"It's all her fault!"
"What did she do?" the sheriff asked, finally giving Felice his attention.
"She was born!" Felice fell back to the sofa and starting crying again.
Coy moved toward Robert and watched the man flinch as he approached. "Your side?" They all watched him sit taller, struggling for his composure.
"She taunted me, baited me to hit her. It's all part of her plan to get rid of us and to steal our hard-earned money."
Coy let out a small laugh. "You've never worked a day in your life, Robert." He saw Robert start to insist and have second thoughts, dropping back into his seat. Turning back to Danni, he asked her again what happened.
"I came home from the accountant about an hour ago. They were already drunk, spoiling for a fight. It seems Robert lost his private stash." She laughed at her coup. Coy looked at her strangely, and she pulled back her laugh. "I found a safe deposit box a while back. They'd been stashing cash and deeds to other properties, all paid for with Cirillo vineyard checks. Sam told me it all technically belonged to Cirillo. So I moved it until the turnover." She lifted one shoulder, as if to say,
What would you have done?
Sheriff Addams held back a smile. "And today he realized it was gone?"
"That's my assumption. I came home, and they both started hollering. Felice slapped me across the face at one point, and I turned to leave. Robert blocked the doorway."
"Go on," he prompted.
"I asked him to move, and he didn't. I turned to leave by the patio door, and he moved in front of me, grabbed me by the throat, and started choking me. I managed to get away, but he'd gotten in a good shot. Next thing I knew, there was blood dripping down my face and neck. I got angry, told them both to get out. I tried to leave a second time, and he grabbed me from behind. I threw him over my hip, and he landed on the coffee table."
Her words were too casual. Nico decided she was in shock, and it was time to get her out of here.
"You threw him?" Coy asked, not holding back his laughter.
"Self-defense class freshman year, two credits. It all came flooding back to me when he grabbed me from behind." She started to laugh again. Nico gave the sheriff a look, and the other man used his radio to call for another deputy.
"Danni, do you want to go to the emergency room? I can get an ambulance…"
"No! I'm embarrassed enough, there's no need to parade me into the ER and give the whole town proof of this. Take a few photos if you must, but that's all."
"She'll be in tomorrow morning to give her statement. Until then we'll all be at Casa Maria."
Danni glanced to Nico but didn't argue. To Felice, Nico was stern.
"Felice, there's a bag packed by the front door. Use it. You'll not come back here again."
A stand-off of dirty looks held until they heard a second car arrive. When the deputy came in and spoke to Coy, they decided a few pictures were needed. Danni sat tall while the young man did his job, taking shots of her injuries from several angles, obviously embarrassed at being a part of this. Then he documented the trashed room. When he finished, the sheriff told him to take Robert in. Felice made a fuss that was ignored while Robert's hands were cuffed behind him.
"Can you drop her somewhere, a friend maybe?" Nico asked.
"Yeah." He turned to the guard in the hallway, telling him the house would remain empty for the night. Felice wandered outside and watched Robert being seated in the rear of his police cruiser. Nico turned to Coy.
"Where were your guys when this was going on?"
"Stationed at the gate, the cellars, the stable…"
Nico put up his hand to stop the rest of his words. He was right, they were hired to keep the place safe, and not dog Danni's every step. "I got two calls before Carmen's. They heard noise and moved in, but called as they went. When they got here, everyone had gone to neutral corners. So they stood guard to stop anything further from happening." The men exchanged nods. "Come along, Felice. I'll drop you at Betty and Al's for the night. Tomorrow you'll have to come down and give a statement and bail out Robert, if you feel you must."
"Bail him out? Statements?"
All of them noticed the change in Felice's demeanor, wilting back into the Southern belle act she played so well. She managed to walk unassisted to the sheriff's car, a strange detached look in her eye, anger hiding behind a careful facade.
"Danni, you'll be okay for the night with Nico?"
She gave him a nod of her head. But she knew she was exhausted and sooner rather than later all this information was going to hit home. "Stop by after eleven, I'll make sure Felice is gone."
"Thanks, Sheriff. I'm sorry this family has been such a problem these last months." They started to split, but Danni paused. "How long can you hold Robert?"
"That will depend on what charges are brought, the court will decide." Coy Addams moved Felice toward the back seat of his cruiser, his hand automatically going to cover her head so she wouldn't hit it on the frame. He closed the door and turned back to Danni. "If Felice can raise his bail, I'll have no choice." He hesitated before adding, "You'll be safe for tonight. Tomorrow we'll try to work out the rest. At least we'll be able to get an order of protection to keep them away from you and the land until the settlement."
"Thanks, Coy." Danni stood beside Nico, and then rushed down the few steps toward the sheriff. "Don't let her use the Cirillo label as collateral for his bail!"
Watching Felice being driven away was a surreal moment. While she wasn't handcuffed, she might as well have been. Nico watched Danni blanch at the mouthed words Felice aimed at her through the closed windows. Nico burst out laughing when Danni gave her a hand gesture instead of words. His strong arms scooped her against his chest, placed her on top of his horse, and then he mounted behind her. He gave the guard a nod, then turned the horse toward Casa Maria.
Danni relaxed against him. He just wanted her safe and secure, at least for one night. It was a strange sigh that came from her throat. "My God, Nico, I never imagined!"
"Not many people knew. Twenty-five years ago secrets were kept. Matteo was well liked. It was courtesy to him. People who knew him made a point of not telling everyone they'd adopted you." He cleared his throat to buy some time. "When I spoke to Maria a few weeks ago, she hinted there were secrets I didn't know. I'd never imagined this."
"I suppose my dark hair and eyes melded with the Cirillo traits." Her voice trailed off before she finally said with a sigh, "Nico, I'm beat. I'm tired, and I need a shower."
"And food," he added. "We're on our way home, Danni, we'll be there soon. Then you can clean up and start to process everything that's happened in the last few hours."
"Maybe later or tomorrow. For now, I just want to be me…or who I thought I was."
When they arrived at his home, Carmen was at the door, waiting.
"I've a hot bath ready and I'm making some sandwiches." He helped Danni down from the horse.
When she reached the top step, she stopped. Turning, she surveyed the landscape and Nico still sitting astride his horse. In the distance, she could see the monstrous outline of her old home. It struck her that she no longer belonged in that house and wouldn't be forced to live there. That was when she started to laugh. Both Carmen and Nico watched her closely.
Danni all but skipped down the stairs to Nico's side. She rose up on her toes as he leaned down. After pressing a light kiss to his cheek she said, "I'm going to clean up and get some aspirin. Then I'm going to get something to eat and wait for you to come back and tell me what's going on at the sheriff's department." She walked back up the front steps to Carmen and gave her a smile. "You know, even though it's crazy, I'm hungry."
Both women laughed. Nico followed behind them shortly after handing over his horse to Antonio. Carmen had put her suitcase in his master bedroom, steam already building from the hot bath she'd started for Danni.
Danni was hesitant, waiting for Nico. With only a glance toward him, she started to remember other times in this space. Very different times, private ones they'd never share again. A strange sadness overcame her and she purposely looked away.
"Nico, would you rather I used a different room?"
"Don't be absurd, Danni. This is where you belong."
With Carmen gone, she toed off her sneakers, tossing her denim jacket toward the bathroom floor. She pulled out the band that had kept most of her braid tamed and shook it out, letting her fingernails make patterns on her scalp. Her T-shirt shirt came next. Without hesitation she pulled the stained shirt over her head.
"Danni, I'm going downtown. I'll be back as soon as I can. Shower and take a nap. I promise to wake you when I get back." She saw the outline of his erection rigid under the denim. She understood it would be rude to hit on her, but she wanted him, bad. And not just for sex—she wanted him close. Throwing caution to the wind, she turned back, making long strides to where he stood, pulled him against her, and held tight.
"God, Danni, if he'd really hurt you…"
"But he didn't, Nico." She heard the tremor in his voice, realized he was holding back his anger. "Don't do anything stupid to defend my honor, Mr. Severino. That's exactly what Robert and Felice want you to do. Then they'll be able to draw you into this mess." She pulled back and stared at his face. "Nico?"
"I'm torn, Danielle. One side of me wants to take you to that bed and never let you out, and the other side tells me to leave you alone for a while and…"
"And?" she teased, laughing aloud. His face heated as her hand slipped over his hard-on.
"I'm sorry, Danni. I should have done more to protect you."
"No, Nico. It's not your job to protect me. If I were your…" She pulled away when she realized what she was about to say.
"If you were my what, Danni? Wife? It can be arranged." His words were a dare, as was the tilt of his lips holding back a smile.
"I really need to bathe. This is getting us no place."
"It could, Danni, but I'll back off for now." They were distracted by Carmen's knock on the door.
"Aspirin and fresh orange juice. Aren't you in that bath yet?"
"On that note, ladies, I'll be back as soon as I can. Carmen, make her rest and eat."
"I'll be fine, just see what's going on."
"Danni, I've brought in another security team. Don't be scared if you see men outside the perimeter of the house and grounds."
"All right, Nico, but do you really think they're necessary?"
"I doubt it, but I'll feel better knowing they're here until I get back."
"Nico, do whatever it takes to hold Robert. Press any charges you can, get a restraining order on him and Felice. She slapped me across the face tonight, too. I want them both kept away from Cirillo land and me."
"I'll do what I can. Coy told me he'd call Sam Parkins, he'll meet me there."
She nodded, then turned, letting Carmen usher her into the steamy bath, the door solidly closing behind them. It opened quickly and Danni stuck her head out.
"Nico," she called, hesitating when he turned back. "Thanks," was all she managed to say, suddenly choked with emotions.
"You're welcome. Make yourself at home, Danni. Get some rest. I'll be back as soon as I can." This time, he walked quickly from his room. She knew if he stayed, she'd urge him to head into the bath with her.
* * * *
True to her word, by the time Nico returned home, Carmen had laid out a feast. Antonio and Danni were sitting across the table from him, Carmen pouring coffee. He didn't mention it when Danni's plate was left virtually untouched. Force-feeding her wouldn't help. She picked at the slice of her favorite pound cake but drank more coffee.
They kept the talk general. Antonio let Nico know that he'd talked with the security teams at both sites and all was quiet. Their conversation about the next day was surreal. Danni was too calm. For all the information he'd learned in the last hours, he was uptight. She was just resigned. When the last of the dishes were cleared, Carmen and Antonio slipped out.
It was hard not to study her profile. She was scrubbed clean, her hair air drying in waves around her shoulders. The marks on her throat were turning darker. The bruise on her cheek was bright red, her lip still swollen. She stood in his kitchen wearing silk pajamas that were meant to cover up everything. He hardened again. He knew what was under them, and wanted her against him.
"What would you like, Danni, television, a fire, or to bed?"
"Is that alone or with company?"
"Your call." She seemed to be considering the idea too long when he began to think she'd send him away. Her words revived him.
"How about a fire and brandy, and then you can tell me what else went on, like how Coy managed to keep you from killing Robert." Her words were said with a smile, but they both knew they were accurate.
"You're on. You grab the brandy, and I'll start a fire." He moved from the kitchen, the fire burning by the time she arrived with bottle and glasses in hand. She dropped on the center of the dark suede sofa, poured both drinks, and left the bottle within reach on the coffee table. Nico sat beside her but left a definite space between them.