Page 70 of Undeniable

Gio never came into my room to drop him off or to pick him up. Alessandro would eventually just get up and leave. I didn’t ask where his dad was because I already knew. He had to have been close. If I were to guess I would say he hovered outside of my room for each visit. Close enough to be there if one of us needed, but far enough away to give me space.

Since I got out of the hospital, I unfortunately haven’t seen Alessandro or Giovanni. I tell myself the latter is for the best, but I am not so sure. It isn’t like he isn’t around though. I can feel myself being watched almost everywhere I go. But where that used to absolutely terrify me and send me fleeing across the country, it now provides me a sense of comfort. Maybe because when I look hard enough, I catch a glimpse of a shadow fading into the background or a suspiciously darkened SUV parked just to the side.

Once I was healed, I started working for Becca full time. She has been thriving with her company’s big break and I have been more than happy to help support her. This isn’t my dream job by any means but for now I am enjoying the fact that I can walk outside of my apartment and get a cup of coffee without looking over my shoulder 13 times.

Life has been pretty great for the last couple of months, more than I ever thought I could have. Now I have a steady job, an apartment and I even have a standing girl’s night with Becca and a few friends of my own as well every Friday night. It is like I have everything that I have always wanted, and yet…something is still missing.

Lately I have been having these dreams. Dreams where Gio shows up on my doorstep and begs me to talk to him, begs me to give him another chance, then stupidly I do and we celebrate with wild hot sex. While that is great in fantasy, I don’t see it being a reality.

It only took me a few weeks, and a very expensive therapist, to work through a majority of my issues when it came to Giovanni Cordova. I have full clarity and acceptance that neither one of us were ready for the level our relationship quickly escalated to. We are both damaged and broken and in the grand scheme of things, everything worked out for the best. That is what my therapist has tried to get me to accept, I still haven’t fully bought in to that portion though.

I am currently lounging in my scrubbiest clothes, eating Ben & Jerrys out of the tub while I watch trash TV like any normal single woman does on a Thursday night when a knock at my door sounds. My brows furrow as I set my ice cream down on the coffee table and make my way over to the door. Only a select few of my friends and Alec know where I live, so it is probably one of them.

Opening the door quickly I smile at my visitor. But once I recognize who it is, my smile slips as I stand there stunned into silence.

“Hello Tasha,” Gio rumbles with an easy smile.

“Hi,” I rasp softly as I take him in.

He looks good, as usual, polished in his crisp suit, his scruff maintained and hair perfectly in place. I can’t help but look down at myself and cringe. Yeah, not my best look, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

Gio lifts his hand from his side and holds up a single sunflower for me, my absolute favorite. I smile softly before I reach out and take it.

“Thank you.”

“You are welcome.”

We stand there awkwardly for a few moments before he speaks again.

“May I come in?”

I pause for a second, wondering if this is a good idea. But I quickly banish all of the negative thoughts and step to the side to let him inside.

He dips his head in appreciation and casually strides through the doorway, never taking his eyes off of me for a moment. I slowly close the door behind him and take my time turning around to face him. Not to my surprise I find him leaning against the kitchen island, watching me carefully. Almost like he is afraid if he makes any sudden movements, he will spook me.

“What are you doing here?” I finally ask as I twirl the sunflower in between my fingers.

“I like your apartment. It is in a good neighborhood and nicely updated.”

I blink for a moment as I consider his words. Is he seriously not going to acknowledge my question?

“Yeah. They didn’t have any availabilities at first but then this unit became available last minute.”

His mouth twitches in the corners for a moment before he continues maintaining his soft smirk.

“Well, that is sure lucky.”

My eyes narrow slightly as suspicion rises that maybe me getting this apartment wasn’t as pure dumb luck as I was originally assuming. I am getting off the subject though.

“Gio. Why are you here?”

All sense of humor fades from his face as he stands up straight and looks towards me intensely.

“You know why,” he rumbles lowly.

My heart kicks up in my chest and my stomach dips as I continue to look into his eyes.

“I am not sure what you want from me,” I say looking down to the ground, hoping that if I don’t have his piercing eyes slicing through me, that I can attempt to keep him at arms length.

---