I follow him down the hall and then the stairwell to the main floor. We wind around the inside of the house until we reach the kitchen.
Inside, there’s a high-top table with four chairs. No one else is seated, but already there’s a plate with food, a glass of milk, water, and orange juice in front of the place seating.
“No elegant dining room?” I joke.
“I thought you might find this a little more comfortable and familiar,” Moreno says.
Did he forget that I grew up with Gino DeLuca? He does know who my father is, doesn’t he?
“Will anyone be joining us?” I ask.
What I really want to know is if Dante will be having breakfast with me or if he’s avoiding me.
“No, Dante is away on business for the next few days.”
“Oh,” I say. I’m not sure why I care. I should be relieved that I don’t have to see him. Not dealing with him sounds quite enjoyable.
Moreno seems nice, friendly, and maybe I can convince him to let me go from my imprisonment with Dante.
“Does everything appear to your liking?” Moreno asks.
He’s formal, far more so than the men who Papa dealt with. Moreno has kind eyes and a warm smile, but I know behind his façade he’d murder a man without thinking twice.
“Yes, I’m just not that hungry.” I climb onto the chair and sit in front of the enormous amounts of food.
It feels wrong to have all this when the other girls are starving. What happened to them? Is that why Dante is gone?
Is he snatching the next runaway or filling his compound with girls to be sold at auction?
I push the plate away. “I’m not hungry,” I say.
Any appetite I had is long since gone.
“You need to eat breakfast. If not for you, for the baby that you’re carrying,” Moreno says. His voice is soft yet firm. I’d guess if Dante was here, he’d force me to eat.
I should be grateful that he’s been called away on business, but a small part of me is sad not to see him.
He stirs a fire within my very soul. I’m not sure whether I should hate him or be grateful he plucked me away from Diamond and the other men who could have easily had their way with me.
I sigh and reach for the glass of juice. “Can I ask you something?” I glance at Moreno.
He’s standing guard by the door. I’m not sure what he’s waiting for, worried that if I run, he’ll have to chase me? His boss probably wouldn’t be too happy if I got away. Good.
Moreno shrugs.
“How many other girls has Dante brought here? How many women has he caged?” I ask. I’m honestly not sure that I want to know the answer, but at least then I might come to terms with my fate.
It doesn’t sound like he has any other children, and if that is the case, at least Dante has a reason to keep me around and keep me alive.
Moreno clears his throat. He shifts his feet a bit. He looks more than just uncomfortable. He seems downright afraid to answer me.
What have I gotten myself into?