Nico smoothed his fingers over his upper lip. He turned to her, one shoulder leaning against the glass. “Tell me, what would have happened? Would he get sentenced to prison? Would he have a fair trial? Or would he end up playing a trump card and getting sent to a federal institution so doctors could study him?” He shook his head, “The guy has never been punished for anything he’s done.”
“That’s not fair,” Autumn gritted her teeth against the truths he spoke. Elijah may have gone to an institution and gotten help. She didn’t think he would ever again be able to live among society at large.
Would he?
“I understand your sense of justice, Autumn,” Nico said, interrupting her thoughts. “At least now, the authorities don’t have to use their tax dollars for a lengthy trial and finding discovery or even putting in the effort to find an unbiased jury.”
“So, the end justifies the means?” She retorted. “Your mafia justice is better than anything society can issue. Really?” She shook her head, “And here I thought you weren’t a part of that life, Nico?”’
“Did you want them to dredge up your past, Autumn? Did you want to relive what Fox Winters did to you? Do you want to have to justify shooting the madman who kidnapped you?” He took her shoulders in his hands and gave her a gentle shake. “That’s for damn sure what they would do, and I wouldn’t be able to protect you from that.”
She hadn’t thought that far ahead.
Of course, dragging Autumn back to her kidnapping would be a defense any attorney would bite at the bit to use. And killing Fox? It could be a reason for Elijah’s psychopathic tendencies. The trauma of losing his father in such a manner would drive anyone insane.
“And maybe I can’t turn away from my family, from the life.” He continued staring at her. His blue gaze was vibrant. “It’s a part of who I am. I tried staying away, Autumn, but I can’t be… normal. It’s not who I am.”
Autumn looked down. He’d done so much for her since this whole thing started. He’d made her feel.
And he’d made her fall in love.
“Autumn. Look at me. Please.”
She looked up at him. His face was hard, and his jaw tensed. There was no amusement in his expression.
“I love you.”
Her breath caught.
“I almost killed the sonofabitch who shot at you the other day. I made him tell me who put the hit out on you. If it were Casale, I would have killed my uncle. There is nothing that man has done to help anyone.”
“It wasn’t though, was it?” She asked, moving to him.
His eyes never left hers. “It wasn’t.”
“And it wasn’t Luna either.”
He shook his head. “No. There was a contract on you, but I forced her to cancel it.”
“She would do anything for you,” Autumn said. The words came out in a low tone. She blinked to force back the tears. “You’re like a son to her.”
“She would do anything for me, for us.”
Autumn sighed. “Nico…”
He got down on his knees in a subservient fashion. “Let’s see how far this thing goes between us, Autumn. Please.”
“You don’t have to do this,” she whispered. She blinked, but the tears came anyway. “Nico, please, we’re too different.”
He shook his head. “We’re not,mia cara.” He kissed the tops of her hands. “We could make this work. Yeah, it's going to take time and we'll make some mistakes, but if we love each other, it'll work. Hell, I’ll even marry you if that’s what you want.”
“What?” Autumn nearly shrieked the word. She shook her head. “That’s unnecessary.”
A peculiar light filled his eyes.
She released his hands and backed away from him. “Nico, no. Don’t you even think about it.”
He stood up and followed her. “That’s the best idea. Marry me.”
