Page 38 of Dangerous Games of Trust

“She wasn’t one of us. She wasn’t strong enough to handle the world she was forced into. I thought by marrying her I would save her. I thought my love for her would be enough. But it’s never enough in this life. This life will destroy your soul.” His haunted eyes meet mine, and I know he thinks that’s what has happened to him. “Only those strong enough will survive, and even then, they will be an empty shell of the humans they once were.” I blink back at him, not sure what to say. I believe him.I know this world is slowly destroying me; every day I feel it change me more.

I see the mask he normally wears has slipped, and the pain he hides so well is now on show for me. “Don’t you get it, Harley? There is no escaping this hell. You are stuck here just as much as I am. Bianca was a sweet girl who was sold into a world she didn’t understand. I tried to save her, but too much damage had been done already. And I was too fucking selfish to notice the depths of the pain she was in, from all the damage that had been done. I was too busy trying to impress my pathetic pa and help him run his fucking empire to see what was happening to my girl right in front of me. And by the time I worked out how bad she really was, it was too late. She was gone. I’m not losing you as well.”

I see his heartbreak and feel every bit of it, every one of his words laced with tremendous pain. I know what it’s like to lose someone you care about. I learned that lesson way too early in my life when I lost my beautiful mother. With a heavy sigh, I take his hand in mine, needing to comfort him, his pain subduing my anger toward him.

He stares up at me like he’s about to break. We stay like this for quite some time, neither of us ready to break the moment. I can’t take away this pain. He lost the woman he loved, and I know he will have to live with that agony every day of his life. It explains so much about him and finally helps me see him differently. He’s broken, just as much as I am. Moving through this life just trying to survive the pain.

“Why is Alessandro so angry at you about what happened to her? Was she seeing him as well?” I ask, knowing it’s probably more than he wants to admit, but I can’t stand not knowing. They hate each other with so much passion, I can only imagine they both loved her. Right now, Geovani’s worst nightmare is coming true because it’s all happening over again with me, andthat’s why he’s so reluctant for me to spend any time with the boys.

He pulls me down onto his lap. His hand laces into my hair and he nuzzles me in close, just breathing me in for a bit. I hug him back, needing to feel close to him just as badly. “She was his friend. We all used to be close. Until she died, and he blamed me. He was right too; it was my fault. I’m just like my pa.” I’m so close to him I feel the silent sob wrack through his body at the realization.

“I fucking hope not, Geo.”

“I don’t want to be anything like him. The way he treated my ma was fucking disgusting. She had to grow up with Enzo for a brother and a papa who was just as brutal and cruel, then she was forced to marry Carlo to join our two families. She was controlled her entire life and eventually couldn’t bear to stay in this world anymore, not even to save me and Elisa.”

My heart aches for him, my beautiful broken man. Is he saying his mother took her own life as well? I knew she died when he was young but had no idea how. “Geovani…”

“No, I need to tell you everything. You need to understand why I’m so fucking messed up. I got Elisa out of here as soon as I knew she was at risk, and I watch over you like a fucking psycho, because every woman I love takes her own life to escape me.”

My hand moves to his face, cupping his jaw tenderly. “Geo.” I’m so sad for him. “I wasn’t there, so I don’t know what really happened with Bianca or your ma, but it doesn’t sound to me like this was all on you. You can’t spend your life blaming yourself or wondering what-ifs, you just can’t.” He stares into my eyes, looking at me like I have all the answers to save his tortured soul. And I wish I did. “You can’t wrap me in cotton batting, watching every move I make trying to protect me, scared I might do the same. I’m not them. But if you don’t loosen the hold you have on me, you will lose me for good because I’ll take off. I can’tbe caged up; it’s making me crazy. I need space and for you to trust me to make smart choices to take care of myself.”

He rolls his lips, nibbling on his bottom lip as he watches me. I’ve never seen him so vulnerable before. Without giving it another thought, I press my lips to his, doing the only thing I know how to ease his pain.

Chapter 19

Eventually he pulls backfrom our kiss, staring into my eyes with a haunted expression on his rugged features. “I won’t lose you as well, Red.”

I sigh heavily, swinging my legs over his lap so I’m straddling him, the fitted skirt of my dress hitching all the way up so my panties are exposed. Running my hands up his arms softly, I lace them behind his neck, holding on to him. “I’m not making empty promises, we both know that’s not what this relationship is. But I can assure you, you won’t lose me. There is something here, and I want to stick around and work out what it is. But you have to ease up on the crazy a little. I don’t want to feel like a caged animal.”

His hands travel down to my hips, and he pulls me closer, the warmth of his body creating an inferno between us. How can I be so angry with this man one minute but want him like crazy the next? Him opening up to me helps. Finally gaining insight into his personality, that helps to complete the puzzle of who he is. His head dips to my neck and he places a line of kisses all theway to my earlobe, where he sinks his teeth into the soft flesh, nipping me. I let out a breathy moan, my body begging him for more. He likes to inflict pain, that much is obvious, and for whatever fucked up reason, it turns me the fuck on.

“Why can’t you just let me take care of you?”

My brow raises as I place a hand on his chest, distancing us as I stare him down. He’s like a dog with a fucking bone. “There are many ways you can take care of me. Stalking my every move and demanding I don’t see the Moretti brothers isn’t going to work for me.” My words are bitchy as can be, but what did he expect? What he has been doing since I got here is more than taking care of me. It’s obsessive and a little fucked up if I’m completely honest.

He adjusts his legs, moving so he’s more relaxed, leaning back in his chair, and his hands slip from my waist to my ass. He cups my ass cheeks roughly, sending a wave of arousal through me. Every move this man makes is deliberate. He knows how my body reacts to him, and right now, he’s using it to his advantage. “What did you have in mind then, Red?”

Inhaling sharply, I think on his question. This is a dangerous game I’m playing with him.What do I have in mind?I want him like crazy, God knows it’s true. But this push and pull between us is messing with my head. And I know fucking him right now isn’t going to fix the long list of problems arising by the day.

Once again, he comes closer, his lips barely grazing mine, teasing me just enough to pull me out of my spiraling thoughts and back into the present moment with him. Being this close to him is risky. I push up onto my feet, knowing I need to get some space. But before I can move away, he takes hold of my wrists, pulling me back onto his lap, his rock-hard erection pressing into me, sending a jolt of energy buzzing to my lady parts. Fuck.

“How can I take care of you?” he says more flirtatiously, his green eyes gleaming with desire. He has me trapped on his lap.The truth is, if I wanted to, I know I could tell him to fuck off and he would let me go. But he likes to play these games with me, it turns him on.

Like the needy little thing I am for him, I rock my hips over his lap, dragging my pussy over his erection, teasing him just as much as he is me. “I like it when we work out together and that you’re helping to make me stronger so I can protect myself.”

He watches me, his eyes growing darker and more intense by the second.

“I also like that you’ve given me a job, especially one where I can use my skills.” I know what he’s getting at, but I want to mess with him a little bit. It’s more fun this way. Can’t go giving him all the control, even though the thought of him dominating my body right now is enough to ignite a dangerous flutter inside of me. With my pussy rubbing against his crotch, I’m dripping wet and begging for him to fill me up.

“Ahem. But what can I do to take care of you right now?” The warmth of his gaze settles over my body, eating up every inch of me.

I bat my lashes, trying to be seductively cute. “You’re asking me what I want? I thought you liked to take charge and demand I take whatever you have for me. Normally it’s your cock.” I gently run my tongue along my lips, savoring the sensation and the look in his eyes as he’s imagining my lips on him. I have the sudden urge to get down on my knees and taste him.

His lips turn up at the sides in amusement. “Is that how you want me to take care of you? You want me to satisfy your greedy little body. Fill your mouth and your pussy, take what I want from you. While you be a good little girl for me, and do as I say while I make you cum? I fucking knew you were perfect for me.”

I shrug. I mean, I kind of like it when he gets all bossy when we’re fucking around, it’s hot. And right now, it would be a playful distraction from the terrible reality we both face.

“Tell me what you want, Red,” he says with more force, getting frustrated with me. He needs to hear me say it.

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