Chapter 15
Marti stood at the window during the pre-dawn hours and watched Dante as he swam in the ocean. She had known when he’d gotten out of bed last night, dressed, and left. When he returned a couple of hours later, she had been up waiting for him.
The moment he had opened the door and had seen her, he had simply opened his arms to her. And she had rushed across the room to him for his embrace, no questions asked.
He had held her for a moment before sweeping her off her feet and carrying her up the stairs. They had made love several times, and she had awakened when he got up for his morning swim.
Last night, while waiting for him to return, she had thought about everything he was doing, not only to keep her safe, but also to destroy the fear now living inside of her. He intended to eliminate the problem so she wouldn’t ever be afraid ever again.
After they’d made love, he’d told her that he hadn’t left her unprotected.
A member of his team had arrived yesterday while they were at dinner, and for the next few days, the man would occupy the third house in Lasco Cove, the one he’d recently purchased.
One of the man’s jobs would be to protect her when Dante wasn’t around.
The man would be joining them for coffee, and she would meet him then.
As she continued to stand there and stare out the window at Dante, she knew she had to face an undeniable truth.
The emotions she hadn’t allowed herself to feel for thirteen years broke through whenever she watched him in the water.
He’d told her that swimming in the early morning, when the ocean was serene and calm, helped invigorate his soul, boost his energy, and reset his mental state.
Just by watching him, she had benefited as well.
And she was scared because she knew she had fallen in love with him.
She wasn’t worried about loving Dante. He was nothing like Malcolm.
What frightened her was the thought that her heart would once again belong to a man who would not return her love.
For Malcolm, it had been because he would not.
For Dante, it was because he could not. He had explained his fear and the reason for it. And she could respect that.
But what was she to do, knowing he would never love her in return? It was something she’d just have to get over. She had not been seriously involved with a man for thirteen years. Her situation would just have to remain that way.
The one thing Dante had shown her was that she needed to value herself.
While other men had seen the worst in her, he only seemed to see her better qualities.
Dante didn’t have to break down her defenses because she had never put any up with him.
After they’d become reacquainted that first day, she had felt comfortable in his presence.
And he hadn’t minded including her in his daily activities.
He had first become her friend and then her lover.
Marti fought back tears as a lump settled in her throat.
In a few days, she would leave here and return home.
She would look forward to coming back to Wild Rose Point next summer, and would have to be satisfied being Dante’s every summer lover, if that was all she could ever be.
It was better to have something than to have nothing.
She had never expected anything more in her life and blamed the romance novel she had finished reading yesterday for putting unrealistic expectations in her head. There would never be a happy-ever-after for her. It had been that way all along, and she was fine with it. Really.
During the coming days, she would have to find a way to be happy, even knowing that when she left, she would be leaving her heart behind with Dante.
***
“Marti, I would like you to meet Rossiano De Luca. We call him Rossi for short. His uncle, Ricco, is my godfather.”
She extended her hand. “It’s nice meeting you, Rossi.”
Dante smiled at Marti’s surprise at meeting Rossi.
She kept looking between them in disbelief.
He and Rossi always got that reaction whenever they went out together.
Although he and Rossi weren’t blood-related, they favored each other.
If she ever met Ricco’s son, Nico, she would think he was their younger brother.
“I guess you get tired of hearing that you have beautiful eyes,” Rossi said.
She chuckled. “People usually comment on what an odd shade they are. My sister and I can’t go anywhere without people noticing.”
“You have a sister?” Rossi asked.
“Yes.”
“Her sister is married, Rossi,” Dante broke in. “And you can release Marti’s hand now.”
“Oops. Sorry about that. I guess I got carried away. Your eyes spoke to me.”
Dante shook his head. Rossi was a known flirt and bona fide womanizer.
He was also a jack-of-all-trades, and although everyone on his team was outstanding at what they did, Rossiano Giovanni De Luca was a man whose mind never slept.
Thanks to his three master’s degrees and his Harvard Law School graduate status, he was always thinking of ways to keep the team one step ahead in everything they did.
“Please join us for breakfast, Rossi. Does the house meet your approval?” Dante asked.
He, of all people, knew how nitpicky Rossi could be.
There were several hotel chains the man refused to stay in unless absolutely necessary.
But then, he usually didn’t have to do so.
Dante had a feeling Rossi had at least one woman in every state and several major countries as well.
Ricco had long ago given up on Dante and Rossi settling down.
Since he was hoping for grandkids one day, he had turned his attention to thirty-four-year-old Nico.
“Yes, it does. It’s a nice place, and the view of the ocean is spectacular.”
Once coffee was poured and the quiche Marti had taken the time to bake was served, they sat around drinking coffee like old friends.
But Dante wasn’t stupid. He knew Rossi was curious about Marti.
He hadn’t wasted any time coming to Wild Rose Point to meet the woman who had done more than just capture Dante’s interest.
“I have to leave town for a couple of days, Marti. Like I was telling you last night, Rossi will be here when I’m not.”
She nodded. “Do you get up before dawn and go swimming, too, Rossi?”
“Heavens no,” Rossi exclaimed.
“Only because that’s about the time he’s getting home in the morning,” Dante added. “His favorite pastime is entertaining women.”
“Oh,” Marti said, grinning, as she stood. “Well, then I’ve been given fair warning. I’m sure you guys have a lot to discuss, so I’ll go back to my place and prepare for a day on the beach.”
“Call or text to let me know when you’re inside and when you leave for the beach,” Dante said.
She smiled. “I will.” She then looked at Rossi. “It was nice meeting you, Rossi.”
“It was nice meeting you, too, Marti. Is that short for something?”
After a slight hesitation, she said, “Yes, it’s short for Martina. However, everybody calls me Marti.”
Dante had studied Marti during the interchange. He had a feeling there was more to her preferring her nickname than he had assumed.
“Then Marti it will be,” Rossi said, smiling.
Dante glared at Rossi, and although Rossi didn’t look in his direction, he knew his friend had picked up on his vibes.
Although he hadn’t gone into any details about his relationship with Marti, Rossi wasn’t a fool and could read Dante like a book.
But just in case he missed it, he would make sure Rossi knew that Marti was off limits.
***
“Marti Goshay is a gorgeous woman, Dante.”
Dante, who was standing at the window watching Marti walk from his home to hers, turned and glanced at Rossi, who was helping himself to another serving of quiche. “Glad you noticed. Make sure that’s all you do, Rossi. Notice.”
“That sounds pretty damn territorial, Dante. I’ve never known you to stake a claim on a woman before. Hell, I didn’t know you had it in you.”
Dante shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Rossi was his best friend. So, of all people, he would know. “I didn’t know it was in me either. And you know why.”
“So what happened?”
He returned to the table and sat across from Rossi once he got Marti’s text. “Damn if I know,” he said.
And he really didn’t. All he could figure out was that seeing how close Marti had been to losing her life, right before his eyes, had made him realize how much she had come to mean to him. “I’ve fallen in love with her, Rossi.”
Rossi looked taken aback. “What the hell. You’ve known her less than a month.”
“Not really. Marti and I first met when we were kids one summer. On this same beach.”
“How old were you?”
“She was eight, and I was thirteen.”
Rossi waved off his words. “That doesn’t count. You weren’t even noticing girls then, Dante.”
“You’re right, I wasn’t. Although I’m sure you were at that age.”
“Of course I was.”
Dante rolled his eyes. “I only mentioned that to note that I did know her before, Rossiano.” Using his best friend’s first name was a hint that he was beginning to get annoyed with his questions. “In fact, I saved her life that summer.”
“How?” Rossi asked, obviously ignoring the hint.
Dante told Rossi what happened all those years ago. When he finished, he said, “There you have it.”
“So, you and Marti Goshay have a history. Trauma bonding can be a powerful thing, Dante.”
“Trauma bonding? Is that your psychology degree talking, Rossi?”
Rossi grinned. “I guess it is. And since you’re determined to play the role of the Equalizer, should we start calling you Robert McCall?”
Deciding Rossi’s question didn’t warrant a response, Dante asked, “So what information do you have?”