“What if that means you’ll be waiting forever?”
Max’s eyes fell. “I can wait as long as it takes. Your heart will be mine.”
Max rose from his chair, grabbing the suit jacket hanging loosely on the back of it. “I need to head out now. There are a few things I have to wrap up before my trip.”
I nodded. As Max walked past me, his hand brushed my shoulder lightly.
As soon as he was gone, I allowed myself a moment to breathe and gather my thoughts. Duke had settled on the patio, his tail wagging lazily as he enjoyed the morning sun. I envied his simplicity; his ability to find contentment in the little things.
With Max away, I had a chance to think more clearly about our situation. I wasn’t naïve. I knew our relationship was more complicated than mere attraction. The political ties, the business dealings, the marina—all of it added layers of complexity I wasn’t prepared for. But I couldn’t deny the pull I felt toward him.
The house felt emptier without Max in it, and even though Enzo and Sean were around, it wasn’t the same.
On the first day, I decided to throw myself into wedding preparations. Daisy had sent over a new batch of samples and ideas, and I spread them across the dining table, trying to immerse myself in the details. There were floral arrangements to consider, invitations to choose from, and countless other decisions that felt overwhelming.
My momma came over one night to help me sort through it all, and all she could do was update me on the details of Margot’s showing in a month. Much as I would have loved to go to the showing, I had too much on my plate.
In the evenings, I took Duke for long walks around the property. The fresh air and exercise did little to quiet the thoughts racing through my mind. To distract myself, I decided to tackle the wedding guest list. It was a something Daisy had demanded I put together, but I’d been putting it off, knowing how tedious it would be. I grabbed a notebook and a pen and started writing down names. Family, friends ... the list grew longer with each name I added. I wondered how many people Max would have to add.
As the days went by, I continued to settle into the house completely, recognizing it as my own. Each room began to feel more familiar, and I took the time to add personal touches.
I finally met Bianca and learned she was very easy to talk to and even easier to listen to. She knew I needed a break from wedding planning and would often appear with a cup of tea or a warm plate of her homemade biscotti. As she and I spent more time together, she opened up to me about her own life. She told me all about that the challenges she’d faced as a single mother, and how the Romano family had supported her through everything.
“They gave me a place to stay when I had nowhere else to go,” she said, her eyes misting with gratitude. “They treated my daughter, Isabella, like one of their own.”
The Romano family were more than employers to Bianca; they were her second family. She told me stories of Max’s childhood. I learned about his childish pranks and his love of soccer. Then she told me all about his obsession with cars, but I was already familiar with that.
Then, one evening, while we were sorting through a pile of invitation samples, I asked her who the sleeping pills were for—the ones I’d found in the study. She told me about Max’s sleeping habits and how he didn’t really sleep much.
“He’s always been like that,” she continued, her voice soft as if she were sharing a secret. “Even as a boy, he’d stay up for hours reading or tinkering with things in the garage. It’s gotten worse over time, especially over this past year. He barely sleeps now. Those pills ... they’re supposed to help, but he hates taking them. But he’s fine. He’s had it under control and wouldn’t want you to know about it. Let’s get back to these invitations.”
I didn’t know what to say, or even what to think. My feelings for Max were confusing.
How was I supposed to feel sorry for a man who’d robbed me of my own peace? Who’d left me tangled with thoughts I could even begin to understand, and feelings I understood all too well? Each time I tried to remind myself of his faults, something kept making me forget.
I almost wished he’d just be the monster I’d convinced myself he was. It would be so much easier to hate him if he didn’t keep surprising me; if he didn’t make me question everything I thought I knew about him—about myself.
As Bianca and I continued sorting through the pile of invitation samples, my mind kept drifting back to Max. I hated the uncertainty that came with him. How could I learn to trust my own heart? How could I be sure his intentions were in the right place? How did I know he only wanted me? Was thereanother woman? If not a woman, would I come second, and the Outfit first?
I wanted to know if he was really going to meetings or if there was someone else involved. I knew what mobsters did in their free time. They cheated on their wives. Hell, that was probably what he was doing in Chicago.
A part of me felt guilty for assuming he had another woman to keep him busy, but who could blame me? Trust was often a fragile thing, especially with men like him. I’d seen firsthand how easily they could misplace trust, twist it, and break it into a million pieces. I’d learned to be cautious, to guard my heart and my expectations. This was exactly why I was comfortable marrying Lucas, the timid, regular guy who’d just so happened to be an officer.
Now, instead, here I was with a mobster. A man who came from a world where loyalty was as valuable as gold but just as easily melted down and reshaped.
Was Max just like the rest of them? I hoped not.
I found myself looking at his lips more often, curious if they still tasted the same. I wondered if his heart still had that nervous beat when I pressed my hand to his chest.
I was starting to fall for him again despite the constant uncertainty. I felt that old familiar warmth spreading through my chest whenever he smiled at me, and my pulse quickened when he touched me.
It was happening, whether I wanted it to or not.
There were only a few more weeks left where I could rely on the rules to buy me more time, but once we were married, I knew he’d have his way with me. Our wedding day was coming, and I wasn’t sure I could put my heart on the line again.
The thought of dealing with another betrayal caused by Max was unbearable. It was hard to trust someone who brought your worst nightmare to life.
And because of that, I needed to make sure he wasn’t full of shit before I got my heart broken again.
