Whoa. She cut off the thought there. What was that all about?
I like him, her lioness purred.
Yes, she did, too. Instinctively. But still. Running off with him?
It’s destiny, her inner beast insisted.
Cara pursed her lips. Old-world shifters were big on that idea, but she’d been raised to think for herself. Who was destiny to tell her where, when, and with whom she should fall in love?
And yet, there she was, blood pumping, heart yearning for a stranger she barely knew.
Please, she wanted to urge Amalia. Say something.
Ercole smirked and raised a finger, about to order the guards to take Tony away. Before he could, however, Amalia clasped Tony’s hands and fell to her knees.
“It really is you.” Tears sprung from her eyes. “So many years, I prayed for a chance to thank you. I owe you everything, sir. My life. More importantly, the lives of my children. Without you, we would never have gotten away.”
Cara exhaled. Ercole frowned, and Ismerelda did too. But Fiorina fell to her knees beside her mother, whispering, “Grazie, signore,” again and again.
Tony pulled Amalia and Fiorina gently to their feet. “I only did what any man would.”
Still, Ercole didn’t look satisfied. “By his own admission, this man killed Tiberio.”
Grazia snorted. “Esattamente, my dear Ercole. By his own admission. This man has been telling the truth all along.”
Ercole scowled. “It could be a ploy.”
“Naturally. A ploy.” Grazia’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “This man ran down from Fabricio’s office, saved Amalia and the children, then ran up again and waited at Fabricio’s side until help arrived, all in a devious and brilliantly executed plan.” Then she threw up her hands. “For goodness’ sake, Ercole. Use your brain.”
Cara held her breath, while Ercole turned crimson.
But it was Fiorina, of all people, who broke the tension with her whisper.
“Basta.” Enough. “Please. This man is no criminal. But someone out there is.” She gripped her mother’s hand and glanced out the window.
Amalia stabbed a finger at Ercole. “You promised me my daughter would be safe here. You gave me your word.”
“I warned you the Lombardis weren’t the only threat to watch out for,” one of the old Guardians scolded.
Tony shook his head. “You never know with the Lombardis. But I believe that dragon clan was dealt its death blow by Lachlan McKenney’s forces in Scotland.”
Ercole snorted. “How can you be sure?”
“I was part of those forces.”
Cara had no idea what Tony was talking about, but Ercole looked stunned. So did the other Guardians, who studied Tony with renewed respect.
“We must monitor the remnants of that evil clan,” Tony continued. “But we must not be blind to their allies — or to new enemies, like those who targeted Fiorina this evening.”
“Exactly,” Amalia agreed. “How do you propose to ensure my daughter’s safety?”
Ercole motioned to the men standing at attention by the door. “We’ll double the guard.”
“And if they fail?” Amalia demanded.
Fiorina covered her face with her hands, trembling in a way that said, I wish I had never come to Venice. And frankly, Cara couldn’t blame her. But to the girl’s credit, she raised her chin and gulped away her tears.
“More isn’t better. All I ask is for someone I can trust. Someone I know.”
Her eyes roved the room desperately before landing squarely on Cara.
She took a step back. Whoa. Wait a minute. Saving the environment was her thing, not saving lives. What if she messed up?
Fiorina and Amalia gazed at her with huge, imploring eyes.
Cara opened, then closed her mouth, swallowing her protest. The Fellinis were like a second family. How could she let them down?
Please, Amalia’s voice reached Cara’s mind. You know how vulnerable my daughter is. How trusting. How defenseless, despite everything I’ve tried.
“Surely you’re not suggesting this…this…” Ercole motioned vaguely at Cara.
“Wetlands ecologist?” She crossed her arms, refusing to cave in to his pushy ways.
“What qualifies you as a bodyguard?” Ercole demanded.
Cara wished she had a good answer. What did qualify her, other than occasionally leading women’s self-defense classes at her uncle’s gym?
“Her actions this evening qualify her.” Tony motioned to Pietro and Luigi. “If you doubt me, ask them.”
Pietro looked sheepishly at Luigi, who looked at the floor. “Well, she does have a passable right hook…”
“Passable?” Tony rumbled.
“You should have seen her,” Fiorina gushed. “Boom! She kicked one man right out the window. And, bam! She broke the other one’s nose.” The girl illustrated her point with amateurish little jabs and kicks.
Tony raised an eyebrow, but Cara silenced him with a sharp look that said, Don’t you dare criticize her technique.
Ercole made a face. “Fine. Fiorina may have this woman as a bodyguard. But I insist on additional protection. Proper protection,” he sniffed, making Cara’s hackles rise. Then he snapped his fingers at one of his men. “Get Sorinni and Julius.”
Fiorina squeaked in protest. “But…”
Ercole was barely paying attention, already turning away.
Cara cleared her throat loudly. “Fiorina said someone she knows. Someone she trusts.”
Ercole looked her up and down with a haughty look that said, Who let this nosy outsider in? Finally, he threw up his hands. “Who, then?”
Fiorina pointed at Tony, who froze.
“Him.”
Ercole shook his head. “Out of the question. That man is a wanted criminal.”
“Surely, we just corrected that unfortunate error,” Grazia pointed out.
Amalia jumped to her feet. “This man saved my daughter’s life. Twice. I trust him more than I trust ten of your guards.”
Ercole shot his men a dirty look.
Fiorina wrung her hands and looked from Tony to Cara. “Please. Please help me, if only for a little while.”
Tony’s lips parted, and Cara could see the protest on the tip of his tongue. As desperate as she was not to get involved, Tony had even less reason to help. Why would he stay in Venice after being treated so badly by the Guardians?
As long as his golden-brown eyes fell on Fiorina, they were soft and understanding. But when he glanced at all the harsh faces gathered in the hall, they filled with anger and hurt pride. And when he glanced at the door — freedom — his eyes glittered with temptation.
And, hell. Cara was just as tempted to talk some sense into Fiorina and be on her way. To head back to her job out in the fresh air, not the stuffy meeting rooms of an outdated elite.
The only question in her mind was how to break that to Fiorina.
She sensed Tony wrestling with the same impossible choice.
A slight pressure registered on her arm, and she looked down to find Fiorina looking at her with those innocent puppy eyes.
“Please,” Fiorina whispered.
And just like that, Cara’s resolve cracked.
“Of course.” She covered Fiorina’s hand with hers, telling herself this was a moment she would look back on with pride, not regret. “I’d be happy to stay.”