Vito steps in like a storm, close enough that I can feel the heat of him. "Let's go, Gianna," he says, his voice clipped and cold."Every minute we stand here is another minute Declan has to send men through that door. I'm not losing you in this building."
"Let go of me, Vito. I'm not going anywhere," I struggle in his grasp to free my hand, but it only tightens. Panic surges through me. "I know what Declan is capable of. He's going to kill him."
"I care about keeping you alive, Gianna. That's all I care about right now." Vito moves between me and Finn, cutting off my line of sight. "Everything else—you, him, whatever this is—we handle it at home. Not here. Not with Declan's men probably twenty minutes out."
Each step he pulls me feels like a thread unraveling. My heart stutters in my chest as I twist in his hold to keep my eyes on Finn. No, no, no, no. This isn't the plan. How will Finn face this alone? I struggle to release my hand.
"Let her go," Finn's voice cuts through my tantrum. He reaches out, grabbing Vito's arm and yanking it off me with such force it nearly throws Vito off balance.
If looks could kill, Finn would probably be dead now. Vito is fuming. His jaw is clenched, and I can tell he's a second away from unleashing hell.
"She doesn't want to go with you," Finn replies, placing himself firmly between us.
"I'm not going with you, Vito," I assert. "You never cared, so stop pretending to be a good brother now." Vito stares at me for a beat, eyes blazing, but he says nothing.
Finn's hand finds mine and tugs me behind him, shielding me like he always does. We walk out of the greenhouse, the heavy scent of the earth and leaves clinging to my skin like the weight of everything I'm leaving behind. I glance over my shoulder one last time, catching the way Vito stands frozen, rage rippling off him like heat waves.
Finn opens the car door without a word, and I slip inside, pulse thudding in my ears, watching as he moves to the driver'sside. He slides into his seat, jaw tight, and glances at me. "Wear your seatbelt." That's all he says before driving away.
CHAPTER 23
Finn
I forcemy eyes to stay on the road as I drive, but my mind is a mess. I feel like I'm drowning in the storm my thoughts have turned into. I contacted Vito last night with the burner phone when I confirmed Gianna was deep asleep. I didn't think he would show up, but he did.
I thought hard last night on ways to get out of this mess, especially after Gianna said she wanted us to stay and figure it out. Declan is a ruthless man; someone not to be messed with, and I just couldn't let Gianna face him. So, I contacted Vito, hoping he could pull her out before things got messier.
But...
I glance at Gianna. She's quiet, too quiet, and it's unsettling. Is she regretting her decision to stay with me? I didn't think she would refuse to go with Vito.
I take my eyes off her, pulling the car into one of the properties I purchased in secret a long time ago. I park quickly, looking through the front window at the bungalow house before us. It's similar to the safe house, but different enough to feel unfamiliar. It will take a while before Declan can find us here.
Gianna is the first to get out, and I can feel her anger from the way she slams the car door. I step out and take our luggage with me into the house. The moment the door closes behind us, I speak, my voice filling the empty house.
"Why didn't you leave with Vito? Why did you have to defend and worry about me?" I ask, the words falling out before I can stop them. The question has been eating me from the inside since we left the greenhouse.
Gianna pauses, her brows knitting as she exhales. "Why did you call Vito?" She whispers the question, her voice laced with something between defeat and disbelief. Her chest rises and falls heavily as she searches my eyes like she's trying to understand me and herself all at once. "You told me we were going to meet someone who could help us."
I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "I don't want you to get hurt, Gianna. Declan is not going to back down, but at least you'll be safer with Vito."
She lets out a dry, humorless laugh. "And you think I want you to get hurt..." Her voice cracks. She drags her hand through her hair in frustration, tears brimming in her eyes. "If something happened to you... I don't think I could ever forgive myself... I don't think I want to be in a world without you."
My chest tightens. Her words hit me with more force than any bullet ever could. "Gianna," I say, stepping closer, my voice rough and unsteady. I can't hold back how I feel. As I gaze at her, my mind shifts into focus.
"I love you, Gianna." Her eyes widen, and I watch as she struggles momentarily to find a response. "I love you, Gianna," I say again, the words sitting heavy and real on my tongue.
Gianna tears her eyes away from me. I think she's going to back away from me or tell me she doesn't feel the same way about me, but when she looks at me, I know even before she says it.
"I love you too, Finn," she says, her voice trembling with sincerity. Her eyes shine with love and care. My heart races. She loves me. Gianna loves me. I glance at her lips, at the way they part ever so slightly with her breath, and I can't help myself. I close the distance between us and kiss her like it's the only thing keeping me alive.
One hand finds her waist, and the other cups her face. The world around us fades, leaving only the heat of our connection. My lips move against hers slowly as we take time to explore each other's mouths. Fire sparks in my veins, and like always, I want more.
Without breaking the kiss, I scoop her into my arms, cradling her as if she weighs nothing. Gianna clings to me, her lips never leaving mine as I carry her through the house to the room. The door closes behind us with a quiet thud, the sound marking the beginning of something neither of us can stop.
I set Gianna down on the edge of the bed, my hands trailing down her arms as I pull back slightly to look at her. She's flushed, her lips swollen from our kiss, her eyes full of anticipation.
"You're so beautiful," I whisper, my voice rough with emotion.
