Who murdered Pidge.
It’ll break her heart.
I will be breaking her heart.
If I report my findings to the don, Aerin will be heartbroken and I risk losing her. Her brother has been her rock for more years than I’ve been around. If I act, then I risk being found out and I lose her either by dying or being fired.
None of those options give me the ending I want, and none allow me to kill Giacomo as slowly as he deserves. Giacomo who is now, once again, Aerin’s savior.
More than that, now that we’re sleeping together, I risk losing her if anyone finds out. From the way Giacomo is staring at me, every nerve is suddenly alive and alert.
If he doesn’t know, then he certainly suspects from the way Aerin hugged me.
What the fuck do I do?
“Are you happy for her?” Giacomo asks as their hug finally breaks. Aerin turns to me, happier than I’ve seen her since I woke up from my coma.
“Of course I am. Her well-being is my priority, whatever that entails.”
Aerin rolls her eyes while Giacomo lifts his wine glass and drinks very slowly. Then, he smacks his lips and sighs. “And I’m so glad she has someone as diligent as you watching over her.
In that instant, despite the hurt and fury clouding my chest, my decision is made as quickly as the snap of a whip.
If I act out, who will protect her from Giacomo?
33
AERIN
It worked.
I can’t believe it worked.
I didn’t have a fully formed plan when facing down my father other than a determination to stick to my guns and ensure that the wedding did not happen. He’d have to drag me down the aisle himself if he wanted me marry. But whatever pushback he had melted away when my brother swept in with a quiet reveal of the deal he’d been working on.
To saveme.
He sits across from me in the kitchen, a half-drunk mug of hot chocolate resting in one hand while he studies his phone held in the other.
I hug my mug and drink slowly, just watching him. “Giacomo?”
“Hm?” He doesn’t look up, but his head tilts in my direction.
“What I did tonight, with Dad. Cancelling the wedding and everything, it won’t impact your deal will it?”
He finally glances up. “How do you mean?”
“Well.” My cup lowers. “Everything you were doing and working on was getting planned while the engagement was still on, right? Now that it’s off, does that change anything?”
His lips curve into a gentle smile. “No, not at all. You shouldn’t be worrying about those kinds of things.”
I snort. “What should I be worrying about, my hair and my shoes?”
Giacomo rolls his eyes. “No, I just mean… I’m taking care of you. After everything that’s happened to you, this is the least I can do to keep you safe. Plus with how sick Dad is getting, it’s not the wisest time to bring another family into the fold.”
I nod along to his words, mulling them over. “Your deal…can you tell me about it?”
Giacomo stands suddenly and pockets his phone. “I have to go.”
