the same for you,” Andrea tells me with a serious expression. “You’re lucky you’re Cain’s brother.”
I snort. “Like Antonio was lucky?”
He ignores that. “That means he’ll never fight you seriously or try to hurt you badly. I’ve seen him do both, and trust me, that’s a good thing. But he just might feel compelled to teach you a lesson.”
I shake my head. “You may be scared of him, but I’m not.”