Chapter 12
ENZO
Feeling grumpy, because I haven’t been able to interact in person with Jenna and Cassia gets to spend every day with her, I drive to the lakehouse.
It’s one am, and Jenna went to bed at eleven, but I don’t care. I just need to see her. Watching her through the security cameras isn’t enough.
When I pull up to the property, I switch off the SUV's lights so they don’t shine into the house, but as I steer the vehicle up the driveway, two guards run closer, aiming their weapons at me.
I let the window down and say, “It’s Enzo.”
“Sorry, sir. We weren’t expecting you,” one of them replies before they return to their positions.
I drive up to the garages and switch off the engine. Picking up my phone from where it’s lying in the center console, I check the security feed to see if Jenna heard the SUV.
She’s still fast asleep in her bed, so I get out and let myself into the house via the front door.
I leave all the lights off as I head to the second floor.
I never took myself for a stalker, but Jenna just brings it out in me.
Her bedroom door is only partially closed, and I slip inside. My eyes instantly seek out her sleeping form as I creep closer to the bed, then I stand and stare down at my beautiful little angel.
Finally, I’m able to take a deep breath, and the tension in my chest eases.
Yeah, I’m so far gone when it comes to this woman, it’s insane.
Watching her in my house over the past week, I’ve learned she’s a creature of habit. She follows the same routine every day.
I see what she writes to Cassia on the notepad, and know something bad happened in her past that led to her having selective mutism and severe anxiety.
Unable to stop myself, I reach out to Jenna and very softly brush my fingertips over her loose, silky blonde strands.
I wish she would stop tying her hair in a ponytail. Every night before bed, she brushes the strands out and lets them hang free.
I haven’t seen her naked yet, because she always changes in the bathroom. I regret not putting a camera in there, which I know is fucked up.
“Minha,” I whisper. “Para sempre.”
She mumbles something as she turns onto her back, and her shirt twists around her torso, leaving her side and stomach partially exposed.
Taking a huge fucking risk, I reach for her again, and when my fingers brush over her warm skin, my heart beats faster.
I drink in the sight of the moonlight falling over Jenna. Her lips are slightly parted, her breaths even.
My gaze drifts over the curve of her jaw before moving down her slender neck.
Carefully, I place my hand on the headboard of her bed and lean over her until I’m able to take a breath of her soft, sweet scent.
Foda-se, és perfeita.
Pushing my luck to the limits, I’m two inches away from kissing her when she lets out a scream, and I move back just in time to avoid her slamming into me as she throws her body to the right.
My heart lurches in my chest as I move as quick as I can, hauling ass to the main bedroom. I shut the door behind me and yank my phone out of my pocket. Checking the security feed, I see Jenna run out of her room and down the stairs.
When she gets to the front door, I cringe because I forgot to lock it. She rips it open and begins to have a panic attack as she falls over her feet to get out onto the porch.
“What’s wrong?” Oscar asks her, wise to keep a safe distance from her.
She wildly points into the house.
“Is there someone in the house?” he asks, and when she nods, he says, “Wait here while I check.”
Foda-se.
I shake my head at myself, upset that I’ve scared the hell out of Jenna.
I could go out to her, but I think it would upset her even more. We haven’t seen each other in over a week. Me randomly appearing in the middle of the night won’t gain her trust but only make her run away.
When I see Oscar coming down the hallway, I open the bedroom door and meet his eyes. “Tell her there’s no one and she’s safe.”
“Yes, sir.”
He turns around, but stops when I add, “I’ll get Cassia to come over to help. Tell Jenna you’re the one who made the call.”
“Okay.”
He heads down the stairs again, and I shut the door while bringing up Cassia’s phone number. I press dial, and it only rings twice before she answers, “This better be a life-or-death situation.”
“I scared Jenna. Can you come over to comfort her?”
“Seriously?” she grumbles. “You’re an asshole, Enzo. Stop stalking her and let her get to know you.”
I sigh, then mutter, “Are you coming or not?”
“Yeah, but I’m charging you two hundred and fifty thousand for this fuck up. You’re messing with the progress I’m making with Jenna, and that’s not going to fly with me.”
She ends the call, and I quickly go back to the security feed.
While I watch Jenna stand on the porch with her arms wrapped around her middle and her hair hanging loose over her shoulders, I feel like shit.
Cassia is right. I fucked up tonight.
If I’m honest with myself, I’m scared that when Jenna learns who I am, she’ll want nothing to do with me. Right now, I’m just a guy she interacted with a few times at the gas station. Once she finds out I’m a criminal who’s killed hundreds of people, her perception of me will definitely change.
I won’t see the curiosity in her eyes as she blushes because that look will be replaced with fear.
But she can get to know you. You just have to win her over.
You can’t go on like this.
Jenna refuses to come back into the house, and when Cassia arrives, she rushes to the woman who’s done so much to help me over the past week.
Out of the four alliance members, she and Santiago are worming their way into my life and giving me no choice but to start thinking of them as family.
Family.
I watch as Cassia hugs Jenna, and the way I’ve always viewed the head of the Greek mafia shifts.
Something that can only be described as brotherly affection creeps into my heart.
Letting out a breath of relief as Cassia ushers Jenna back inside the house to make her some tea, I walk to the bed and take a seat.
“I’m sorry you had such a fright. Oscar assures me there’s no one in the house and no signs of forced entry. I’ll look around if you want, but I promise there’s no way anyone who wants to harm you will get past the guards. You’re safe here.”
Jenna pulls the pad of paper and pencil closer and writes something. It’s upside down, and I have to turn the phone to read the words.
It’s not my imagination. Someone was in my bedroom. It was dark, and I was half asleep, but I saw a man leaning over me.
“Let me check the house while you make us tea. Okay?”
Jenna shakes her head and writes again.
What if he’s hiding somewhere and hurts you? You’re pregnant.
“Then I’ll shoot the asshole,” Cassia mutters as she walks to the front door and orders, “Oscar, give me your gun.”
My eyebrow lifts as she tells Jenna, “Wait right here, sweetheart. I won’t be long.”
Jenna stares after Cassia with wide eyes, and I watch as Cassia pretends to check all the rooms before coming into the main bedroom. She leaves the door partially open and points at the bathroom.
Reluctantly, I get up and follow her inside. She shuts the door, then uses her mom-voice on me as she hisses, “I should shoot you in the foot for your stupidity. Seriously, Enzo? You scared the crap out of Jenna!”
Usually, I’d lose my temper, but I can’t with Cassia. Not after all the help she’s given me.
It takes a lot for me to say, “I’m sorry. I won’t fuck up again.
“Why are you hiding from her?” she asks.
“She’s nothing like us. Do you think she’s going to accept me with open arms, once she learns who I am?”
Cassia takes a step back, her eyebrows pulling together as she shakes her head at me. “You’re one of the most feared men in the world, and you’re scared of a little woman like Jenna?”
“Don’t fuck with me, Cassia,” I warn her, my tone low. “Jenna isn’t ready to become a part of my life.”
Cassia’s expression turns tense with anger. “She will never be ready. You need to let her get to know you.”
I shake my head, and lifting my arm, I grip the back of my neck with my hand.
“I have to go,” Cassia mutters. “We’ll talk more later.”
She opens the door and leaves me standing in the middle of the bathroom.
No one has ever dared to speak to me the way she just did, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. But I can also understand where she’s coming from.
I let out a sigh as I step out of the bathroom and go to the bedroom door to lock it. Sitting down on the bed again, I watch the security feed.
It takes Cassia close to an hour before she has Jenna convinced there’s no one in the house and it’s safe.
It’s after five am when Cassia gets Jenna to go out to the dock with her so they can watch the sun rise, giving me an opportunity to get my ass out of the house.
I head back to the motel, thinking about what my next move will be.
Maybe I should call her?
No, dumbass. She doesn’t speak.
I could arrange a date and have the guards bring her to the restaurant. That way, there will be other people around, and she might not freak out.
Hmm…that could work.
Pulling up to the motel, I put the SUV in park and switch off the engine. After getting out, I go into my room, and sitting down on the side of the bed, I take off my boots.
I lie down, resting a hand on my chest as I stare up at the ceiling.
What will I do if Jenna can’t accept who I am?
Letting her go is not an option. I’ll keep her against her will if I have to, and with time, she’ll learn to accept me.
There’s no other option.