“That isn’t exactly what I’m trying to do. I want you to be safe, that’s all.” Shaking my head, I won’t allow him to do this. This is my plan. My past. I walk toward him slowly, each step with a purpose.
“You will not take this away from me. I have looked for years for this man. I didn’t ask you to protect me, Enzo. I don’t need your protection.”
“What about when you freeze, Tessa? What then?” He cocks his head to the side and studies me.
“I won’t let it happen again,” I seethe.
“You can’t control it. You will freeze and he will kill you. What then, Tessa? What was the point if you’re dead?” Damn him! Why is he doing this to me? Anger seeps through my veins and the more I look at him the more I want to take it out on him.
“I was beaten. I was raped. I was branded!” I scream in his face. He doesn’t move, just watches and listens. “I have fought every day of my life to find myself again and I’ve failed. I need this.” Something flickers in his eyes before they soften slightly. He reaches for me, resting his hands on my shoulders.
“And I will make him pay for all of that. I just can’t let you be there.”
“Fuck you!” I shove his arms away from me and take a step back. “You won’t take this from me. Why would you even want to?”
“You can’t be there. End of story!” Enzo turns to walk away and I lose it. I rush him, pounding my fists into his back. He spins around quickly, grabbing me in his arms and slamming me against the wall. The pain shoots through my body but I welcome it. His eyes are wild as he looks at me.
“Give me one good reason why I can’t be there?” I demand. Enzo closes his eyes, a strained look on his face. When he finally opens his eyes and blows out a breath, he says the words that will forever haunt me.
“I can’t lose you, Tessa.” The gasp that escapes me doesn’t go unnoticed but he lets go of me nevertheless and steps back. Running his hand through his hair, I let his words sink in.
“This makes no sense. You barely know me!”
“I don’t give a damn what you think I know about you, Tessa! Don’t you see that? I’m not letting you go! I’m not losing you.” Fuck this. Fuck him. I don’t need a babysitter. I don’t need him! Spinning on my heel, I take off down the hallway and hit the steps running. As soon as I’m out the front door I hear his voice.
“Tessa!”
“You might wanna rethink that.” I stop running and look over at where Stitch stands by the front gate.
“He isn’t holding me hostage,” I tell him.
“I don’t think that’s what this is. He’s tryin’ to protect you.”
“I don’t need his protection.”
“Maybe not but he still needs to feel like he has some control over this shit,” he adds.
“What shit?”
“His feelin’s. Men aren’t wired like you women are. Especially men like us. We’re fucked up. We don’t know what to do with love when we feel it. Our instincts kick in and we just go with it,” Stitch says while lighting up a cigarette.
“That doesn’t change the facts. He isn’t taking this away from me. I won’t let him.”
“Talk to him.”
“I tried.”
“No, you didn’t. You fought him,” he adds with a chuckle. There are so many things running through my head right now that I can’t keep straight. I want my mom. I want Ania. I want Tino. I want things to change yet stay the same. It’s too much.
“I only know how to fight,” I whisper into the air.
“It’s time to change that.” Nodding my head slowly, I turn and walk back toward the house. Enzo stands on the porch, his arms crossed over his chest.
“This habit is getting old.” I nod my head before sitting on the steps.
“I need to be there, Enzo. You have to understand that I will never be able to move past this if I’m not.” I hear him blow out a breath before moving to sit next to me.
“I understand but you also need to realize that over the time you’ve been I’ve formed some sort of feelings for you that I can’t explain. I don’t want to see you hurt, Tessa.” God, he knows how to weasel his way into my heart.
“He’s close,” I whisper.
“How do you know?”
“I can feel it. That stupid letter branded into my flesh itches,” I say shaking my head, “I just want it gone.”
“I can do that,” Switch says walking closer.
“You can?”
“I know how to run tatts. You want that shit covered, I got you.” My heart speeds up but I have no clue what I could even put over it.
“I’ll choose,” Enzo chimes in.
“Fine but if it’s something stupid I will kick your ass.” Enzo smiles as Switch holds his hand out to me. I reach out and grab it, letting him pull me up as Enzo moves to do the same.
“You’re starting to grow on me, Switch,” I tell him with a smile.
“Don’t get used to it.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Enzo
Switch gave her a rose. Not just any rose. A black rose. It’s beautiful. So damn lifelike. I’ve watched her, looking at it every chance she gets. Then I watch the smile as it slowly pulls the corner of her lips. She’s perfect. She’s everything that I could have ever wanted but I’m afraid of losing her. There’s something else about her that I’m not quite sure of just yet.
“Enzo, the lab results are back,” Preacher says strolling into my office with a folder in his hand.
“Just what I wanted today,” I grumble and grab the Vodka and take a long pull. I take the folder from Preacher and flip it open. As I read the words on the page, my stomach drops. This isn’t what I was expecting yet at the same time it was.
“Where’s Valentino now?” I ask looking up at Preacher.
“Packing a bag. You said he could go with me and Gaia.”
“Change of plans. He isn’t going anywhere. I need you to go get him and Gaia and come back in here.”
“This bad news?” He asks.
“I’m not entirely sure,” I admit.
“What about Tessa? You want her too?” I think about that question for a second. Should I involve her in this? She is attached to him and I suppose it would be good for her to know what’s about to happen.
“Yes. Her too.” Preacher nods and leaves the room as Hugo walks in.
“Everything okay?”
“No,” I say looking up at him. He looks confused when I motion for him to sit. He walks over and sits in the chair in front of my desk watching me for more information.
“What’s happening?”
“Things are going to get bad, Hugo. Very bad.”
“Is this about Rozano?” shaking my head, I wish it was. This…this is far worse as far as this family is concerned.
“Valentino is a Ricci. He’s my brother.”
“What?” Tessa’s words ring loudly through the room. I nod my head at Hugo letting him know that he needs to go now. He stands quickly and heads for the door as Tessa heads for me. “What the hell do you mean he’s your brother?”