“I wasn’t prancing, and besides, I don’t care about them.” She takes the bottle from me and sips. “Do you know where he went?”
“Just running an errand.”
“What errand?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Does it have to do with my brother?”
“No.”
She looks at me like she doesn’t quite believe me but decides not to pursue it.
“How much did you drink?” I ask.
“A little.” She lies down and turns on her side toward me.
“More than a little I think.” I lie down on my back, and she curls into me. I wince when she lays her head on my chest but again swallow down the pain and wrap an arm around her. “What time is it?”
“Three in the morning.”
It’s late. I pick up my phone from the nightstand to see if Amadeo’s texted but nothing. I send him a text.
Me:How is the good doctor?
The three little dots begin to undulate as my brother types, and the relief I feel surprises me. Lucien’s attack rattled me. Not for what they did to me, but for the fact that he got to us so easily, and I guess I’m more worried than I realize.
Amadeo:Don’t know yet but my gut says this is going to be bad. Dandelion sleeping?
Me:She just crawled into my bed.
Amadeo:Keep her there.
I glance down at the top of Vittoria’s head. Her breathing is even. I wonder if she fell asleep.
I set the phone aside and hug Vittoria closer.
“Where did he go?” she asks without moving.
“Nowhere, Dandelion. Get some sleep.”
“Are you going to be here when I wake up?”
“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart.”
She curls up tighter, and I think she’s going to sleep, but a few minutes later, she asks me another question. “Do you remember them?”
“What?”
“The nightmares.”
“Yeah, I do. Wish I didn’t.”
“No, you don’t.” She looks up at me. “I can’t remember mine, but it’s the same one.”
“If you can’t remember them, then how do you know it’s the same one?”
“There’s a feeling with it. Like I’m going to be sick.”