I cringe at the tone of her voice. The acid in it hits me right in the chest. She doesn’t need to lay down the law any more than that because Iknow.I know exactly what I did and just how badly I fucked it up between us.
“I know,dolce ciliegra.I know,” I murmur, my shoulders deflating. I drop my head, unable to bear witness to the look on her face any longer.
I deserve the pain, knowing I am unworthy of anything else. Like a coward, I turn away from it still.
I don’t look up, even as I hear the rustling of sheets as she makes her way towards me. Her feet eventually come into view as she comes to stand in front of me.
Fuck, even her toes are perfect.
I remain locked on them as I wait for my beat down.
I jolt as her hand picks up my chin. That blank face is still comfortably in place, hiding her true feelings from me. She opens her mouth to speak but I interrupt.
“I’m so sorry, Valentina.” I shake my head, huffing quietly, “I know that apologizing will never be enough. I showed you every single reason why you shouldn’t trust me. I showed you why I am exactly like those Alphas that hurt you.
“For the last few weeks, I have pestered you to the point of immense shame on my behalf. Everytime you told me no, I pushed back. My want for you went beyond my control.”
Diverting my eyes, so they are no longer locked with hers, I scoff at myself, “I was a fool for thinking that I deserved the truth from you. I have been so lost in my pain that I didn’t consider yours. I didn’t consider that you have reasons that I will never even begin to understand for why you kept the truth from us. Reasons that even now, I still don’t deserve an explanation for. I allowed my anger to get the best of me.”
I take a breath before looking back up at Valley. Finding her eyes easily, I lock in on them as I open myself up to her completely.
It feels as though I have splayed myself out for her to analyze. To judge me and all of my flaws. I allow her to see every last bit of me as I get to my knees.
I bend down and ever so carefully place a light kiss on the top of her foot.
“I am so fucking sorry, Valentina Rossi.”
The room is quiet as I wait for her to speak. For her to yell and scream at me. For her to kick my ass out of the room.
Yet nothing comes.
Unable to bear the silence anymore, I look up at her.
My heart stutters as I find her tear-streaked face.
Quickly, I stand, my Alpha instincts scream at me. I don’t hesitate for a single second as I wrap her in my arms.
The moment I do, she sobs; her tears catch on my chest.
I do my best to comfort her, whispering comforting words as I look around desperately for anything to help make it better.
Lifting Valley up into my arms, I step into the nest and make my way over to one of the corners that she has seemed to have put a bit more thought into. It's almost as though she has created a mini nest inside of her nest. The sight of it has a quiet growl of approval escaping me.
I settle the both of us into the mini nest, tuckingIl mio cuoreinto me. She honors me through wrapping herself around me tighter, burying her face into my neck.
I lose time completely as we lay together. Breaking the silence, I begin to tell her about my life. I don’t leave anything missing. I tell her about my childhood, about meeting Gwen and the life we had together. I tell her about her death and the years that followed. I tellher my fear of never being loved again. I tell her just how much I love red velvet cake.
I don’t stop talking until my words begin to slur and sleep takes me under.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
I’m hot.
So fucking hot.
I groan, nuzzling into whatever surface I am currently laying on. It's hard but it smells like mine.
Just as I am about to get comfortable again, a sharp, stabbing pain has me crying out.
