Page 36 of Thin Lines (Donati Bloodlines 2)

“Then let’s do that.”

Emma grabbed a black clutch off the chair where shehad thrown the elastic earlier. Calisto let her lead the way out of thebedroom, and he still avoided staring at the messy sheets on the bed as heclosed the door behind them.

As they began walking down the steps, Emma hollered agoodbye out to her step-daughters. For a quick moment, when he heard both girlsanswer Emma’s call back almost instantly, Calisto didn’t feel as guilty as hehad with Cynthia earlier.

At least, he thought, they found commonground.

The girls had someone to befriend, someone to trustand talk to. He didn’t believe that Emma would take the girls’ secrets toAffonso, or anything like that.

Emma was hard not to like.

At the last couple of steps, Emma stopped abruptly,making Calisto almost collide into her back. His stare caught the sight of herhand clenching tightly around the smooth, wood edge of the banister, and herarm trembled. Emma sucked in a quick breath that sounded like she was in pain.

Calisto was at her side in a flash. “Emmy?”

She didn’t even blink. Her other hand grazed the sideof her stomach as she frowned, shook her head, and took another breath.

“Emmy, are you all right?” Calisto asked.

“Fine,” she said faintly.

The bright glow to her cheeks had left. Her mouthpressed into a thin, grim line. The previous coldness of her green gaze hadbeen replaced with a confused daze as she touched the side of her small swellagain.

“I don’t think you are, bella. Are you inpain?”

Emma pursed her lips, her hand coming up to pushCalisto away from her side. “I’m fine. We’re wasting time.”

“Emmy.”

She took the last couple of steps quickly.

“Stop worrying about me Calisto, and get me to thedamned breakfast.”

Not worrying was easier said than done.

Calisto decided not to argue.

Emma

“I’m sorry,” Emma said quietly.

She watched the cars they flew past, wondering who wasinside the vehicles, and what their lives might be like. Were they happy?

Calisto cleared his throat. “For what, dolcezza?”

“Earlier.”

“You’re going to have to give me a bit more to go on.”

Emma willed away the guilt compounding in her chest,promising to keep her quiet. “I was snappy at you. I shouldn’t have been. Youdidn’t deserve it.”

She caught sight of the small smile gracing Calisto’s darklyhandsomely features. Quickly, Emma turned her head again, not wanting to stareat him for long. It never helped her, it only hurt.

“I think I can overlook it,” Calisto murmured.

“And why is that?”

“Hormones.”