“Your house is tiny.”
My head jerks to Gia. I thought she was asleep, but the bouncing of the car must have woken her.
I raise an eyebrow. “I can return you to your previous owner. Just say the word, and you’ll be back in his giant mansion.”
She stills. “I’ll give your tiny house a try first.”
I narrow my eyes. “I forgot. You’re a Carini. You care about things like houses and cars and money.”
She looks out the window, suddenly more solemn. I said something wrong.
“I’m not sure if such things matter or not, but I miss them.” The way she speaks with regret stirs my deep feelings. It’s clear she doesn’t want to miss mansions, money, and expensive cars.
I shrug. “I don’t think it matters if you prefer giant mansions or not. I prefer my excluded house in the woods.”
“Our house was excluded. Hidden. But it had enough rooms we could all live under one roof. My entire family. We could have extravagant parties and lush rooms. Why wouldn’t you want that?”
I shake my head. “You may think the Carini mansion was hidden and private. It wasn’t. Trust me. I’ve been doing security for a long time. I’ve seen hundreds of houses. My house is private. Yours wasn’t.”
“I doubt you have been doing this for a long time.” She rakes her eyes over my body as she takes in my appearance and age.
“Security is all I’ve ever done. Even when I was a kid. Don’t start judging me because I don’t come from a long line of Conti’s who work in security. I made my money on my own.”
Her face brightens at my admission. Damn it. How do I keep revealing so much about myself to her so easily?
She nods. “I wasn’t judging you for not inheriting money. I admire that. It seems like a simpler life, where nothing is expected of you, and you can choose your own path. I envy you for that.”
“Don’t. My life is no more perfect than yours is.”
She raises an eyebrow. “You can’t be serious. Your life is a lot better than mine. You’ve never had your life threatened. Your ownership of your body, taken. Never been violated by another person.”
“Don’t speak unless you know the words you are saying are truthful. You know nothing about my life. In some ways, my hell is much worse than yours.”
Her eyes cross in confusion and her luscious red lips open to speak again. I climb out of the car before she starts firing off her questions. This is one area she won’t be getting any answers to her questions. I’ve endured more pain than she can ever imagine. I would easily trade paths with her to get rid of my own omnipresent pain.
I walk to her side, but her door is already open, and her feet are swung to the side as she prepares to step out.
Not fucking happening.
I scoop her up roughly.
“Put me down. I can walk! There is no threat at the moment. Dante isn’t lurking behind one of the trees. Let me walk. It doesn’t matter how long it takes me.”
“It does too matter how long. I have work to do. I can’t just sit around waiting for hours as you stumble into my house.”
She pouts. “What did you mean back there about your hell being worse?”
I refuse to answer her or even acknowledge her words. I enter my code on the front door and wait for the door to unlock after it has scanned my face and recognized me as the owner. It opens, and I carry her in. The door shuts and locks automatically behind me.
“Caspian, it’s good to have you home. Can I get you anything, sir?” Michi, my assistant, and the owner of the house on paper, asks. He oversees everything that has to do with the house when I’m not here.
“We would love some food. Something light, please Michi.”
Gia looks from me to Michi curiously. I expect her to open her mouth, but she doesn’t.
“Yes, sir. I’ll make some soup and grilled cheese.”
“Thank you.”