Page 47 of Cara & Gian: The Guzzi Duet

Cara really didn’t like to think about it.

“All right, let’s eat,” her uncle demanded.

His booming voice brought Cara from her depressing thoughts. For once, she was grateful for Claud’s loud demeanor.

Cara was a quarter of the way through her aunt’s pasta dish when the home’s landline started ringing. Claud waved at his wife to go pick it up, clearly not wanting to be taken away from his food. Daniele shot him a dirty look as she tossed her napkin to the table and headed for the sound of the ringing phone.

Thirty seconds later, Daniele shouted. “Claud!”

Cara stood from the table at the same time her uncle did. Panic had laced her aunt’s yell. She quickly followed behind her uncle, watching as Daniele passed the phone over with wide eyes and worry setting her lips into a hard frown.

“What is it?” Cara asked her aunt.

Daniele acted as though she hadn’t heard the question.

Claud spoke fast—and in Italian—into the phone. As it were, Cara’s Italian was a bit too rough around the edges, and she had an even harder time keeping up when someone was speaking quickly.

But she did manage to catch a few words she knew mixed in.

Gian.

Autobomba.

Ospedale.

The name of the hospital was repeated, too.

Claud hung up the phone before Cara had even realized what happened. He waved a hand wildly at his wife. “My keys, get me my damn keys, donna.”

Cara didn’t move as her aunt rushed by her. “Gian is at a hospital?”

“What?” Claud’s gaze snapped to Cara, but just as quickly, he dropped the stare and headed for the front of the house. Cara followed right behind. “It’s none of your concern, Cara. Enjoy dinner with Daniele; keep her company for tonight.”

No.

She refused to relent, her heart beating hard in her chest. “Is that why he didn’t message me back earlier? A car bomb, that’s what I heard you say.”

Claud froze as he tried to put on his jacket. “Why are you even conversing with Gian Guzzi?”

“Because I’m a grown woman and I want to. Why won’t you answer my questions?”

“Because I’m not required to,” her uncle growled.

Cara straightened like a rod had been shoved up her spine, the familiar sense of being a woman in a man’s world creeping into her mind again. This was how it always was for the women in this life—told to turn cheek, shut up, and behave when it counted. She hated that the very most.

“Let me give you a piece of advice, Cara,” Claud said, finally slipping his jacket on properly. “You’re right, it isn’t my place to tell you who you can and can’t be running around with, now that your father is dead and your brother has the say over you, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still listen when you are told. My brother—your father—would tell you the same damn thing. Stay the hell away from Gian Guzzi, before you end up in a world of trouble that you don’t want and can’t handle.”

“Aren’t you a part of that world, too?” Cara shot back.

“You have no idea, do you?” Claud’s eyes blazed. “Stay the hell away from the man, Cara.”

“I want to go to the hospital.”

“No. Not with me, anyhow.”

Her uncle didn’t even give her a second look before he went in search of his wife and his keys. Cara had already called a cab before Claud slammed the front door on his way out.

Fuck him.