Page 19 of Thin Lives

Affonso hadn’t come out of the office to say anyone would be dropping by, and next to his phone calls and muttering, the home had been quiet for the majority of the day. Emma hated it when people came and went from their home like it was a meeting hub, available for anyone to use whenever they felt the need to show up.

Saying that to Affonso, however, had earned her a quick reprimand.

She chose not to voice her feelings anymore on the topic.

“I wonder who that is?” Sherry asked.

“I don’t know.”

Emma didn’t have to wonder for long.

“Zio!”

Calisto’s shout made Emma jump in her seat. She shot the cook a look, only to see Sherry sporting wide eyes.

“Well, that answers that,” the cook muttered, grabbing a cloth to begin wiping the counter down. “I think I’ll just finish up for the day.”

“Zio, where are you?” Calisto yelled.

He didn’t sound happy.

In fact, his yell had been coated in a heated anger Emma had only heard from Calisto a handful of times since she’d known him. Something thumped against the hallway wall, making Emma get up from her chair a little faster than she knew she should to go see what was happening.

In the hallway, she found Calisto kicking off his other shoe. It too hit the wall with a snap.

His broad shoulders, covered with one of his many blazers, were taut. He scowled as he pulled the blazer off, and tossed it over a decorative hallway table. His usually put-together appearance was more disheveled than normal, and that worried Emma.

But even in his obvious anger, Calisto was still so breathtaking to Emma. Just looking at him brought back waves of memories—his touch, kiss, and how he loved her, fucked her. She hadn’t been touched by anyone since Calisto.

She did miss Calisto, though.

Every single day she was without him.

Affonso made all the efforts he could to keep Calisto away from the Donati home if he could help it. He always did it in such a way that nothing looked amiss from the outside. Most of the business Affonso had once done with Calisto, and his underboss Ray, was now done outside of the home. Dinners were rare, though they did happen. Parties had become even rarer.

Emma knew what her husband was doing.

He was purposely keeping Calisto away from Emma as much as he possibly could without making it obvious. He was probably worried the more time the two spent together, the more likely it was that Calisto would gain some memory of their relationship back.

Affonso didn’t want that to happen at all.

“Cal?” Emma asked softly. “Is everything okay?”

Calisto’s head jerked up, his soul-black eyes landing on her. A fire burned behind his irises—fury swimming as he took her in. For a second, the anger there disappeared and his shoulders loosened. A small twinge of hope swelled in Emma’s heart as Calisto just stood there, hand against the wall, watching her.

He’d done that very thing before.

He’d stood in the shadows of a room more times than she cared to count, watching her in that very same way.

It had hurt him to do it, but they didn’t have any other choice at the time.

Did it feel familiar to him?

She couldn’t help but wonder, even if a dull ache settled deep in her bones when he blinked, shook his head, and sighed harshly.

“Where is my uncle?” he asked, standing straight.

“His office,” Emma said. “What’s wrong?”