into the bathroom.
I smooth the chunky fabric of my sweater down before taming my hair with my hands. Ares sends Ollie a pointed look, with one brow raised and his chin tipped down, warning him to be good. Ares takes one last look around the room sighing before opening the door.
“You’re awake,” Rosa announces, her voice more chipper than it should be, considering I know she hasn’t had very much time to sleep in the last few hours. “Where is everyone?” I see her try to peek her head around Ares from either side.
“Buongiorno, Mamma.” Ares leans down and places a chaste kiss on his mother’s cheek. A beautiful smile lifts her lips as she pats his back.
“Saluto, figlio.” When he leans back, she takes hold of his upper arms and gazes up at him. “Finalmente, you smile.”
Stepping back from her, he holds out a hand in my direction. “We were coming out to meet you, but I know you’ve probably been making my fathers crazy trying to get in here.”
Rosa swats Ares’s arm with the back of her hand. Her eyes go straight to me, and I see a flare of recognition there. Butterflies fill my stomach, not just because I’m meeting her for the first time, but because of what I might learn from her. “You are Mandy’s daughter,” she says with absolute certainty.
“Mamma, this is Laura, Laura Fallen.” He looks at his mom, waiting for some confirmation about my name, but Rosa isn’t paying him any attention.
“Did you know my mother well?” I finally find my voice.
“I thought I did, yes,” Rosa replies. I think I’m the reason she used the past tense. She’s probably questioning if she ever really knew my mother at all; I know I am.
Twisting my hands together, feeling very vulnerable, I sense more than hear Ollie coming to my side. Rosa and I are still staring at each other with so many things to say, but I definitely don’t know where to begin.
“Milo and Dante should be out any minute. How about we head over to the kitchen? Gloria should be here soon. I’m hungry,” Ares rambles, filling the silence.
That breaks the spell, and Rosa clicks her tongue, her lips pursed. “I can put something together. Tell your brothers to hurry.” Rosa is out the door within seconds without looking back.
“Works every time,” Ollie says and offers Ares a grin.
“What?” I ask, confused.
“Implying I’m hungry.” Ares gives me a small shrug. “Getting us out of trouble is my specialty. I haven’t always been the well-behaved sweetheart you see now.” Ares runs his hand over the front of his vest. I know he’s teasing, trying to lighten the situation.
Shaking my head and looking over at Ollie I say, “Has anyone ever accused him of being a sweetheart?” I hook my thumb in Ares’s direction.
Ollie’s eyes twinkle. “Maybe if you’re comparing him to the devil.”
“Who’s the devil?” Milo comes out of the bathroom dressed in black joggers and a t-shirt that looks a little too tight.
“Ares,” Ollie and I say at the exact same moment. Our eyes meet, and I can’t hold in the giggles that erupt.
Milo gives a curious look but shakes his head. “Dante said we’re skipping?” He ignores the whole devil comment.
“Say yes, say yes,” Ollie pleads, the puppy dog look back on his face.
I let my grin slip, the gravity of what we’ll be discussing today instead of being at school weighing on me. “If you think calling in will work, I guess we could skip today.” My tone makes it clear I’m nowhere near as excited as Ollie, but he lets out a whoop and smacks a wet kiss on my cheek.
“Here, you can use this.” Ares picks up his sleek phone from the top of the nightstand. As I go to take it from his hand, he pulls it back. “Don’t let me forget to get you a phone after we have breakfast.” I nod my head, but I don’t have any intention of reminding him.
The screen lights up, revealing what looks like a picture of the cosmos, or an oil slick, with the time displayed across the front. “How do I unlock this?” I twist the phone around looking for buttons. Ares cradles my hand and places the phone in front of his face, when he turns it around and I can see the screen again, there are several icons, including a little white phone in a green box.
“It has facial ID, we can add yours in