I reach out and grab a hold of her elbow. “Rose.” I pull her towards me, my other hand cupping her face as she rests her forehead against mine, inhaling a long ragged breath.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers before trying to pull away, but I wrap my fingers around her neck, not ready to let her go. For a brief, fragile moment, it feels like I belong here. Like maybe—just maybe—this isn’t completely impossible.
I’m not going anywhere. Not now. Not ever.
Because my flesh and blood is upstairs.
And I’ll burn the world down before I let anyone take him from me.
18
ROSE
“You’re up early.” Dan stretches his arms as he walks into my kitchen wearing nothing but black boxer shorts, delicious ink and a dazzling half sleepy smile.
My heart zaps to life. The sight of him better than any morning coffee. “So are you.”
“Your couch wasn’t the comfiest.” He reaches around me and pinches a small square piece of toast from my plate. His scent surrounds me, making me dizzy, the scent that’s just him, a hint of his aftershave, fruity gum, and something intoxicating and manly.
“Nobody forced you to stay here.” I reluctantly grab another mug from the cupboard and pour him a coffee.
“What’s the plan today?” He takes another bite of his toast, or my toast, and chews it around his mouth as he eyes me. He seems brighter this morning, like he’s had a weight lifted. Meanwhile, I have the weight of the world on my shoulders. And he’s sitting at the top of it eating my toast.
“My plan is to iron Angelos’ clothes for the week, pack him a bag and get him to school before eight thirty, then I need to get to the airport. I have a flight at noon with a layover today.”
“I didn’t think you were working today.”
My eyes narrow. “You checked my flight schedule?”
He shrugs and reaches for another piece of toast.
I bat his hand away. “I’ll make you some if you’re hungry.”
“No, I’ll make you a proper breakfast. With your condition, you need more than a slice of toast.”
I let out an exasperated sigh. “I’m on call Monday to Friday when I’m not already working. It’s why Angelos is in boarding school since he went to secondary school, so I can work and not have to worry about childcare.”
“Where are you flying to?”
“Rome.”
He tenses. “I don’t want you going there.”
I roll my eyes. “I’ve asked specifically for Rome because I get to visit Mamma while she’s in hospital.”
“Rose.” He closes the distance between us and wraps his large hands around my arms, digging into the fleshy part around my biceps. “It’s not safe for you to be there.”
“How do you know? What the hell do you do, anyway?” I push against his chest, annoyed with how my palms tingle as they press against his skin and chest hair. “Don’t bother answering that. I won’t believe whatever you tell me.”
He places both hands on the worktop behind me, caging me in. “Right now, my only mission is to keep you and my son safe. That’s all you need to know. And I don’t want you flying to Rome. Damn it.”
His lip twitches as his face is inches from mine, his eyes darkening with anger but also pooling with something else that threatens to take me under. It would be so easy to lose myself in his eyes like I did before. But I’m not that girl. He took my innocence, crushed my fairy tales and left me hopeless. The only thing that kept me going was my son.
“I have to go, Dan. I need to see my mother.” My voicewobbles. “I don’t know how long she has left. Surely you can understand that.”
He closes his eyes while grinding his back teeth. “Fine. But I’m coming with you. Book me a seat, would you?”
“I’m not your PA or a travel agent.” I roll my eyes as he reaches for his jacket, then opens his wallet and slides out a credit card.
