Tino used me, like my father, like Marciano.
For how long would I remain that naive? For how long would I let people take advantage of me?
I stared at Leo through the tears. “Are you using me, too?”
“What? Of course not. What would I use you for?”
“To get back at your dad, for whatever beef you have with him.”
“No, amore,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I love you. You stole my heart with your little violin before I even saw you, and the second I laid my eyes on you, you ruined me for any other girl. What I feel for you has nothing to do with Dad or anything else. Ti amo tanto, Lina bella.”
His sweetness and sexy Italian numbed me for a minute. I was indeed a naive, inexperienced, traumatized girl that was desperate for love, and he was having his way with me. I shook my head, as if shaking the trance he was putting me in. Why would I believe him? Everything I’d believed before turned out to be a big fat lie.
“What more can I do to prove it to you?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I mean, you gave up your education, the future you’ve ever dreamed of. You even risked your life to save me from my stalker. And now you want to leave your wealthy, well connected fiancé to marry me. There’s nothing else to do.”
“I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I’d do anything to make you mine, Lina.”
When he said stuff like that, I could melt and surrender without a fight. He was so romantic and beautiful and hot. My mind pictured us growing older when he’d be even hotter. As hot as Tino.
Shoot. That was not cool on my side. Totally inappropriate.
“What about your father? He might not have helped me with Marciano for my sake, but he still gave me and my sister a home and an education when we were all alone and helpless. That alone is enough for me to respect his wishes. I owe him a lot.”
“Stop making excuses, Lina. If you want me as much as I want you, nothing is gonna stop us from being together. The Lanzas can’t hurt you as long as I’m alive. I’ll protect you like I protected you from Marciano. As for Tino, you don’t have to worry about him. No matter how much you owe him, he owes me more.”
“Is this about the Mob thing you had to become?”
“It’s called a made man, but no, not just that.”
This must have something to do with his mother. “Are you ever gonna tell me what happened? Your family tragedy I mean. It’s only fair that you tell me, now that you already know everything about me.”
He resumed our stroll, and I’d realized we’d been standing for so long. “We should sit. You’re still on the mend. We don’t want you to rip a stitch or pull a muscle.”
He gave me a small smile and pointed at the greenhouse. “Let’s sit there. A little birdie told me it’s your favorite place here.”
“Uh…maybe not.” The memory of that one frightening yet inappropriately sexy encounter with Tino got me hot and bothered every time.
He smirked. “Are you scared of me?”
“Not really. I don’t think you’ll try anything with your gunshot wound.”
He laughed. “That’s the only thing you think will stop me?”
“That and having Tino’s bodyguards on the lookout everywhere. Tino will kill us both if we’re busted.”
His hand touched his stomach as he laughed harder.
“Easy.” I helped him to the nearest bench and sat beside him. “Now, about your mother?”
The laughter died, and his eyes drifted to afternoon sun. “I was thirteen when I lost her. She…uh… She was so beautiful and kind and… She didn’t belong in our world.”
My heart squeezed for him. “What happened?”
“Don Bellomo happened. Before Dad became the boss, there was a feud and bad blood between him and another Capo who wanted the position. That other man was pure evil. He threatened Dad if he accepted to be the boss, he’d ruin his family in return.
“Mamma was scared. She begged Dad to refuse the position, but Don Bellomo doesn’t take no for an answer. He always gets what he wants. If he thinks something is his, nothing else matters. Nothing stops him from having it. Not even his own family.”
