While they both eat breakfast, things are quiet. I’m happy to see that while Roman ate less than Emilio, he still had a fairly healthy appetite. Although, he definitely doesn’t seem as addicted to coffee as my Caro. With a satisfied sigh, Emilio sets his plate to the side, still guarding his cup of coffee, and I point to the carafe, silently asking if he’d like more. At his pleased nod, I give him a refill before returning to my seat.
Humming as he takes a sip, his eyes fall closed in enjoyment. I can’t hide my happiness, even if it’s over something as silly as making him coffee. With a quiet sigh, though, I know I need to start asking the tough questions, even if I don’t want to.
Clearing my throat, I get Lio's attention. He opens his eyes and looks at me steadily. My heart thumps with the knowledge that I’m going to take away his smile, but I need answers, and he’s the only one who can give them to me. The only consolation I have is that it will make things better in the long run.
“Caro, I need you to tell me what happened there at the end, yesterday.”
His moss green eyes lose their shine and he shudders, instinctively leaning into Roman, who glares at me. I stay silent, accepting the accusatory glare without a word. He could flay me to pieces and it wouldn’t matter to me. At the end of the day, Emilio’s happiness is most vital—even if it means he has to face what happened.
“I…I lost my temper.”
“Rightfully! He was defending me!” Roman hisses, fury rolling off him as he sneers at me.
I nod toward him in understanding. “I don’t blame Emilio at all for it. Hell, if I could, I’d bring Stanley back to life so wecan kill him again—even slower this time. But that’s not what I meant. I need to know what Emilio felt. In that moment, and then right after.”
Emilio swallows and shifts uncomfortably under my studying gaze, but I know there’s something off. He just has to decide whether he trusts me enough to tell me, or not.
He grimaces, but he takes a bracing breath before releasing it slowly. “I’m…not too sure. When it was happening, it felt great—normal. The anger, fury, all of it. But when you held me back…at first, there was comfort, and then, well, nothing. It’s like I lost myself. My emotions were cut off. Numb. And I was left drifting. Alone. Again.”
Tears choke him, and my own throat burns with the need to let go of the feelings of powerlessness and fear that race through me. Still, I hold them back. He's all that matters now. Not me. Not my needs. And this is my chance to prove it.
“Emilio, it’s alright. I promise. We’ll get through this. All of us, together. Thank you though, for telling me.”
“You…you don’t hate me?” he whispers, and I shake my head.
“Never, Caro. That’ll never, ever happen. I love you, and no matter what, I will be here.”
He sits up straight and holds out his open hands. Taking the cue, I stand up and grab him fiercely, hugging him tight enough to really feel it. I know that numbness…that coldness. He’s right to be concerned. And now? I’m the only one here who knows how to handle it with him.
When I let him go—which is a struggle—I retake my seat and move on to other subjects, but nothing stressful. Once the conversation dies down and Emilio yawns, I stand, putting everything back onto the cart. Walking over to him, I brush a kiss across his forehead and give Roman a tight smile.
“Get some rest. I’ll check on you both later, alright?”
“Yes, Master,” Emilio murmurs groggily, as he begins to fall asleep. Roman doesn’t fall that quickly, and instead, gives me a warning glance that I know to take seriously. Still, I wait until he’s comfortable before I leave the room.
Thankfully, there’s a medical professional right outside already. Catching his attention, I ask, “Will you keep an eye on them?”
He waves an acknowledgment, and I struggle not to sigh. I’m back to being a ghost—and not like Antonio. Instead, I'm the one that's shifted aside, to be ignored and barely tolerated. After the sunshine of my Emilio, this is difficult for me. But I square my shoulders, knowing this is the price I need to pay. For now, though…I need to do one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done.
I walk the halls quietly before stopping in front of Javi’s door. Raising my hand, I knock. And then, I wait. I swallow hard, trying to hide my shaking hands. It may be a flat no, but fuck, I have to try. If I can ease Emilio’s pain, even a little, then that’s what I’ll do. Fuck what anyone else thinks; he’s the only thing that matters to me—exactly how it should be.
“Enter,” says the deep voice, and I straighten my shoulders as I try to prepare myself. It’s time to face whether my idea will work or not. And fuck, I hope Javi is the kind of man who truly understands what people need. My Emilio deserves that.
Allesandro walks into my office. My eye twitches at his outfit, and the need to call Ely about it is almost too much. Gone is his suit, and instead, he’s wearing a dress shirt—with the sleeves rolled up—and slacks. Oddly, there appears to be flour on the black shirt. I have so many questions, but I stay sitting, waiting for him to make the first move.
“May I?” he asks, gesturing to the seat across from me.
I tilt my head as I wave for him to sit, my curiosity almost getting the best of me. He sits stiffly, his hands clasped together as a thin line of sweat beads across his forehead. I watch it in fascination.
He’s nothing like I expected. I was prepared for the mighty Il Padrone. Hell, I’d heard Luca broke him, and remade him into this Sandro character…though I couldn’t tell if it was genuine or not. Most people, when stripped of their false identities, neverfind a way back. It takes a strength of character that most simply don’t have. They fall apart instead. This…this is interesting.
Allesandro takes a deep breath, facing me squarely. “I spoke to Keegan, Sarah, Hollis, and Tennant, before you came on board, about finding a way to help Emilio, as a stopgap measure. I had hoped, with you joining, that it wouldn’t be needed. Unfortunately, given what happened to Stanley…I don’t think that’s an option. He desperately needs help.”
“And what, exactly, are you proposing?” I narrow my eyes, watching his every movement.
With a sigh, he runs his fingers through his hair, messing it up, which shocks me. The put-together man I expected isn’t who sits in front of me. Pursing his lips, his shoulders slump, and the emotion in his voice when he responds is barely leashed.
“First, I need to be honest with you. I’m sure you’re aware of how I used to run my Family. What you may not be aware of is why there was a split. There were other reasons, but in particular, I broke the rules when it comes to protecting my family. I put Cristian above them. And, worse, I raped Emilio.”
