Page 185 of Stalking Ginevra

By now, the sun has disappeared behind the trees, leaving only the barest traces of light. I force a laugh, the sound strangled and hollow. “Yeah, well, I had help.”

She tilts her head, her brow furrowing. “You don’t believe me?”

“It’s not that.” I swallow hard, trying to focus on the present. “If I’d known you’d return, I would have kept more of your things.”

Hurt flashes across her pretty features, making my heart twist. Before I can correct myself, she scrambles off my chest and gets to her feet. I sit up, watching the shadows play across her bare skin as she moves around the treehouse.

I reach for the switch and turn on the string lights so she can get a better view. Their soft glow illuminates her form, turning her into an enchanting silhouette.

“Fairy lights,” she says with a giddy laugh and trails her fingers along the bookshelves and wooden beams like she’s rediscovering something precious.

A lump forms in my throat. I lean forward, taking her in, committing her beautiful, naked body to memory. Because when she leaves, no force on earth will bring her back.

“It’s beautiful, Benito,” she says, her voice bright. “All of it.”

My breath catches as she twirls around, her laughter filling the space. She means every word, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I let myself hope. Ginevra stops at the window, gazing out at the darkening forest, then she turns back to me with a shy smile that melts the last of my defenses.

“Do you think when all this trouble at the casino is over, we could stay here?” She bites her lip, looking almost bashful. “Like a honeymoon?”

I blink, her words trickling through my skull. She wants to stay. She wants to be here—with me. It’s so simple, so pure thatit knocks the wind out of my lungs. All the doubt, fear, and panic vanish, replaced by something warm and undeniable.

Ginevra isn’t leaving. She’s choosing to stay with me.

My chest tightens, but this time, not from fear. It’s from the overwhelming realization that opening up to Ginevra, letting her see the real me, could never be a mistake. Perhaps this is what we’ve needed all along. This honesty and vulnerability has brought us closer than my machinations or control.

Rising from the chaise, I cross the space to where she stands. Her eyes meet mine, full of hope, and I cup her face between my palms.

“Anything for you,” I murmur, my voice thickening with gratitude. “If this is where you want to honeymoon, we’ll stay here as long as you want.”

Smile widening, she throws her arms around my neck, pulling me into a kiss that feels like coming home. I hold her close, my fears dissolving in the warmth of her presence.

She wants me, and that’s enough.

But she must never know what it took to get her here.

EIGHTY-FIVE

GINEVRA

When Benito’s phone won’t stop ringing, I break the kiss and tell him to answer in case it’s urgent. One of his men calls saying he’s traced the number of the woman who originally bought the counterfeit casino chips.

From what I overhear, Victor Bellavista’s accomplice used a complex call forwarding chain employing virtual numbers, Voice Over Internet Protocol services, and a network of proxy servers spanning multiple regions around the world.

I walk to his side and place an arm on his shoulder. “So, where is she?”

“Right under our nose,” he growls.

“Who is it?” I ask, my brows pinching.

“Our head of procurement’s son’s fiancée,” he says through clenched teeth. “She sat through our meeting like a little mouse, letting me threaten her future husband and mother in law. I allowed her to roam free, thinking she was an innocent caught up in their fraudulent bullshit.”

My shoulders sag. “Are they all working with Victor?”

Benito makes a see-sawing motion with his hand. “They’re working completely different scams. My men told me both mother and son were shocked at her involvement.”

“Are you leaving?” I ask.

His lips tighten. “I’ve delegated the questioning to my men.”

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