“No, my brother, Wolf. He’s just as insane as you, but he’s gone rogue.” She closed her eyes for a few seconds. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“You can trust me. I won’t betray that.”
“Gabriel, we’ve got a good thing, but it’s just physical. I’m not looking for anything. My job is dangerous. I don’t want to complicate my life?—”
“This is different for me,” he said cutting her off. “It’s not just physical. I want to get to know you.”
Her gaze floated over his face, but she said nothing.
He moved to the other side of the bed, so he could rub her left shoulder. Like before, she turned to face him.
“Is this part of some crazy New Year’s resolution or something?” she murmured.
“No, it’s me being vulnerable. A first.”
“You’re not going soft, are you?”
He chuffed out a laugh. “No. Never.” He kissed her cheek. “I want to get to know you, outside of the sex.”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you like me?”
Silence.
He waited while he massaged her back.
“Yes,” she replied. “I do, but I’m not dumb enough to let my emotions get in the way of my life. You’re a —what did your brothers call you—a lady eater. I’m not interested?—”
“I’m not going to see anyone else. No hookups, nothing.”
Her eyes widened. “We’ll see how long that lasts, Romeo.” Her eyes fluttered closed.
He pulled her onto him, wrapped her in his arms. “Sleep, my beauty.” He kissed the top of her head.
As he lay there, he wondered if she was someone he could build a life with. That thought had never crossed his mind before. Not once.
In his arms, she felt good.
She feels like home.
HE AWOKETO AN EMPTY BED. The bathroom light was on—the electricity had been restored—the shower was running. He grabbed his phone to check the time. It was five in the damn morning.
Who gets up this early?
His security app started pinging. Someone had set off the alarm in his Milan villa. He toggled to the cameras and smiled. His housekeeper, Pina, stood in the foyer, fumbling with the keypad and grumbling to herself. She set down her phone, punched in the code, and the alarm went quiet.
Seconds later, his phone rang. It was her.
“Ciao, Pina, tutto a posto?” he said.Hello, Pina, everything okay?
“Sì, sì. Ero al telefono con mia sorella e ho inserito il codice di casa mia, non il tuo,” Pina said.Yes, yes. I was on the phone with my sister and entered my house code, not yours.
“Hai mai rivisto quella donna? Era molto carina,” Pina continued.Did you ever see the woman again? She was very pretty.
“Quale donna?” Gabriel asked.What woman?
“Qualche settimana fa. Colui che aspetta che tu torni a tarda notte.”A few weeks ago. The one who waited for you to come back late at night.
