Page 12 of Humility

“My mom is sick again,” I blurted out. “It’s why I haven’t asked my dad to go home. They are trying to hide it from me, but my mom had tests this week.” Tears trickled out before I could stop them, and I scrubbed at my face. “I get why they don’t want to say anything, but I’m not a child anymore. I can take it.”

I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to share that with him after all the years of him being an ass. Maybe because there was no obligation for kind words, and I knew Ciro would try to fix my problems. I didn’t want that. I just needed someone to listen.

As I suspected, Angelo didn’t say anything, but he wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

“Can I sit down?” We jumped at the sound of Dario’s voice, but surprisingly, Angelo didn’t move away.

“Sure,” he said, and Dario sat on my other side.

This felt weird.

“For the record, Lucas is a dick. Ignore him and stay as far away as possible,” Dario said, holding out a package of cookies. I shook my head, no, but Angelo took some.

“Thanks for keeping me company,” I said, and we lapsed into silence once more.

This trip had been strange, and I couldn’t imagine two more days. I closed my eyes and listened to the rhythmical waves lapping the shore. It was true that sometimes the enemy of my enemy was my friend.

Chapter Six

DARIO

“We can’t sit out here all night. She’s gonna catch a chill,” I said, looking over Jasmine’s head to Angelo.

“I’d be pushing my luck if I moved her.”

He was right about that. Jasmine would probably wake up swinging at his face.

“Okay, I’m going to take her inside. You bring her stuff.” Careful not to jostle her, I stood and slowly scooped Jasmine into my arms. Her head settled in the crook of my neck, and all the emotions I’d buried bubbled to the surface.

I was nothing, a nobody, in the grand scheme of things, and never seen as an equal. My father was one of Don Esposito’s advisors, but Angelo was the only reason I got invited this week.

My hands were tied when it came to Jasmine. I was loyal to Angelo first as much as I hated to see the shit he did to her. Angelo held open the door to the villa, and the warm air felt hot against my cool, damp skin. A heavy dew had formed, and I could see the droplets in Jasmine’s hair. I wasn’t letting her get sick.

“Where are you taking her?”

“The small sitting room that we found in the west wing. No one is down that way,” I whispered, and Angelo nodded.

The door was open, and I walked through while Angelo closed and locked it behind us. There was a couch and a chair in the room, and I picked the couch, sitting down with her still in my lap. Her hand gripped the front of my hoodie, and she was shivering. There was no way I was leaving her.

“Hey, asshole,” I grumbled, and Angelo froze as he was about to sit in the chair across from me. “Take off her wet shoes and put the knit blanket on her,” I ordered, surprising myself and shocked when Angelo did it without argument.

She sighed and cuddled into me as he laid the blanket on her. Angelo plopped down in the chair and stared at me. In moments like this, I saw the Don he would be. The way he held his hands and stared at me was exactly how I pictured him when it was time for him to take over for his family.

“You like her, don’t you?”

This felt like an interrogation, and I squirmed under his glare. “We’re just friends. If you can even call us that,” I answered, and Angelo snorted and leaned forward.

“That was an answer my father would give. You’re my friend. Tell me the truth.”

If I told him and he ordered me never to talk to her again….

“Dude, this is me. I’m not going to be angry if you do” Angelo said.

I lifted a shoulder and let it fall. “It doesn’t matter. I know my place, and it’s at your back, not with a princess.”

He leaned back and stared at me. I hated when he did that. Angelo had a way of telling you off without saying a word. It was so easy to feel judged. We spent every day together and half of the nights playing video games or watching movies while our fathers worked. I knew all of his looks and glares, and right now, he was telling me to stop being a dick, but it took one to know one.

“What more do you want me to say? It doesn’t matter how I feel.”