Chapter 30
30
D ante
“How’s Gia?” Massimo asks the minute I walk into his office in the warehouse.
“She’s better,” I say.
For the past three days, I’ve been caring for her. The bruises are still there, but her skin looks less swollen, and she’s been resting. We’ve trodden a careful line not to say anything too personal yet.
I want to.
I want to tell her those weeks without her were the worst I’ve ever lived through. But that also means telling her the truth—that I’ve fallen for her, undeniably. It means giving her a part of me I never thought I had available to give. And possibly hearing she’s not interested.
She’s younger and has her whole life ahead of her. She was going to college. If she’s with me, every moment of her day will be monitored and carefully planned. What if something happens to her like what happened to Andie? What if?—
I pull a chair in front of Massimo and sit. The moment my ass hits the leather cushion, the weight of my responsibilities falls heavier on my shoulders. Tomorrow is Wednesday.
“Are you prepared for tomorrow?” Massimo asks.
I clear my throat. “Yes.”
Massimo tilts his head to the side. “Good. Nico is out of town, but I’ll join you and Rocco.”
“I’ll pass.” I lift my hand in denial.
He frowns. “Why?”
“Because you have Amara. And if, on the off chance, something bad happens, I want you to be there for her. Rocco is different. He doesn’t have anyone,” I say. The possibility that Santini may keep the date as a trap to capture me has crossed my mind. Maybe he wants us to know about the date and place, so we go, and he corners us.
Either way, this war has come to a head. I’m fully capable of taking care of it on my own, but since Gia has asked, I’ll bring Rocco. I don’t need Massimo—too many bossy siblings at once. He needs to hold down the fort since Nico is away.
“Nothing will happen,” Massimo says with an easy, confident smile.
“No. But I need to handle it,” I say in a voice that allows no protest.
He lets out a sigh of impatience, making it clear he’d rather join us. But I’m not backing down. “All right. Let me know if you need anything, though. Do you have enough men?”
According to Andrei’s plan, a few cars will follow us, within safe distance, with armed men. Even though Rocco and I will spearhead the operation, they’ll stay close as backup. “Yes. We’ll be covered.”
“What happens next?” he asks. “Where Gia is concerned?”
I straighten in my chair. “I need to talk to her about it.”
“What do you want?”
“I want her.” The words fly from my mouth before I have a chance to analyze them. Fuck it. I’m done hiding behind the circumstances. A sensation of exhilaration, like I just jumped off a building and made it unscathed, takes over me and messes with my heartbeat. I love her.
I know it won’t be easy, and she may turn me down. But it’s the truth.
Massimo stares at me approvingly. “What do you think she’ll say when you tell her that?”