Amanda shot me a frown. “Really, Enzo? I can’t shake his hand?”
I caught hers, brought them to my lips, and pressed a possessive kiss on the knuckles.
They were mine.
While she grumbled under her breath, I moved to open the door. Liam left with a nod, and I followed him into the hall, leaving the door cracked open.
“She’ll do well.” Liam pulled at the strings on the back of his head. The mask loosened and fell into his hand. He stretched his facial muscles, pulling the skin taut.
The face beneath was an angry pink, gnarled mess.
The poor fucker.
“She will.” I didn’t hide the note of pride in my voice. “One more thing.”
Liam grunted. “Itches like a mother.” He gently pressed the fingers of his gloved hand on the burned flesh of his cheek. “Doc said it was part of the healing process, though.”
It could be worse. He could be dead.
“What’s up?” He looked over at me. “If this is the part where you stake your claim, save your threats. My men will treat your woman with the utmost respect.”
A slow smile spread over my lips. “I know.”
“Then what else? I need to get home and put the salve on this.” Liam winked his eye to keep from scratching the fresh scar tissue.
“Deluca is eager to see this alliance finalized.” I rocked back on my heels. The capo’s words were something like ‘pick one and put a ring on her.’ My father, the other capo, was less than pleased with the prospect, but it was Deluca’s right to marry off his daughters how he saw fit.
Liam let out a manic laugh. “Look at me.”
“I am.”
“I can’t have a wilting virgin, V.” Liam tapped his mask against his palm. “I need a wife who won’t run screaming when she realizes she’s stuck with a monster. How do I sentence some girl to this?”
“His oldest might surprise you,” I hedged. “She’s tougher than she lets on.”
Liam narrowed his eyes. “Tough?”
“I’m not an old gossiping hag, but her father sees her as a burden,” I said, giving him as much of the story as I dared. “She might see marriage to you as an escape.”
It wasn’t a happily-ever-after, but for her sake, I hoped the oldest Deluca girl would see this as a good thing.
“Alright, then. Set the date,” Liam agreed.
Chapter 48 –Amanda
Iwanted to creep to the door, to listen to the conversation in the hall through the crack. But the moment I moved from the kitchen table, the damn cats pounced on the remnants of dinner. I had to wrestle a bone from Bianco while snatching the plates so Grigio didn’t follow suit. By the time I pushed the chicken pieces into the trash, put the plates in the dishwasher, and covered the dishes for the fridge, Vincenzo was back inside.
“I’ve dreamed of you being here,” he said, leaning against the door. The sound was pure gravel, scraping with possession. “For so damn long, it almost doesn’t feel real now.”
I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. Vincenzo saw a future where we were together. He never gave up on that dream. Whereas I was up in a big glass building, fighting for survival. The saddest part was, if I’d known peace existed down here, I don’t think I would have been brave enough to crawl into the dark.
I had to fall.
I had to lose everything to see there was something more, waiting for me in the shadows.
Prickles of awareness spread over my skin as Vincenzo continued to watch me. My breathing turned choppy, as anticipation raced in hot spikes through my veins.
“I like it here,” I admitted, words shards in my throat.
