Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“Don’t start,” Dad mutters.
Mom’s tone is sharper than usual as she replies, “You might be okay with our son pretending he doesn’t love Rosie and making them both unhappy, but I’m not.”
I throw another dart, knocking the first one loose.
“Leave him be, amore mia. Enzo will make his move when he’s ready,” Dad says, always jumping in to protect me.
Besides Rosie, he’s the only one who knows why I’ve sworn celibacy and refuse to interact with women unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Dad also understands the constant pressure in my head and how difficult it is for me to control my emotions. I’m my father’s son because it’s the same for him. Christiano doesn’t have it as bad and tends to recover quicker.
Dad knew Mom was the right woman for him because she’s able to help him decompress. Christiano took one look at Sienna and knew she was the one. He continued to pursue her for over a decade, and now they’re happily married.
Even though Rosie is able to calm me down and I always end up going to her when I need to decompress, I won’t risk what we have for anything in the world.
What if I let myself want more, only to discover I’m not built for the kind of relationship she deserves?
A breakup would be painful, but that’s not what scares me. Losing her does.
I’m fucking terrified of it. It’s easily my biggest fear.
Right now, she’s the one person I know will always be in my life. After I found out I tortured Yuki, who’s now married to Augusto, Rosie became the one I trust with every ugly part of myself.
If I cross the line from friends to lovers and it doesn’t work, I lose all of it. Or worse. I could hurt her.
The thought of being the reason there’s pain in Rosie’s eyes is enough to make my chest tighten. I’d rather spend the rest of my life wondering what could’ve been than risk becoming the man who breaks her heart.
Some things are too valuable to gamble with, and Rosie is one of them.
“Enzo?” Dad suddenly says beside me, drawing me out of my thoughts.
My head jerks in his direction, and seeing the tumbler of whiskey, I take it.
“You okay?” he asks, his sharp gaze boring into mine.
I take a sip before answering, “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“I just want to see you happy, Enzo,” Mom says, her voice filled with worry. “Rosie too.”
“It would make me very happy if you dropped it, Mamma. Rosie is free to do whatever she wants, and I’m at peace with the fact that we will only ever be friends.” Setting the drink down, I give Dad’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “I’m fine. I promise. There’s no reason for the two of you to worry about me.”
Dad changes the subject by asking, “When are you going to trade in the Mustang?”
I give him an offended look. “Never. Don’t ever say that about my baby again.”
While my parents chuckle, my phone buzzes.
I pull it out of my pocket, and seeing a notification from Alessio, Rosie’s head guard, I quickly open it.
Alessio: Going shopping for groceries. Heading out in ten minutes.
“I have to go,” I say while typing out a quick reply.
Enzo: Wait for me.
“Why? You just got here,” Mom complains.
“Rosie is going out.” I walk to the door, then throw over my shoulder, “Love you both.”
“Be safe,” Dad calls out, while Mom says, “Love you most.”
Leaving the house, I jog to my Mustang. When I get in and start the engine, another message pops up.
DON’T NEED BABYSITTER.
“I don’t care,” I mutter as I reverse.
During the fifteen-minute drive, I worry about Rosie’s safety for the millionth time.
Augusto gave one of his most trusted men, Raffaele, to Rosie so she’d have an underboss who does all the dangerous work on her behalf. It happened right after the fucked up shit with the Yakuza.
Not long after that, Christiano also increased her guards to fifteen men but it still doesn’t feel like she has enough protection.
Rosie will shit herself if we add more, so for my peace of mind, I try to escort her as much as possible whenever she goes out.
Pulling up to the fortress, Rosie’s standing with her arms crossed and tapping her foot. She’s wearing baggy jeans and a purple T-shirt with the words Girls Rule across her breasts in big white letters. Her hair is up in pigtails.
Fucking cute.
I stop beside her and let down the passenger window. “Get in.”
“You’re impossible, you know? I have all the guards, plus Raffaele just got here.” I level her with a look that says it’s not negotiable, and letting out an annoyed sigh, she yanks the door open and slumps down into the bucket seat. “Nothing will happen on a short shopping trip.”
“Nothing will happen now that I’m with you,” I mutter.