Giovanni (Blood Brothers Book 6) (5 page)

“Oh, that sounds exciting. I bet you’ve seen so much. I’d love it if you tell me about it sometime. Maybe you can to my room later for a drink and we can talk about it.”

Sydney had been taking a bite of her meatloaf and nearly choked on it when she heard Darlene drop that tired line.

Dylan whacked Sydney’s back. “Are you okay?”

Sydney broke into a fit of coughs. “I’m fine,” she managed say before reaching for a glass of water.

“Sydney, sweetie, are you okay?” Darlene’s fake concern made Sydney want to fling her mashed potatoes in that tramp’s direction. The only thing that stopped her was not wanting to hit anyone else.

“I’m fine,” she mumbled, embarrassed that she let the other woman get under her skin. She had no reason to be jealous, after all she barely knew John. And even if she broke her own rule about dating her boarders there was no guarantee that he had any interest in her beyond that of landlord and tenant.

The rest of the meal was an ordeal. Between Darlene’s subtle barbs and Dylan finding any and all excuses to touch her, Sydney was ready to stab someone by the time she managed to get dinner down.

She excused herself before dessert to get some air and headed to the porch to clear her thoughts. When she heard footsteps shortly afterwards, she braced herself for another headache as she remembered she had promised Dylan a talk.

Without warning he placed his hands on her shoulders and pressed his lips to the back of her neck.

Sydney shoved her elbow into his midsection. “What the hell are you doing, Dylan? I didn’t come out here for you to molest me.” She turned toward him and made sure to put as much distance between them as possible.

“I’ve been gone for two months. I thought by now you would have gotten over it.”

This asshole.

“Are you insane, Dylan? Get over it? You talk as if you didn’t try to drive a guy’s head through the wall. Stevie had a migraine for two weeks. You could have killed him and all because he was talking to me. That’s not normal behavior. I’m lucky Dan even allows me to still play there.”

“You didn’t see how he was looking at you. That guy was undressing you with his eyes. No one is going to disrespect me or my girl like that.”

“And that’s what it all boils down to. Your ego was bruised and you had to display some brute force as a sign of your masculinity. Well, Dylan, I’m not your possession to fight over and to be perfectly honest, I’m not even interested in being your friend. As far as I’m concerned you’re just a guest in my home and only because I care about your grandmother. Otherwise you could go straight to Hell.”

“You’re overreacting. You would have done the exact same thing in my position. Most women would be flattered that their men are looking out for them.”

“Well, I’m not most women. And I wasn’t flattered, as you put it. Flattering me would involve paying me a compliment. Telling me I looked beautiful or admiring my outfit, not nearly committing murder! Why you can’t see what you did was wrong is beyond me. Not to mention you didn’t even apologize. Don’t you understand the enormity of what you’ve done? You’re lucky Stevie or Dan didn’t get the police involved. Just stay away from me, okay? And maybe you should look into shortening your visit this time around.”

She attempted to move around him but he caught her by the wrist. “This isn’t over,” he growled. “You still belong to me and I’m not going to let you turn your back on me.”

Sydney yanked her arm in an attempt to free herself but he tightened his grip. “Let me go!”

“You gave that new guy my room.”

“Not that it’s any of your business how I run my house, but your room was the only one that was ready when he arrived and I gave it to him because we didn’t expect you for a few days. I don’t even know why I’m even explaining this to you. Again I’d like to remind you that it’s my house and I can do with it as I please. You’re only in it as a courtesy to Ida. You don’t even pay rent.”

Before she was aware of what he was going to do she found herself locked in his arms. They were like bands squeezing her tight. When she would have screamed, Dylan covered her mouth in a bruising kiss.

“What’s going on out here?”

Sydney nearly fainted in relief when she heard John’s voice.

Chapter Five

Giovanni wanted to leave the table as soon as he saw Dylan follow Sydney outside, but the redhead who’d taken a seat next to him at the dinner table clung to his arm like a second skin. Never one to mind the attention of beautiful women, he found Darlene annoying with her attempts to draw him into conversation. It didn’t escape his notice that she took several subtle and not so subtle digs at Sydney. But he wasn’t sure whether Sydney was more annoyed with the unwarranted shots Darlene sent her way or the presence of Dylan.

The other man switched between pawing Sydney and glaring at him, although it would have been quite obvious to anyone that Dylan’s advances were unwelcome. He was surprised that the old woman Ida didn’t seem to be bothered by Dylan’s behavior; in fact, she pretended as if it wasn’t happening. Even the two students who spoke Russian among themselves noted Sydney’s discomfort. Only half-listening to them Giovanni understood what they were saying but gave nothing away. So when Sydney finally excused herself he thought that would be the end of it. But Dylan seemed to have other ideas. There was something about that guy Giovanni didn’t like, even before he saw the way Dylan acted toward Sydney. Giovanni had a bad feeling about the guy but he couldn’t quite put his finger on why.

It took some fancy maneuvering to work his way out of Darlene’s grip but when he did, he headed to the door and could hear Sydney’s raised voice. And then nothing. The sight that greeted Giovanni made him see red. Dylan’s arms were wrapped tightly around Sydney as he pressed a desperate kiss against her lips. It was clear Sydney didn’t enjoy Dylan’s ardor. In fact she wiggled and squirmed in the other man’s arms for dear life.

“Mind your business.” Dylan grunted when Giovanni interrupted them while still keeping a tight grip on Sydney.

“It doesn’t look like the lady returns your enthusiasm. I think you should let her go.”

“Fuck off!” Dylan released Sydney so abruptly she stumbled backward but miraculously she managed to remain on her feet.

Seeing red, Giovanni advanced with fists clenched. Dylan, however, was ready for him because he swung his fist towards Giovanni’s head. It looked like the other man was moving in slow motion because Giovanni was not only able to duck but he delivered a blow of his own, catching Dylan in the stomach.

Dylan crumpled to the ground, gasping for air.

Giovanni froze. Where did that come from? His reflexes had been lightning quick. That wasn’t supposed to happen unless…was he getting his powers back? He didn’t feel any differently, but he’d been able to perform that maneuver with the speed of an immortal.

He didn’t have a chance to dwell on his abilities because he needed to make sure that Sydney was okay. Giovanni took her hand. “Are you all right?”

Sydney scrunched her nose in apparent confusion. “John? What happened?”

“Let’s just say Dylan is down for the count.”

“You knocked him out?”

“Um, he had the wind taken out of his sails but he’s still cognizant from what I can tell.”

“What’s going on out here?” Ida appeared on the porch, looking none too pleased with the scene before her. When her dark gaze fell on the man still wheezing and rolling on the ground she hurried to his side. “Dylan!” She raised her head and glared at Giovanni. “What have you done to my grandson? Someone call the police.” She yelled.

“No!” Sydney objected. “Dylan started it. John was defending me.”

“Dylan isn’t a troublemaker. We didn’t have any problems before this one showed up.” The old woman jerked her thumb in Giovanni’s direction. A chill ran down his spine. If looks could kill, he’d be dead on the spot.

“Ida, why don’t you help Dylan inside and we can talk about this later,” Sydney interjected with diplomacy.

“You’re taking his side? This man is a stranger. There’s a rule against violence in this house and he violated it.”

“Like I said, Dylan started it. Look, I know he’s your grandson and you don’t want to hear this but it’s true.”

Giovanni could tell Sydney’s words weren’t getting through to Ida. Even as she spoke, the old woman would not stop glaring at him.

Finally Dylan was able to sit up. He gasped for breath before speaking. “Leave it alone, Grandma. It’s obvious Sydney doesn’t understand the meaning of the word loyalty.”

Sydney placed her hands on her hips. “Don’t give me that, Dylan. You came out here with some bullshit and expect me to just be okay with it. Get over yourself. We’re through.”

Dylan laughed as he made it to his feet. “You keep telling yourself that and maybe you might even start believing it.” He yanked himself away from his grandmother’s grip before turning on Giovanni. “You got lucky, pretty boy. Next time you come at me, I’m going to knock your ass out.” He then stormed into the house, leaving an open-mouthed Ida in his wake. Finally the old woman walked back inside, but not before shooting another glare in Giovanni’s direction.

“Wow. That was intense.” Sydney shook her head.

“I’ll say.”

And through it all, Giovanni still held her hand. Sydney must have noticed because she pulled her hand out his grip. “Sorry.”

Giovanni wished he could take her in his arms just to feel her warmth against him. “Don’t apologize. I didn’t mind.” He balled his fists at his sides to keep himself from cupping her face in his hands and kissing her pouty lips. She was so beautiful his heart sped up.

“To be honest, I don’t want to go back inside and deal with the drama. Dylan is lurking in the house somewhere, Ida is probably pissed at me and I think if Darlene says anything else to me, I’m going to beat her with my cane.”

Giovanni chuckled. “You don’t seem prone to violence.”

Sydney smiled. “You should have seen the fights I used to have with my sister. We’d go at it like a couple of wrestling pros.”

“Then let’s not go back in. Do you want to get out of here? Take a walk?”

She nodded. “Yeah, I think I’d like that.”

He noticed that she didn’t have her cane with her. “Do you need your cane?”

“I can get around the house pretty well without it, but I need it once I step outside, but like I said before I’d rather not go back inside right now. At least not until things cool down a little. So, if you don’t mind guiding me, I don’t need it.”

His body quickened at the thought of her holding on to him. It might not have been a good idea, but he couldn’t pass up the opportunity. “Of course not. Should I take you hand?”

“Just hold out your arm.”

Giovanni followed her instruction and she wrapped her arms around his bicep. Her touch was like a balm to his soul. Giovanni willed his fast hardening cock to stay at rest.

Sydney must have sensed his discomfort. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I uh, I’m just admiring the view.”

She smiled, released small even white teeth. “That’s one thing about being blind that I miss out on, the stars. I used to sit in my parents’ back yard at night with a blanket and stare at them for hours. Are there a lot out tonight?”

Though the view he referred to was her beauty, he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. “Yes. The sky is littered with them.” He didn’t know if that was true or not because he couldn’t take his gaze off her.

“Sounds lovely.”

“Very lovely. Let’s go.”

They walked in silence for a while. Sydney knew the exact moment when they stepped off her property because she counted the steps. She wasn’t sure what it was about this stranger that made her feel so comfortable and safe but being besides him just felt right. She was playing with fire by being out here with him. Sydney promised herself that after tonight she would keep a friendly distance between herself and John but for now, she wanted to enjoy being in his presence.

“I don’t think anyone has stood up to Dylan like that. He can be a bit of a hothead.”

“I didn’t like the way he grabbed you. Has he been rough like that with you before?”

“When we were together no, but when we broke up, he didn’t take it too well. He didn’t hit me but I feared that he would. He shook me until my teeth rattled. I’m just lucky he didn’t take things further”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what made you break up with him?”

“Besides his temper? He was jealous and wanted to know where I was every second of the day. I couldn’t deal with it. I guess he thought because I’m blind, he could control me and I’d be grateful that someone was willing to date me, but that shit gets old real quick.”

“I can’t say I blame you. It must be awkward living with him in the same house.”

Sydney laughed without humor “Tell me about it. Fortunately his work takes him away often so I don’t have to deal with him that much. So, tell me about you, John Chandler. You mentioned earlier about traveling. That must be pretty exciting. Where are some of the places you’ve visited?”

“I’ve seen most of the world. I have more stamps in my passport than the post office.”

She giggled. “Really? Have you been to Paris?”

“Several times.”

“Is it as beautiful as I imagine it to be?”

“Depends on what you consider beautiful. Paris is old, as are a lot of its buildings. So if your thing is history, then Paris is the place for you. Although, I must admit that there’s nothing as breathtaking as the Paris skyline at night.”

“That sounds incredible. I’ve always wanted to go there but I haven’t had the chance. I might not be able to see the sights but I just want to be there to hear the sounds and experience the smells, taste the food.”

“Why haven’t you traveled?”

She shrugged. “It’s always something. I lost my family and my sight in a really bad car accident. I was nineteen at the time and I had so many plans. I wanted to somehow make a living playing music. The future was mine. And then in a blink of an eye my world was shattered. I understandably went through a lot of counseling and rehabilitation. By the time I felt like I could live life again, I realized I didn’t want to live in my parents’ house without them, so I sold it and with the money from that sale combined with the settlement from the insurance company I bought the old boarding house. It was a major fixer upper but I didn’t mind. I hired some contractors to get it up to code. But since it’s an old house it requires a lot of love. One year the furnace stopped working, and another time I needed to replace the hot water heater, and once we got hit hard by a hurricane.”

“Sounds like a money pit.”

Sydney knew it must seem like a burden to someone else but she adored this house. When she and her sister were kids, they used to ride their bikes down the dirt path to this abandoned house. While Tara thought the house was icky and haunted as most of the local children did, Sydney had seen the character in the old structure. She imagined what it would look like in its glory. Granted she couldn’t see all the work that had been put in to it, but she knew it was beautiful.

“It’s a treasure. It’s my dream house. I loved it when I saw it as a kid and love it even more as an adult. I know this sounds silly, but sometimes I like to walk against the walls just to run my fingers along the crown molding. I also like that my house has a story to tell. It was built shortly after the Civil War by a wealthy family from the North. The locals didn’t take too kindly to these carpetbaggers coming to their town and flaunting their wealth, particularly when everyone around them were still suffering from the devastation of war. So the townspeople ran them out. Shortly afterward, the house was bought by a Scottish man who turned it into a house of ill repute.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, it was a part of a major scandal. Around the fifties the mayor was caught in the house with his mistress. Shortly afterwards the operation was shut down.”

“That’s quite a story.”

“It is. You can’t find that with all these modern monstrosities that they build now. They have no soul.” She laughed. “I’m sorry. I’m probably boring you.”

“Not at all. I find this fascinating. You mentioned that you wanted to play music for a living at one point. I notice a piano in the sitting room. Do you play?

“Yes. I usually play when one of the residents requests it but for the most part I play keyboards at a bar a couple weekends a month. It doesn’t pay much but I do it because I love it.”

“I’d love to hear you play sometimes.”

“You’re on. I love the classics but my favorite is jazz and modern. I have to admit that when I start playing I can get carried away. I don’t just play the piano though. I’m proficient with the guitar and clarinet as well. ” She broke off with a laugh. “Once again I feel like I’m talking too much.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Even still, I’ve dominated the conversation. Why don’t you tell me more about you? What does your family think of you traveling so much?”

She felt him stiffen beneath her touch and Sydney wondered if she’d touched a nerve. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I’m being too intrusive.”

“No, it isn’t that. I’m not exactly sure how to explain it. My father died a long time ago and my mother recently passed. I wasn’t particularly close with her.”

“But you were with you father?”

“Very much so.”

“Were you an only child?”

No, I have brothers. I recently lost my oldest brother and I’m not very close with my four younger ones but I wish I was.”