"What? It can't be." She narrows her eyes at me, vehemently denying the possibility.
"I've known it was you since you visited Luca. I also know you were the one who killed Cristina and Leonardo," I add, and shock envelops her features.
"What... How... You gave no indication..." she utters, confused, and rightly so.
"Lia. I convinced her to help me. I knew you craved revenge, and I wanted you to have it. So I did some tweaking behind the scenes."
"You..." I can see the realization dawning on her. "But why?" she whispers, her features still steeped in consternation.
"Because I love you and I would doanythingto see you happy. Including letting you push that knife through my heart—for good this time."
"No, that's not true," she keeps repeating, and I feel compelled to move closer to her.
Dropping the shirt on the floor, I take her hands in mine. The knife falls down with a thud, but I pull her into me before she can grab it again.
"Little tigress, listen to me, please. I'll tell you everything you want to know and after, if you still want my blood, it's yours."
She doesn't move, her face expressionless as she looks at me.
This is my cue.
"I..." Fuck, I'm such a wimp. After everything that's happened, she's alive and well and in front of me, but I can't seem to find the words to assure her of my devotion.
Her eyes flicker slightly as she raises an eyebrow, daring me to say my piece and be done with it. It's suddenly so unnerving—knowing that my next words will dictate the future of our relationship.
"I love you," the moment the words are out of my mouth, her head tilts to the side in anis-that-alltype of gesture. I don't let it deter me as I continue, finally revealing everything. "I think I fell in love with you after our first interaction. You were so unlike anyone I'd ever met before that I couldn't help but be drawn to you." I take a deep breath. "I didn't know it at the time because I've simply never felt that way before. You got under my skin so bad, and half the time I didn't know whether to strangle you or make love to you," I say, and her face morphs into a questioning frown.
Great choice of words, Enzo!
"Then you put yourself in front of that bullet for me, and I rationalized it as a sign that we were perfectly matched." Bringing one hand up, I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "You are the epitome of everything I admire—brave, principled,kind, and honest. How no one else could see what a treasure you are is beyond me," I stop when I see her narrow her eyes at me, and I know compliments won't get me out of this mess—even though they are nothing but the truth.
"What you heard me tell my father about our wedding was simply whatheneeded to hear at the time. I'd decided that you'd be my wife before I knew it was another famiglia wanting me dead. I purposefully made you miss your wedding so I could have you all to myself."
Although I've never cheated on her, I've certainly manipulated her enough to get what I wanted—her. And I don't know how she's going to react tothataspect.
This time, however, I'm letting her decide everything—including my fate.
"But you couldn't stand the sight of me," she finally says, catching my hand with hers and removing it from her face.
"God," I groan out loud, upset at my own stupidity.
I'd been so focused on making her mine that I didn't bother to see how it would affecther. And when shedidbecome mine, I tried to fight my obsession with her because it was driving me absolutely mad. I couldn't even be next to her without imagining a thousand ways I'd explore her body, the urge to taste her lips too strong. For someone who'd taken pride in his self-restraint, she certainly destroyed any semblance of autonomy I had.
"It's my fault, I admit," I say, squeezing her hand. "I didn't like what you awoke in me. I had this constant urge to be around you—with you, in you… I had no control when it came to you."
"Really?" she asks dryly. "Is that why you went to your whores? Because I was too much for you?" Her tone is accusatory, but I can detect the pain underneath.
A pain I put there. Fuck!
"Little tigress," I move my bloody hand to her cheek, guiding her face right in front of mine, "I swear to you I've never beenunfaithful to you. I've never betrayed our wedding vows—in body or in soul. I know it's hard to believe, but…"
"Hard to believe?" She scoffs. "Try impossible."
"But it's true." My forehead touching hers, I close my eyes, taking a deep breath and wishing with all my might that I can convince her I'm speaking the truth.
"I know it's my fault for taunting you and never clarifying your assumptions. But at that time, I thought it was better to keep you at arm's length. It's the one thing that I regret because it was the start of all your mistrust in me."
"Enzo," she says in a dead tone, "that's a nice speech and all, but do youreallyexpect me to believe that you've never once slept with another woman in these five years? Let's say you lied to me during our marriage and were actually faithful," she stops to roll her eyes, "although that's highly debatable too. But I find itexceedinglyhard to believe that a man with your libido would go without sex for so long."
