“You think the Lanzas will kill me?”
“Or me. The way Tino speaks about Enzio Lanza, how he deals with anything that touches the honor of his family… How Tino Bellomo himself deals with anything that touches the honor of his family… You don’t wanna piss him off.”
He touched my chin to make me look at him, at his smile. I shook my head. “What are you smiling for?”
“I’m smiling because you’re considering it.”
“Considering what?”
“Marrying me. The only thing that’s stopping you from saying yes is the families, nothing else.” He brushed my cheek with the back of his hand, the gesture reminding me a lot of Marciano’s touch in my dreams with Tino’s tattooed hand. A touch I loved so much from the wrong people and now I could receive from a good man. “I love you, Lina.”
My face warmed, and I remembered how much he loved to make me blush. I swallowed. I couldn’t say it back. I’d probably never be able to say it back. “It’s not only the families, Leo.”
His hand dropped, and his face darkened. “Don’t tell me you’re still attached to that Marciano asshole.”
It was complicated. Too complicated.
Marciano was the first man I had ever desired. After his death, I realized it was only an illusion, and everything that attracted me to him wasn’t real. He did save me from my father, but he wasn’t watching after me like I thought. He only killed my father so he’d have me for himself. It was sick and disgusting, and I regretted it with all my heart.
It wasn’t Marciano that confused me now, though. It was the man I’d never be able to understand or speak of my feelings for with Leo.
Tino. His father.
At first, I believed I was displacing my feelings to get over Marciano. All the dreams, too. Yes, he never stopped calling me his Angel in them, and that was enough proof none of it was real. Then that moment at Tino’s office happened.
That was real.
Not just on my side.
I’d be a fool to chase that feeling or pursue anything further because of it. It was a stolen, interrupted moment that would never be complete.
With Leo and Marciano, Tino had long forgotten it ever happened like he should. Like I should. I should have never wanted it. Not even in my dreams.
It was wrong and taboo and forbidden. Everything I’d felt in that moment must be locked in the darkest corner of my heart.
“It’s not Marciano. It’s Tino. I don’t know why you and your dad don’t get together very well, and it’s none of my business, but I’m in debt to him. I can’t be that ungrateful bitch.”
“Because of school?”
“Yeah, among other things. He took me in. He went through a lot of trouble to protect me.”
“Because of me.”
“I’m aware you’re the one who asked him to bring me here for protection in the beginning, but—”
“He never wanted to do it.”
“What?”
“He was never gonna do it until I traded my future for it. He only agreed when I promised to go through with my initiation and become his underboss soon.”
That fell on my head like a sledgehammer. Everything Tino and I had was never about me? That entire caring and overprotective act was to get his son to do his bidding?
Of course, why else? Who was I for the almighty Bellomo to take in or protect? He would gain absolutely nothing from taking care of an orphaned little girl and her sister. The daughters of a piece of shit, expendable employee he never bothered with.
He’d only do it to get his prodigal son to return. The sole heir to his kingdom.
Tino used me, like my father, like Marciano.
For how long would I remain that naive? For how long would I let people take advantage of me?
I stared at Leo through the tears. “Are you using me, too?”
“What? Of course not. What would I use you for?”
“To get back at your dad, for whatever beef you have with him.”
“No, amore,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I love you. You stole my heart with your little violin before I even saw you, and the second I laid my eyes on you, you ruined me for any other girl. What I feel for you has nothing to do with Dad or anything else. Ti amo tanto, Lina bella.”
His sweetness and sexy Italian numbed me for a minute. I was indeed a naive, inexperienced, traumatized girl that was desperate for love, and he was having his way with me. I shook my head, as if shaking the trance he was putting me in. Why would I believe him? Everything I’d believed before turned out to be a big fat lie.
“What more can I do to prove it to you?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I mean, you gave up your education, the future you’ve ever dreamed of. You even risked your life to save me from my stalker. And now you want to leave your wealthy, well connected fiancé to marry me. There’s nothing else to do.”
“I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I’d do anything to make you mine, Lina.”
When he said stuff like that, I could melt and surrender without a fight. He was so romantic and beautiful and hot. My mind pictured us growing older when he’d be even hotter. As hot as Tino.
Shoot. That was not cool on my side. Totally inappropriate.
“What about your father? He might not have helped me with Marciano for my sake, but he still gave me and my sister a home and an education when we were all alone and helpless. That alone is enough for me to respect his wishes. I owe him a lot.”
“Stop making excuses, Lina. If you want me as much as I want you, nothing is gonna stop us from being together. The Lanzas can’t hurt you as long as I’m alive. I’ll protect you like I protected you from Marciano. As for Tino, you don’t have to worry about him. No matter how much you owe him, he owes me more.”
“Is this about the Mob thing you had to become?”
“It’s called a made man, but no, not just that.”
This must have something to do with his mother. “Are you ever gonna tell me what happened? Your family tragedy I mean. It’s only fair that you tell me, now that you already know everything about me.”
He resumed our stroll, and I’d realized we’d been standing for so long. “We should sit. You’re still on the mend. We don’t want you to rip a stitch or pull a muscle.”
He gave me a small smile and pointed at the greenhouse. “Let’s sit there. A little birdie told me it’s your favorite place here.”
“Uh…maybe not.” The memory of that one frightening yet inappropriately sexy encounter with Tino got me hot and bothered every time.
He smirked. “Are you scared of me?”
“Not really. I don’t think you’ll try anything with your gunshot wound.”
He laughed. “That’s the only thing you think will stop me?”
“That and having Tino’s bodyguards on the lookout everywhere. Tino will kill us both if we’re busted.”
His hand touched his stomach as he laughed harder.
“Easy.” I helped him to the nearest bench and sat beside him. “Now, about your mother?”
The laughter died, and his eyes drifted to afternoon sun. “I was thirteen when I lost her. She…uh… She was so beautiful and kind and… She didn’t belong in our world.”