Page 34 of Family Secrets

Forty-five minuteslater Elizabeth stood in the center of a magazine-worthy living room, her eyes fixed on the sparkling lights of the Brooklyn Bridge in the distance.

“Impressive, huh?” Gino spoke in her ear, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

“Definitely,” she whispered back, afraid to break the beautiful moment between them. He’d held her hand on the ride over, rubbing his thumb across the back of her knuckles, creating a fire in her core.

“When it's light out, you can see the gym I own. I want you to come down and meet the boxer I’ve signed on, Kane Cavallo.”

Looking over her shoulder, “I love Kane Cavallo.”

Gino smiled down at her, soaking up the sweet smell of her breath, “I know, I saw you at the match.”

Reaching over, Gino tipped her chin with his index finger. “Your eyes never left the ring once the match started, I found myself envious of the bastard.”

“You shouldn’t,” Elizabeth breathed, her eyes shifting between Gino’s eyes and lips. “He has a girlfriend.”

Pulling back, Gino turned from the window, laying the keys to both the car and the apartment on the glass tabletop beside him. “He does, but I’m told their relationship is an open one. If I had to guess, Nikki is riding Brody King’s dick as we speak.”

Elizabeth didn’t want to know how Gino came into this information about a business partner. Instead, she remained silent, taking one final glance at the skyline before joining Gino in the center of the room. “You said you had something to show me. Is it here in your apartment?”

Gino raised his left hand, running his thumb over the edge of his bottom lip, his brown eyes meeting her blue ones. “Your apartment.”

“I’m sorry?” Elizabeth didn’t bother hiding her surprise.

Pointing at the suitcases against the wall. “I had Niko pack up your things from the hotel. My brother failed to follow through, not something I’ve ever been guilty of.”

“But this is…” Elizabeth stumbled for words.

“Too much? Too expensive? Too high up?” Gino prodded separating the distance between them. “Tell me a valid reason why you can’t live here, and I will move you to an apartment of your choosing. But if this is about money, or what one of those bitches in the office said, I don’t give a fuck.”

Unable to come up with an argument, her word to accept the rules pounding in her brain. “I’m sorry, you’re right. It’s beautiful and I’ll treat it with the utmost care.”

Gino could taste the victory in the air, he was so close to having her where he wanted her, he could feel it.Pulling his phone from his pocket, “Earlier you shared something with me that no one knew, I want to do the same.” Scrolling through his photos, Gino walked to Elizabeth’s side, handing the phone to her as he pressed the white arrow on the screen.

Elizabeth’s heart raced with anticipation as the video began to play, the picture of several teens dressed in gym clothes, wearing boxing gloves and headgear, stood paired off facing one another. Gino stood off to the side, demonstrating how to land a right hook to the group.

“These kids are amazing. They don’t care who I am, only that I spend a few hours a week boxing or playing ball with them.”

Watching the video till the end, Elizabeth handed the phone back to Gino. “Your secret is safe with me.”

Pocketing his phone, keeping his eyes trained on her face. “Am I safe with you?” Seizing the moment, Gino pulled Elizabeth close, sealing his lips to hers. He was not a kisser, but the feel of her breath mingling with his made him crave the closeness the act provided. “I was serious earlier. Let me show you my world and how much better you make it.”

Licking the taste of him from her lips, “I’m afraid our definitions of a relationship differ marginally.” Elizabeth admitted cautiously.

“I doubt that.”

Laughing, “I’m serious, Gino.”

“Giovanni,” he corrected.

Tipping her head in confusion, “But Lisa said...”

Spearing his fingers into the hair at the side of her face, “There are four people on the planet who are allowed to call me by my full name. I like the way it falls from your beautiful lips. So please, call me Giovanni.”

“I’m told you don’t do relationships.”

Placing a kiss to the edge of her lips, “You were also told I wasn’t nice. As I’ve shown you today, that isn’t true either.”

Elizabeth couldn’t argue, nearly everything she’d heard about Gino had been proven untrue. She could also argue Gino was more of a man of his word than Sully was.

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