Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
“You love him?”
I could only nod.
“Do you know he has an apartment here for you? All ready for when you want it? And he wants to invest in a bakery for you. He told my dad anything you need or want, you get.” She met my eyes. “That doesn’t sound like someone who doesn’t care.”
I leaned my head back, refusing to let her words sink in. “He feels guilty.”
She shook her head. “Uncle Dante doesn’t feel guilty. I used to think he didn’t care about anything, but I was wrong. I think he cared—much more than he let on. I think he still does.” She paused. “He’s in trouble.”
I snapped up my head. “What?”
She leaned forward. “The man who hit you? He’s dead.”
I gaped. “What?”
“He was found beaten to death. Uncle Dante was arrested under suspicion of murder.”
I shook my head. “No. He wouldn’t do that.”
“Several witnesses saw him beat him. Heard him threaten him.”
“He was angry. But he would never kill someone. Not on purpose.”
My heart was racing. He wouldn’t, would he? Was Dante capable of killing someone? Had Winters provoked him again? Then I mentally shook my head. No. Dante would never. He had too much self-control. They were wrong.
“Where is he?”
“Dad said he was in jail for a few days. They dragged their feet letting him out. But he’s in Naples under house arrest. He is considered a flight risk since he has dual citizenship. His passports have been seized. His lawyers are working on proving him innocent.”
My bagel was forgotten. “Oh God, Carolina. This can’t be happening. He wouldn’t do that. He isn’t capable.” I got off the bed. “I have to talk to your dad. I have to do something.”
“What can you do?”
“Call them, tell them they’re wrong.”
She laughed, not unkindly. “They won’t accept his lover as a character reference.”
I felt my cheeks darken at her words.
“We were more than that.”
“So, you still love him.”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s go see my dad.”
Paolo offered me a kind smile. “There is nothing you can do, Brianna. He has lawyers and investigators working on it.”
“I could help. Please. Call him.”
He shook his head. “He won’t allow me to come, so he certainly won’t allow you.” He looked at Carolina. “I told you what was happening in confidence. You shouldn’t have told her.”
She tossed her hair, unrepentant. “She loves him, Dad. I think he loves her. She should be there for him.”
For a moment, Paolo was quiet. “My brother kidnapped you, Brianna,” he began.
“That doesn’t matter anymore. He—”
Paolo cut me off. “Let me finish. Dante is level-headed, responsible. For him to do something so unpredictable shocked me. But I saw a change in him while you were there. You made him laugh. He smiled and joked with me when we spoke. He changed when he talked about you. I believe he truly did care.”
I felt my chest tighten.
“But?”
“My brother has always insisted he was built for speed, not longevity. None of his relationships lasted. I had thought you might be the one to change him. Despite how you started, he seemed happier.”
“He was. We were,” I insisted.
“I asked him last night. Directly. I offered to bring you back now that Winters was dead and couldn’t hurt you. I suspected that was why he sent you away.”
I nodded eagerly. The more I thought about it, the more that made sense. I knew Dante had feelings for me. I knew it as surely as I knew I needed to breathe to live.
“He said no. Without hesitation. That his equilibrium had returned, and he realized he’d been acting foolishly.” He met my eyes, his filled with pity. “I’m sorry, but he said it was over. He felt badly for disrupting your life and instructed me to give you whatever you wanted. Purchase a bakery for you. Move you in to whatever condo you wanted. But you are to move forward, the way he plans to once this is over.”
I stared at him, his words sinking in.
“He was very blunt, Brianna. I know my brother and when he is telling the truth.” He gentled his voice. “You need to do as he plans to. Think of it as a nice distraction for a while and get on with your life. He has left you in a better place than he found you.”
Anger tore through me. “Why? Because now I can live in a nicer apartment? Open a bakery because I was paid like a whore for my time? I was better off in my dingy apartment with my low-paying, nasty boss. At least that was honest. You can tell your brother he can stick his condo and his money up his butt. And he can—” I sucked in a deep breath. “Feck off.”
I stormed out of Paolo’s office and headed up to my room, Carolina hot on my heels.