Page 7 of Thin Lines (Donati Bloodlines 2)

“I’m having a dinner.”

Calisto’s back straightened, but he stayed quiet.

“Little early in the week for that, isn’t it?” a Capo asked.

“I have news,” Affonso replied.

Calisto could practically hear the grin in his uncle’stone.

“What news, boss?”

“Come to dinner tonight and find out. Around seven. Mybeautiful wife had some late appointments today. She won’t be getting backuntil that time. It’s time for the Donatis to have something else tocelebrate.”

God, no.

Calisto hoped his uncle wasn’t saying what he thoughthe was.

A hand landed on Calisto’s shoulder. Hard.

“And you,” Affonso said.

Calisto refused to meet his uncle’s gaze as hecontinued counting cash. “Yeah?”

“You need to be there, too. You haven’t been comingaround enough. I want you there tonight.”

The lie—some bullshit to get him out of the dinner—wasright on the tip of Calisto’s tongue.

“I—”

“No excuses, Calisto. Be there. I want you there.”

Calisto did lift his stare to meet Affonso’s thattime. A hint of excitement and youth colored up his uncle’s cold, brown gaze.

The feeling from earlier was back.

Whatever was happening, it was going to be awful.

Calisto knew it.

Calisto

The Donati home came alive when people filled it.Usually, the place came off as cold and intimidating because of its largestature and the Gothic-slash-Victorian style of the outside architecture. Butwhen music echoed throughout the halls, guests filled the rooms, and laughterwas shared, the place warmed and felt like it could actually be a home.

Calisto was not stupid enough to be lulled into asense of comfort, simply by the feel of a place. He had lived over two and ahalf decades and spent more than enough time inside his uncle’s home to knowthat outside appearances lie.

The snakes were everywhere.

“Cal!”

Calisto opened his arms wide to greet his cousin.Michelle bolted in his direction with a beaming smile before barreling straightinto his embrace. His cousins, Michelle and Cynthia, were the only things aboutAffonso Donati that Calisto cared to give a damn about.

Michelle had just turned fifteen a month before, whileCynthia was only a couple of weeks off from her seventeenth birthday. Bothgirls spent the majority of their time away at boarding school, at Affonso’sdemand. Despite making children, the man had very little interest in raisingthem.

“Michelle, dolce ragazza,” Calisto said,hugging his cousin tight. “How were your final weeks of school?”

She stepped far enough away from him to look up withdisinterest. “It’s school, Cal. It’s boring. But Summer is here, and that’s allthat matters.”

Calisto chuckled, and ticked two fingers under hiscousin’s chin. “Hey, school is good for you. How else are you going to get outof this place and make something of yourself, huh?”