“It’s nothing.” I smiled, even as my face felt stiff with the forced emotion. I reached for my bathrobe, desperate to cover up the bruises and banish the brutality from Nino’s expression but he wouldn’t have it. He curled his fingers around my hand, stopping me.
“Who hurt you?”
His eyes beckoned me to reveal the truth, but to what outcome?
“He didn’t mean to hurt me. It was an accident …”
I swallowed because Nino’s mouth pulled into a scary smile. “An accident?” He cupped my face, kissing my mouth sweetly, lovingly. “Who did it? Don’t you trust me?”
I trusted Nino with my life, knowing I was safe with him, but with the same certainty I knew no one else was. “He didn’t mean it. He’s hurting.”
“Adamo,” Nino breathed, closing his eyes, and the gentleness slipped off his face. He released my cheeks and stormed out of the room.
“Nino!” I stumbled after him but he was running too fast. “Nino, don’t!”
Adamo wasn’t in his room, which was even messier than in the past. Without stopping, Nino whirled around and stormed downstairs. I managed to catch up to him when he halted for a moment in the doorway to the gaming room. Savio was on the couch, and so was Adamo for once, a fight running on the big screen.
Remo looked over from where he was pummeling the boxing sack. “What the fuck—”
He didn’t get further. Nino advanced toward Adamo who was stretched out on the sofa, gripped him by the throat and thrust him to the floor.
“Nino, don’t! Please!” I rushed toward him, trying to stop him. Nino was kneeling over Adamo, fingers digging into his throat, a look of stark brutality on his face. The muscles in his naked back flexed, making the phoenix and the flames come alive.
“You hurt Kiara?” Nino grated at Adamo.
Remo saw my bruises. He asked harshly, “Nino?”
Adamo’s head turned red under Nino’s choking hold. He made no move to defend himself, only stared up at his brother with eyes full of misery, looking almost desperate for Nino to end what he’d begun. Maybe Remo saw it, too, because for an instant his expression flickered with a look he only ever showed when their mother was mentioned.
Then he grabbed Nino’s shoulder and pulled. “Nino, stop the shit.”
Nino didn’t unfasten his hold until Savio grabbed his second arm and both he and Remo tore at him. Nino released Adamo and let Remo drag him to his feet while Savio checked his younger brother.
“You okay?”
Adamo didn’t react. He stayed on the floor, massaging his throat. His eyes came to rest on me, taking in my upper arms, and once more his expression twisted with guilt.
“I’m sorry, Kiara.”
“I know,” I said softly. I made my way over to Nino whose shoulder Remo was still gripping hard, and touched his chest. After several moments, Nino tore his gaze away from Adamo and faced me, and as always the anger disappeared in favor of something gentle. “I’m okay, all right? Adamo didn’t mean to hurt me.”
“What happened?” Remo asked his brother and me.
Adamo sat up slowly and keeping a close eye on Nino, he dared to stand. “It was an accident.”
Nino took a step in his direction. “That’s an excuse someone who hasn’t fought most of his life could use, someone who wasn’t familiar with violence and pain. But you, like me, don’t cause pain by accident, Adamo.”
“Not everyone is as good at giving pain as you, at controlling how you dish it out,” Adamo muttered.
“I want to know what happened,” Remo snapped, forcing me to meet his harsh gaze.
Nino moved between us, pushing Remo away.
“That’s enough,” I said, side stepping Nino to face Remo. “Nino, you know Remo won’t hurt me.”
Remo smiled without humor. “Why did Adamo leave bruises on your arm?”
Adamo regarded me with trepidation, fearing what I’d reveal. What would be the consequences? Remo had made it clear that he wouldn’t tolerate Adamo taking drugs, but Adamo did, and not just that, he was getting them from our enemies—it couldn’t be any other way.
“That look you’re sharing, I don’t like it one fucking bit,” Remo growled, touching my arm to bring my attention back to him.
“It was an accident.”
Nino made a small sound in the back of his throat, looking at me as if I was betraying him.
“Bullshit,” Remo said. “One of you is going to spill the fucking beans or I’ll seriously lose my shit.”
Steps rang out and Serafina appeared with the twins on her arm. She frowned at the scene in front of her.
“You better leave. We have something to discuss,” Nino said and Remo nodded.
Serafina’s eyes darted from me to Adamo who gave her a small smile, and all I could think about was that he looked at her to remind himself of the torture he’d suffered. She turned with a last questioning look at Remo and left.