“No, that will be all,” he replied in a curt tone.
“Thank you,” I told the redhead.
She scurried away, probably butt hurt after Ciro didn’t ogle her. Most women acted shattered when Ciro disregarded them as he had our server. He was just that attractive and magnetic to my female counterparts.
“You can be nice, you know.” I swiped through the pictures. He was right, the casino turned out spectacular, but I bet it was even more magnificent in person.
“What did I do wrong?”
“She was nice and you were rude.”
“I didn’t want to give her the wrong idea. I’m only interested in one woman.”
I lifted my gaze and found him staring at me. “It’s beautiful.” I returned his phone to him.
“Don’t you want to see it in person?”
“Maybe someday.” I sipped my drink. “How’s the family?”We need a subject change!
“Fine. A lot has happened since you left, but I don’t want to talk about it right now.” He took a drink of his whiskey.
“Why not? I love your family.”
“I know, but they aren’t why I’m here.”
“Why are you here?” I may not want to hear his answer, but I wasn’t interested in dancing around the subject anymore.
“Are you dating anyone?”
“That’s why you’re in San Francisco? To ask me if I’m dating anyone.” I rolled my eyes hard and sipped my club soda.
“I’ve been having nightmares about you and needed to see with my own eyes that you were okay.” His directness stopped my heart. I could tell he wasn’t lying. Why would he?
“What kind of nightmares?” I leaned forward so I didn’t miss a single word he said.
“I can’t really explain them. They started a couple of weeks ago and in each one you needed my help. I’d wake up in a cold sweat at one in the fucking morning and had this crazy need to pace in my bedroom.”
My eyes went wide. His bad dreams began when Pippa started waking up during the night. Could it be more than acoincidence? Like a link between father and child that I never imagined possible because they hadn’t ever met.
“That’s really interesting,” I replied, trying to fight off the guilt threatening to invade my conscious. I always tried to give Ciro the benefit of the doubt. Down deep in his soul, I believed was a kind and loving man. He just rarely showed that side of himself. I wouldn’t risk my daughter’s mental well-being, hoping Ciro would rise to the occasion and be a good father. He would need to prove himself to me first. But I didn’t think I could give him a chance after the way he treated me.
“It’s fucking annoying, is what it is. I’d had enough of it and that’s why I tried to find you.”
“Oh. I see.” I twisted my lips, feeling strangely deflated.
Ciro hadn’t shown up out of the blue like an answer to my prayers. He hadn’t heard my cries for help, and he wasn’t there to rescue me. I reeled in those foolish thoughts quickly. Ciro would never be mine. Not my hero. Not my king. Not my love. He would never be what I needed.
Nevertheless, if he didn’t return home soon, I might not be able to resist him. My body and heart still wanted him desperately. My resolve was dwindling every minute I was near him.
My reality was a harsh bitch. Ciro would always keep Pippa and me at a distance because of his fear of losing us permanently like his mother. Therefore, he would never allow himself to love us wholly and completely.
“That didn’t come out right.” He reached for my hand, but I pulled back. “Isla, I miss you.”
“I’ll be back.” I hopped off my stool and headed for the bathroom before I broke down. It was obvious my exhaustion was setting in.
Whenever I was extremely tired, I cried, and I couldn’t let Ciro know he was getting to me. My defenses were crumbling. I needed to get away from him to regroup and pull myself together.
Luckily, no one was in the single bathroom. I turned to close the door and there he was blocking me…
