I inhaled sharply. “What?”
“I’m in love with you,” he repeated.
“Oh, my God.” I set a hand on my stomach because the butterflies wouldn’t quit.
“I’m not telling you this because I expect anything from you.” He kissed my forehead. “I’m just telling you because when I was out there getting my ass kicked, the only thing I could think about was how I felt about you.”
“Rocco.” My words were whispered. The tears I’d been holding back began trickling down my cheeks. Rocco Marchetti was in love withme. I swallowed past the knot in my throat. “I’m supposed to marry Adriano. My father will. . .well, look at what he’s capable of.”
“Fuck them.”
“You can’t just shrug them off. My father is a monster.” I wiped my tears. “And Adriano’s family is very rich.”
“And?”
“What do you mean ‘and?’” I pushed his chest lightly. “He’s a billionaire. He’ll kill you just to prove a point.”
His dark chuckle curled inside my belly as he pinned me with a serious gaze. “‘A billionaire,’’’ he said, air quoting the words like I’d made it up. “You think there’s a chance in hell that a ‘billionaire’ could take me out? Come on, Lenora.”
I rocked back on my heels. The Salvati Family had money that opened up doors meant to be bolted shut, but Rocco was probably right. My father had described Rocco as someone who didn't need a weapon because he was already a deadly weapon. He’d said it so proudly that thinking about it now, knowing what he’d done, filled me with anger.
“You don’t have to worry about me.” He brought my hand up and kissed it.
“Okay.”
I dropped the topic because I believed him and would rather have spent however long we had together actually being together. I sat up on the counter, flinching every time he hissed as he tended his lip. I couldn’t stop staring at him. I wanted to lick every single square of his abdomen. His face, even beat up, was perfection. He’d said he was in love with me. My heart skipped a beat. I replayed it and bit my lip to keep from laughing out of pure joy.
His eyes shifted to me. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing, it’s just. . .I’m in love with you too.”
He dropped the ointment in his hands and turned to me, eyes flaring as he stood between my legs and gripped my thighs. He let go of my left thigh and brought his hand to the nape of my neck, threading his fingers in my hair and tugging it to tilt my face.
“Tell me again,” he growled, his words rumbling through my entire body.
“I’m in love with you.”
I couldn’t stop the smile that formed on my face. He exhaled heavily, wrapped an arm around me, and lifted me. I hooked my legs around him and threaded my hands behind his neck. He sank his face into my neck and breathed, shivers ran through me.
“I love you, Rocco Marchetti,” I whispered.
“Fuck.” He pulled back and placed a soft kiss against my lips.
I would have died with a smile if the safe house exploded at that moment. I didn’t know how we’d stay together, but I knew I had to do everything possible to try.
30
ROCCO
“Your camera is out of focus,”Dominic told Lorenzo for the third time.
“Are we sure this is safe?” Russo asked. “Not bugged?”
“Positive,” Loren said, as he fidgeted with the camera.
“This is what happens when old men try to use technology,” I said.
“I’m not old,” Loren growled. “Thirties are not old.”
