He laughed, but his eyes held a look I couldn’t understand. Then he kissed me, and any thoughts of anything else other than his lips on mine and his hands on my body disappeared in the wind.
When we finally left the ruins, we drove back with our fingers interlaced in content silence. He hadn’t driven me right to the front door because Davide had informed him that my father was home. Tommaso didn’t even want to risk me being seen walking up the driveway to the house, so he took me to a door in the high stone wall, farther away from the driveway. I hadn’t even known it was there.
Davide stood apart from us, giving us as much privacy as possible, and Tommaso spoke to me, his voice quiet. “I won’t be able to see you for a few days.”
I didn’t question it. He’s Don and has more important things to do—like run an empire—than spend time with me. Regardless of what he said, I’m a nobody. A chill filled me at the thought that had nothing to do with the cool night air.
“Davide will watch over you until then,” Tommaso added before kissing me softly, making my toes curl in my shoes.
Breaking the kiss, he nodded to Davide to unlock the side door and commanded, “Give Gina a key so she can meet me freely next time.” Davide nodded without comment or question, reminding me that he, like all the guards, is Tommaso’s man.
Now that it’s the next morning and sunlight is bringing reality back, instead of feeling giddy and happy, replaying the evening at the ruins, I’m wondering what the hell I’m doing.
Tommaso promised he’d never break me, but how can he not? We’re of the same world, but not. I’m not in the same league as him.
Marriages for love, among the upper echelons of our world, are rare. Not completely unheard of, but still.
And what did I do?
I went and almost gave myself entirely to him. I’m certain he already owns my heart, which I suspect will be shattered into a million pieces if I don’t try to take it back. Giving him my body as well would only lead to my entire ruination. Because then he’ll have me. He’ll have everything—heart, mind, body, and soul.
And a man like Tommaso with me?
As much as my foolish, naïve heart wants to believe it, I know that’s not how this ends for a nobody like me.
But it doesn’t stop the hope from blooming, anyway.
Chapter 13
Gina
There’sbeenanunderlyingtension in the house the past few days. My mother flinches anytime there’s a loud noise, and her eyes constantly dart to the doorway of whatever room she’s in.
It kills me to admit it, but I know she’s afraid of my father. And while she doesn’t bear any marks, I know those could be hidden.
I have to accept that my father is no longer the man he once was as myBabbo. And even though now he might be a conniving bastard, he’s not stupid. He knows that if Tommaso finds out he’s been hurting Mom or me, he’ll suffer the same fate as others who have committed this sin in their organization. I don’t know what had been done to the previous offenders, but based on my father’s reaction when Davide reminded him, I didn’t need to know.
Whenever I try to talk about it to my mom, she either gets angry at me and reminds me how unladylike I’m being, or she shuts down.
She’s just left my room after coming to tell me to do my hair and make-up and put on the new Gucci dress and jacket they bought for me. The dress is beautiful, not some gaudy thing. That’s not my hesitation; it’s that my mom wouldn’t meet my eyes.
However, I listen and style my hair into a twist, do my make-up perfectly, then slide into the ivory-colored dress. After slipping into my heels, I open the door and leave my room. My steps are muted on the thick carpet until I come down the stairs and hit the marble floor. Davide is there and walks over to me.
“What’s going on?” I ask him, but he only shakes his head. “Where is Tommaso?”
For some reason, the need for him to be here is urgent, imperative. Somehow, I know something is about to happen. Foreboding and dread slither down my spine, making me want to bolt.
Davide’s jaw shifts, but other than that, his expression is unreadable. “The Don is busy.”
The Don?
Davide knows what’s been going on with Tommaso and me, even if he doesn’tknowknow. So, his choice of words feels…purposeful.
Or am I spiraling with nerves and reading into everything?We’re out in the open in my parents’ house, so he might have used Tommaso’s formal title just in case someone overhears us.
That makes sense.
Doesn’t it?
