Dangerous...

Gia spread her hands palm up as if to say, “See.”

Truth was, though, she didn’t trust herself where Luca was concerned. In light of all that had happened not just that night, but over the past five weeks, she might be tempted to give in to that soft spot inside her that yearned to curl up in his embrace and take whatever he might have to offer by way of comfort…and sex.

But considering what had happened the last time she’d given herself over to fundamental urges…she looked everywhere but at Luca’s questioning gaze.

“Vito will see you out,” Gia said.

5

THE FOLLOWING DAY, Luca’s words still resonated with Gia. She’d decided to take her morning break in her brother Lorenzo’s room and since he was in a deep sleep, she didn’t have much else to do than think.

The old bedroom was unusually quiet. The first item on her agenda was to open the heavy curtains so that her brother might see that it was daylight and regain some sense of the passage of time. More than a month’s worth that he’d lost and could never regain.

Still, the heavily paneled room felt dark.

Gia let her gaze fall over Lorenzo’s face and still form under the blanket. The doctor had been concerned about dehydration so he’d ordered an intravenous feeding tube be inserted a week ago. The stand and bag were on the other side of the bed and was a reminder of why it was so important to pull Lorenzo closer to her rather than let him drift ever nearer to her father and Mario.

Immediately following his emergency surgery to remove two bullets from his lower spine, he’d been placed in a drug-induced coma to allow his body to heal.

The problem was that Lorenzo seemed completely content to remain there, despite her pleas for him to return to some semblance of normalcy.

She needed him.

One of his three full-time nurses came into the room with fresh linens.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were in here, Miss Gia.” She began backing out.

She gestured for her to come in. “That’s okay. I was just about to leave anyway.”

The nurse smiled, placed the linens on a rich red oak nightstand and then left the room again.

Gia stared at her brother’s impassive face. So handsome. Their father used to like to joke that he didn’t look like anyone on the Trainello side of the family and that it was a good thing he was the spitting image of his mother or else he’d have to have him tested to make sure he was of his blood. A broad forehead, smooth dark brows, a slightly hooked nose and strong jawline and tousled glossy dark brown hair that shone almost black against the whiteness of his pillowcase. Growing up, Gia had had her share of friends who had sought out her company in the hopes of a chance to get closer to her older brother.

Which was one of the reasons why the thirty-year- old wasn’t married yet. Why should he marry now, he said, when he was enjoying playing a field that widened every time he turned around?

Now he lay alone in a room that was too dark, wallowing in the darkness of his own mind.