Chapter 16 Jane
JANE
The conflict warring across Gio’s face makes my heart drop.
Maybe, despite what he said, my past—or lack thereof—will scare him away after all.
It stings to think that, of everything that could bother him, the fact that I don’t know who Jackson’s father is would be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Walls slamming down around my heart, I pull away from him again, defensive for an entirely different reason this time—and one I would be even less forgiving about.
Because my little boy is my entire world. And to me, it doesn’t matter who blessed me with him. He’s all that matters.
“Maybe you should leave if that’s going to be a problem,” I say stiffly, reining in the white-hot, protective fury that rises inside me.
“What? No, it’s not a problem,” Gio assures me, pulling me close once more. “Not a problem at all. I just feel bad that you’ve had to go through so much all alone. It must have been terrifying for you.”
His voice is gruff, the deep baritone of his voice vibrating from his chest in a comforting tone, and I blink quickly to clear away the tears that threaten to fall.
Overcome by Gio’s empathy, I’m once again struck by how easily I could fall for him.
It doesn’t seem to matter what defenses I throw up or how many times I lash out for fear of being rejected, abandoned again.
With a few words, he makes it all better.
My heart aches with a newfound sense of just how lucky I am.
He’s such a perfect man for me.
So, why do I keep feeling like the other shoe is going to drop?
Perhaps it’s because I’ve had my guard up for too long. I don’t know how to act like a normal person who’s open to love.
In truth, since I woke up in that hospital bed with a tiny life growing inside me, I’ve been too scared to even think about letting someone else in. I don’t know what happened in my past—why I ended up in the spot where I found myself.
And I can’t afford to risk winding up there again.
Not when I have Jackson to think about.
But I genuinely want to trust Gio, and I believe he might be someone worthy of that trust.
Every step of the way, he’s pleasantly surprised me—not a high standard to exceed when I’ve defaulted to thinking the worst of people at every turn.
But hopefully, over time—if he sticks around—I’ll learn to be less defensive.
“Sorry if that came out hot,” I say, melting into him as I let my muscles relax.
“Jane, you have nothing to apologize for,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to the crown of my head—right on top of my scar.
The skin prickles with the familiar sensation of nerves that were severed and might never fully heal.
“I get that I’m someone new in your life and it takes time to build trust—especially after something like what you’ve been through. Just know that I want to be here. And I want to know your son. Even if I didn’t know you, I knew I would like you just from meeting him.”
“Really?” I breathe, my voice thick with emotion. I don’t know that anyone’s ever said something so sweet to me.
“Really. Now, let’s talk about something you would like to discuss. Because even if I’ve thoroughly mucked up the night so far, if you’re not opposed to the idea, I’d like to stay a bit longer.”
“I’d like that,” I murmur, draping my arm across his torso. “Tell me about the movie we were supposed to watch,” I suggest. “You’ve seen it before, I gathered.”
Gio chuckles, the warmth in it filling my body with sunlight.
“More times than I care to admit,” he says. “I could practically quote it word for word if you asked me to, but I’ll give you the overview, and we can watch it another time if you’d like.”
I nod, a pleasant shiver trickling down my spine as he starts to explain the plot.
It sounds like a cute movie—one I actually really would like to watch.
But more than that, the sound of his voice, soft and deep and soothing, lulls me into a state of contentment that has my eyes drifting closed.
Gio’s watching me with those unfathomable hazel eyes, and my stomach coils deliciously, urging me to do something naughty.
Gripping the lapels of his suit jacket, I tug him toward a nearby alcove along the city street. “Come here,” I whisper, voice giddy with anticipation.
He lets me steer him, and when I push him back against the brick wall, he releases a dark, sinful chuckle.
God, I could die happy listening to that sound.
Rising onto my toes so I can reach his lips, I kiss him with reckless abandon.
His hands find my waist, his fingers curling around the fabric of my dress, and he pulls me against him as I twine my fingers into his hair.
We fit perfectly together like the pieces of a puzzle just waiting to be finished.
I know I’m supposed to be somewhere, but for the life of me, I can’t recall where that is.
“You always do this,” I breathe between kisses. “Make me forget where I’m going.”
“Then don’t go,” he urges, his voice rough with need.
Pulling back just enough to meet his gaze, I smirk. “Don’t tempt me.”
“I’m serious,” he says, his hands flexing as he brings me closer, and he brushes a kiss against my throat.
“You always say that when we’re kissing.”
“I’m serious all the time,” he murmurs against my skin.
“Gio,” I object softly, nudging him back so I can look at him. “You know we can’t stay in this little bubble forever.” Though, what bubble that is, I have no clue.
Perhaps it’s the dream I’m fairly certain I’m in right now.
But then, if I am dreaming, it seems that the reality of my waking world is very close to this one.
Perhaps I’m talking about the bubble of happiness that’s surrounding us.
Sure, things are going right at the moment—but I can’t trust that it will last.
And when the bubble bursts, that will be the end of us.
“I’ll make it bigger,” he promises, and his conviction is so warm and welcome, I can’t help but smile.
Releasing a breathy laugh, I pull his head down to rest my forehead against his. “You’d try, wouldn’t you?”
“I’d do a hell of a lot more than try.” The words growl from his lips, and he cradles my face with one hand as he tips my chin to peer deep into my eyes.
The wind lifts a strand of my short hair, blowing it into my eyes, and Gio captures it between his fingers, tucking it behind my ear. “Come with me next time I leave town.”
“Gio—”
“I’m not asking for forever. Just… don’t disappear when we’re not in the same zip code.”
Gaze dropping to his sensual lips, I lean in again, slower this time, to kiss him softly, my chest aching as I try to memorize the shape of his mouth.
Tonight is supposed to be goodbye—for how long, I don’t know.
But it feels rather final, and suddenly, an aching hole opens in the center of my chest at the thought.
I don’t want to leave Gio.
Things were only getting started, and God, have they been good so far.
When I pull away, my hand lingers on his chest, holding him there so I won’t be tempted. “If I stay any longer, I’ll never leave.”
“That’s the point,” he teases, his lips curving into a wicked grin.
I try to smile, but the aching emptiness makes it hard to know if I succeed. “Text me when you get home?”
“Only if you promise not to ghost me for three days again.”
“That was one time,” I groan, rolling my eyes as the mood lifts instantly. Gio’s good at that—making me feel better.
“Still traumatized,” he teases.
“I’ll make it up to you,” I promise, rising onto my tiptoes to press one last kiss against the corner of his mouth. Then I step back out of his reach and turn before he can stop me.
I make it to the curb and raise an arm to flag a cab, a smile spreading across my face as I wait for Gio to catch up so he can steal one last kiss.
Instead, his distant shout raises the hair on the back of my neck, and the sound of screeching tires makes me whirl as my heart jumps into my throat.
I don’t know if his cry was in fear or pain—or even if it was for me or him.
But as cold fear settles into my belly, he’s the one I seek out for reassurance.
The world is thrown into chaos at the staccato sounds and sharp movements around me as I turn.
For one fleeting moment, I catch the look of horror on Gio’s face.
Then strong hands grip me from behind, fingers digging into my flesh with bruising force.
An arm like an iron bar wraps around my waist, hauling me back.
I scream, panic rising inside me before a gloved hand clamps down over her mouth, muffling the noise.
Kicking, I fight violently to break free.
But whoever has me isn’t letting go.
And with little effort, he lifts me bodily from the ground, dragging me back into the dark bowels of a van, the door rolling closed with a jarring clang behind him.
I struggle, lashing out with all that I have as more hands join my kidnapper’s.
They’re harsh and forceful, uncaring of the pain that lances through my wrist and elbow as they crank my hands behind my back.
Then someone gives a deep, breathless laugh as he folds me forward, bringing me to my knees as he shoves my face against the cold rubber floor.
“Whew, she’s a feisty one, isn’t she?”
“She’s going to be fun to play with,” another man responds.
“Get off me!” I scream, panic rising in my throat as I squirm beneath the man’s bone-crushing hold. But I can feel the road bumping beneath us.
We’re already moving—and now they have me restrained and isolated.
“I don’t think so, sweetheart. You see, Don Augusta sent us to teach his son a lesson, and seeing as you’re his little plaything Daddy doesn’t want causing any more distractions, that means we’re just getting started with you.”
I cry out in pain as the pressure increases on my wrists and neck, then a shiver crawls down my spine as hot breath washes across my earlobe.
“Maybe we should start by breaking in your pretty little holes. What do you say?” he murmurs. “See just how much cock you can take.”
Another dark chuckle from somewhere to my right, but I can’t see who it belongs to with my head wrenched to the side. “I doubt he’ll want her after we’re done with her, eh, Dino?”
“No names, dipshit. What did I tell you?” the man holding me snarls, straightening and giving me a moment’s relief.
I don’t waste the opportunity.
Jerking upright, I bring my head back until I feel the satisfying crunch of a nose breaking.
Italian spews from my captor’s mouth, and I have no doubt he’s cussing as he drops my wrist to cover his nose.
But when I turn around, I can’t see his face. He’s wearing a black ski mask—all the blood saturating the fabric as he howls.
Then, like a bolt from the blue, blinding pain explodes across my temple—
And I jolt awake, sucking in a breath like I’m surfacing after far too long underwater.
My heart races, and as the world around me comes into sharp relief, I swallow back my dinner that threatens to reappear.