“Feeling better?” he asked, helping me sit up.
My voice came out hoarse after sleeping so long. “A little. I survived my second hangover.”
“When was the first?”
“The night Jill got raped. After that, I was so shaken, convinced the same thing would happen to me, that I never set foot in a club again.”
He brushed my cheek. “Didn’t look like you were traumatized last night.”
I took his hand, looked straight into his eyes. “Because you were there. Because I knew I was safe.”
He held my gaze for a moment, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. Then he pulled me into his arms and hugged me. “You’re safe with me. Nothing’s ever going to happen to you. Not even if the sky falls.”
I pressed myself closer to him. After a long moment, he pulled away and handed me an envelope. “This is for you.”
I took it, turning it in my hands. “I swear, your gifts scare me more than your threats.”
That made him smile. “Open it. Then judge.”
Inside were documents, a passport, driver’s license, and official IDs. All under the nameEleanor Moor, all with my photo. Everything looked perfectly legal. Perfectly real.
“Congratulations,” he said. “You’re officially an Italian citizen.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. All that week, while I thought Carlo was ignoring me and not paying me any attention, he’d been quietly preparing such a gift for me.
Tony had erased me from the world, ripped away my name, my past, my friends, my life. And now, Carlo had given me another one. He’d stood in front of twelve Mafia underbosses and called me family. He gave me shelter, safety and a name.
I didn’t even know what to say. I threw myself into his arms, wrapped my legs around his waist, my arms around his shoulders, trying to hold back the tears burning in my eyes.
“Thank you, Carlo. For everything you’ve done for me. For treating me like family. I really mean it, I want you to know I appreciate it all. You’re a good man.”
He scoffed under his breath. “No, I’m not. If you want to thank me, never say that in front of anyone else. It would stain my reputation.”
I lifted my head from his shoulder and looked him in the eye. “What happens between us stays between us. You’re a good man, but I promise to keep this secret to myself.”
I kissed the tip of his nose. We held each other’s gaze for a moment before he tackled me onto the bed like a wrestler, making me squeal with laughter. His lips crashed onto mine, silencing me with a rough, deep kiss.
“Now, I want that sweet pussy and those pretty lips of yours to thank me properly.”
TWENTY
Emily
We were hanging out in the bar area. Giorgio and I were locked in a video game battle, while Carlo and Maxim discussed logistics for their new hotel project.
At first, Carlo didn’t want Giorgio anywhere near a controller. Too possessive. Too territorial. But after realizing it was either Giorgio or one of the other guys, he finally caved.
I picked a fighting game I actually knew how to dominate. Within ten minutes, I’d beaten him five times. Each victory had me grinning wider, and him sinking deeper into frustration. His cheeks turned red, but he didn’t dare say a word. Not with Carlo a few feet away.
Honestly, it was probably not the smartest idea to piss off a Mafia guy like that. Then again, I never claimed to be smart. By round six, I decided to throw him a bone and let him win. But he caught on fast.
“Don’t do me any favors. I can win without your help.” He muttered under his breath.
I narrowed my eyes at him and tossed the controller onto the couch. “You’re way too easy to beat. I’m bored already.”
His brows shot up, caught off guard. But a second later, he recovered, cool and calm. “Want to step into a real ring?” he challenged. “I’ll show you who’s the easy one.”
I raised a playful fist, mischief dancing in my eyes. “Promise?”
