Page 54 of Infinity Chronicles 2
“Why do you do that? You know it kills my ears!” Dante roars. Ollie starts out chuckling but then ends up groaning, his hand clutching over the spot Dante just punched. Dante steps off the bed, his face in a frown as he looks at Ollie, checking him over to see if he did any real damage.
Ollie finally answers his question. “Got you out of bed didn’t it?”
Dante tightens his jaw and shoves Ollie away again. “Asshole,” he mutters darkly.
“Youbeen eating yourWheaties? Cause damn I feel like Igot kicked by a mule.” Dante snaps his neck, giving Ollie a dark stare. Ollie lets go of his injured shoulder and raises his hands with a slight wince, surrendering even though he’s fighting a smile.
“My ears are still ringing you fucker.” Dante hesitates and then asks, “I didn’t really hurt you, did I?” His anger fades, leaving him looking a little sheepish with concern.
“He’s fine,” Ares answers, though I’m not sure Ollie is fine, he’s still rubbing his shoulder. “Quitdicking around, Laura said Mom got in last night. If she knows we’re awake, she’ll be in here beforeyou guys are even dressed.”
Dante pushes his hair away from his face and nowthathe and Ollie aren’t messing around, Ihave a chance totake in his nearly naked state. Fitted dark blue boxers are doing little to hide his amazing physique. “Just give me a second to wake up,” he mumbles. I turn away from him when I see his hand slide down the front of his body to adjust himself.
Ares brushes his finger over the top of my cheek with a small smirk tipping one side of his lips. Clicking my tongue at him, I head over to the closet to find something to wear for the day.
“Why are you so tired and grumpy anyway? Did you and Ares switch places last night?” Ollie sits near the head of the bed and his back rests against the wall.
“How about I wake you up with a bucket of ice water and see how you like it?”
“Not in my bed! You guys want to start your prank shit, it won’t be in my room,” Ares tells them while tucking his shirt in.
“Speaking ofyour room,when are we going to get a more permanent situation set up?”Ollie asks.
“Whatare you thinking?” Ares tips his chin in Ollie’s direction.
“I don’t know, Ijustknow it’s something we need to talk about.” Ollie looks around the room.“What about something like your parents have going on? A few extra rooms close together, and a chill spot where we can relax without someone always being around.”
“You mean like Mia?” I poke my head out of the closet, interested in the conversation. I’m hoping my comment leads to Ares telling me when she might move out, but myquestion goes unanswered.
“Not to mention my parents. Nowthatthey’re back, who knows how long they’ll stay,” Dante adds.
“We could look, but it could take a while to find somethingwe’re all happy with. It might just be best to build. Plus, we have security to worry about.” Aresis fully dressed when I step out of the closet. Myownpair of fitted jeans and sweater looking a little underwhelming compared to his slacks, shirt, and vest.
“Building would be awesome, but that would take months, maybe even a year before it would be ready. There has to be a better solution than just hanging out in this room until then,” Ollie tells Ares, and he seems uncharacteristically serious about the whole thing.
“We’ll figure it out. I’mactuallypretty stunned Mia is still here anyway, I figured she would have moved, especially after dinner the other night.”
I snort, and all three guys look in my direction. Luckily, there’s a gentle knock at the door, which saves me from having to explain my unladylike response.
“Better tell Milo to hurryupin there,” Dante mutters as he heads into the bathroom.
I smooth the chunky fabric of my sweater down before taming my hair with my hands after. Ares sends Ollie a pointed look, with one brow raised and hischin tipped down, warning him tobe good. Ares takes one last look around the room sighing before opening the door.
“You’re awake,” she announces, her voice more chipper than it shouldbe considering I know shehasn’t had very much time to sleep in the last few hours. “Where is everyone?” I see her try to peek her head around Aresfrom 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.
“Salutofiglio.” 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 straightto me andI 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 past tense. She’s probably questioning if she ever really knew my mother at all, I know I am.
