“Sweetheart, no one will make you go back,” Gino implored.
“Gino!”
Rosa looked behind him at the three people running in their direction. So much for simply stepping off and ending her life her way. She never wanted to do it with a damn audience.
“Stay back, Gavriil!” Gino shouted, never taking his gaze from her. “Stay the fuck back and let me handle this.”
From her vantage point, she could see that the man who practically oozed dominance and power was not used to taking orders, but it was a testament to Gino’s place in the man’s world that he did what was asked, hauling the woman who had come up with them into his arms. Rosa could see tears falling down her face. Holy Mother of God, that had to be Gavriil Solkov. Poppa John Carlisi’s son, for all intents and purposes, and second in charge within the Carlisi family. Had she gone from the frying pan and into the fire?
“Cara, look at me, only at me,” Gino said in a soft but authoritative tone that had her obeying immediately. “You don’t want to do this. Not really.”
Rosa shook her head. “I do. I’m not strong enough—”
“Bullshit!” Gino cursed, edging forward a little more. “A woman who can stand up to a piece of shit like Tito and try to protect someone she didn’t even know is strong. So damn strong. Stronger than this.”
He pointed behind her with his hand and her gaze went to the thick bandages that covered his hand. “You shouldn’t be out here. Your hand … you should be on high-spectrum antibiotics. You could get an infection.”
Gino rolled his eyes to the heavens. “Dio.The woman is standing on the edge of a building seventy feet in the air, about to step out and end her life, and she’s worried about me catching a damn cold.”
Rosa frowned. “Not a cold, Gino. An infection in an injury like yours could lead to life-threatening medical complications. You shouldn’t have removed the IV.”
Gino narrowed his gaze at her. “Sounds like you know what you’re doing,cara. Why don’t you step down off that ledge and come give me a hand with that? Taking the damn thing out seems like it was a lot easier than trying to get that thing back in.”
Rosa shook her head slowly. “No, I don’t think so, Gino.” Gino moved forward again, and Rosa put a hand out. “Stop. Please. Don’t make this any harder on me.”
“Fuck that.”
Gino practically growled, anger apparent on his handsome face despite the bruises and swelling. She had expected him to try to cajole her into stepping back from the ledge, maybe even make her feel guilty, but she hadn’t been prepared for his anger.
“I’m sorry?”
“You should be fucking sorry,” Gino snapped. “You don’t want me to make this harder on you? Onyou!What about me,cara, huh? How is this supposed to go for me, because I can tell you right now if I have to watch you fall from this damn roof, then I am more than likely to go with you.”
The female gasp from behind him was clear and Rosa looked back at the woman who was now clinging to Gavriil Sokov. He and the other man who had run out onto the roof both looked panicked at the thought of Gino jumping from the roof. He was cared for. It was clear to see.
“Why?” Rosa whispered. “Why would you want to kill yourself when you have people who love you? Who will be there for you?”
Gino’s gaze slid away for a moment, and she watched a myriad of emotions wash over his face before he looked back at her, his expression so open and vulnerable she wanted to cry for him.
“I carry a lot of baggage,” he said quietly. “Things from my past that I am ashamed of, that I am haunted by. I can honestly tell you,cara, that I have stood where you stand and fought myself on the same decision you are thinking of making now. But it is because of these people, the people in my life now that I stand behind and beside, that I am still here. I want to be that person for you.”
Rosa sobbed, her resolve cracking beneath the sincerity in his tone. “Why?”
Gino took another step closer. “Because you feel big to me. Like someone I am supposed to protect, and I want to do that. More than anything in this world, I want to protect you.”
“The Battaglias will—”
“Never get near you,” Gino swore. “I promise you that. You come with me, and we will protect you.” He reached out his good hand toward her. “Please,cara, please.”
Rosa stared into his eyes for a long moment. Herabuelaoften told her that life was a series of crossroads, and depending on which way you turned, you could encounter either good or bad in your life. This was one of the moments. She had no idea what the outcome would be. Good or bad. But she discovered one thing about herself. Shewasstrong.
Rosa reached out her hand in Gino’s direction, and with a single step, she took a leap of faith.
