Giana took the box and let out a soft sigh. "As much as I hate to admit it, itwasthe right thing to do. I'm still angry, but it's not all directed at you. It was my parents, Gabriella, Vincenzo…hearing him talk was like being fourteen again and having my parents lecture me the day I got my first period about how I was ready todo my dutyto the family."
Rodrigo's head whipped around. "What? They didn't."
"Yeah, they did," Giana said with a grimace. Her eyes were red from crying, and she was still sweaty and ruffled from the gym. "The conference triggered me. I couldn't think straight, and I took it out on you. I'm?—"
"For the love of God, don't you dare apologize to me," Rodrigo said, holding up a hand to silence her. "I should have told you that I had it, in case Vincenzo pushed the contract. I should…"
Rodrigo's rant broke off as Giana pressed her lips to his. He froze, too scared to move or scare her away.
"Enough. What's done is done, and if we don't try and move on from it, they will kill us all," she whispered, pulling back from him. She stood, holding the box to her chest. "Thank you for giving this to me."
"It was never mine to keep," he replied. She made to leave, but he caught her hand. "Can I ask what changed from you wanting to kill me to being so understanding?"
"A lot of punching," she admitted. "A big cry and a good talk with Silas."
"I'll have to find a way to thank him." It was just another favor he owed the Edgeworths, and he was more than happy to bear the burden. "I have something else I would like to give you today. It was meant to be a surprise before all thisshithappened this morning. Will you still let me give it to you?"
Giana's smile was tentative. "Okay, but it better not be something like the heads of my enemies."
"Of course not," Rodrigo said and joked lamely, "That's more of a second date present anyway."
Giana pulled her hand from his and pinched his chin. "Look at you, thinking I'm going to be convinced to give you a second date. Cute."
She left him still sitting on the bed, smiling but stunned in a whole new way than before.
28
Rodrigo was still staring after Giana when his phone started ringing.
"What?" he answered and then added, "Don't you ever sleep,Leone?"
"How can I sleep when you just pissed in the faces of all the bosses in Sicily? Get over your sulk and meet me in the conference room," Leo replied and hung up on him. His little brother had a point.
The portraits of long-dead Colleoni mercenary lords lining the grand corridor felt like accusatory spectators as he went to find Leo. He thought of Giana's digital portrait she had drawn that captured both sides of him. She saw too much. Always had.
God, you need to eat something, he chastised himself. He had only drunk espresso all morning.
Rodrigo pushed open the door to the conference room and found Leo hunched over a keyboard. His fiancé leaned against a bank of monitors, arms crossed.
"Future big brother," Dante greeted, his hazel eyes flicking over Rodrigo. "Giana left you in one piece, huh? That's surprising."
"Today is just full of them. What's wrong?" Rodrigo asked.
Leo swiveled his chair. "Luca was a fountain of knowledge once Dante applied the right persuasion."
"Never seen a soldier of fortune squeal like a stuck pig so quick before," Dante commented with a shake of his head. "He's lucky that I didn't let Athena have a round because she was more than ready to hit something this morning. You're fortunate that it wasn't you, Rodrigo."
"She would have had to get in line," he replied. He looked them over and frowned. "Whatever Luca said can wait. We all need food. I can't think straight."
Leo's brows lifted. "Since when do you care about eating when we have enemies coming for us?"
"We are Colleoni's. Enemies are always coming for us," Rodrigo pointed out before calling the kitchens and asking for breakfast to be brought up.
"See, honey, this is why you should takemyname instead of me taking yours," Dante said, giving Leo's shoulder a rub.
"I'm not having this argument with you right now," Leo grumbled and then tapped his other shoulder. "Massage me properly if you're going to do it, or don't bother."
Dante tickled Leo's ear, making him hiss, but he was smiling when he did it. Dante obeyed his brother's wishes and started on the knots in his shoulders.
