Page 63 of Isabella

I let out a low chuckle, stifling it as much as I can. I would feel bad for making a scene at Liana’s place of work, but there’s not much I wouldn’t do to speak to Isabella. Scratch that, there’snothingI wouldn’t do to speak to her.

Liana shakes her head, and a small smile breaks out on her face, and it feels damn good knowing she’s on my side when it comes to her cousin.

She glances down at her phone and reads something before bringing her attention back up to mine. “You know, I could never shake the feeling that you weren’t honest with Izzy back then, but you should’ve talked to her. You should’ve told her the truth.”

I’m about to interject, defending the actions I took, but Liana holds her hand up, stopping me. “But I’m still on your side because I know you did it for therightreason—to save her life—and for that, I can’t be upset with you.”

I let out a breath, relieved there’s one less person I have to defend myself to.

“But just know this, Niccolò Silvestri. You hurt her again, and you’ll have me to deal with, and Iwillend you. You got it?”

I can’t lie and say the threat coming from this five-foot-eight, one-hundred-and-thirty pound girl makes me want to chuckle, but Liana’s tone comes across unwavering, and I know when it comes down to it, I don’t want to be on her bad side. I like Liana, and I never plan on hurting Isabella ever again.

I hold my hands up to her in the universal sign of defeat and say, “I got it, Liana. I can’t promise you that me and Isabella will never get into arguments, but I can assure you, I will never hurt her the way I did three years ago. No matter what happens between she and I, at the end of the day, I will always love her and treat her the way she deserves to be treated—like the greatest damn treasure in life.”

“Damn, Nicco. You really are good with your words.”

A low chuckle reverberates in my chest. “You liked that?”

Liana laughs and shakes her head while walking toward her office door. “Izzy texted me that she’s here, so she should be?—”

The door swings open, revealing a wide-eyed Isabella on the other side, and it feels like the oxygen has been pulled from the room, and I’m left awaiting the fate of me and the love of my life.

38

ISABELLA

“Isabella,” Nicco says, and he moves toward me but stops when he notices me doing the same. There’s a hesitation in his steps as if he’s trying to gauge where my head is at. With all this back and forth we’ve been doing, I can’t say I blame his doubt.

“Okay, well, I’m going to leave you both to it,” Liana says. “I’m going to lock myself in the fabric room so Gianni and Tito think I’m back here with you doing fashion stuff. Just text me whenever you guys are done, but don’t rush.” She’s about to shut the door, closing Nicco and me in, but before she does, she throws in one last thing over her shoulder. “Don’t forget what I said, Nicco.”

I slide my gaze back to Nicco, who’s looking at me like I’m the only thing in the room—which I am—but he’s looking at me like there’s nothing else in this world. It’s how he used to always look at me, and now that I’m thinking about it with a clearer mindset, it’s how he’salwayslooked at me. Even when I was too busy being mad at him, he has always looked at me like no one else matters.

Gosh, how stupid have I been? Blinded by my stubbornness and wrapped up in my anger this entire time.

“Nicco, I?—”

He closes the distance between us in a few long strides and wraps his arms around me. My hands immediately find their home around his neck, and we embrace each other in a hug that feels like it’s been in the making for a lifetime.

“I’m so sorry, Isabella,” he mumbles into my hair. “I never wanted to hurt you, but it was the only way back then.”

I pull my head back from Nicco’s chest and stare into his eyes. “You don’t have to apologize anymore, Nicco. I know you did it to protect me, and while I might not wholeheartedly agree with it, I know you did it out of pure selflessness. I’m sorry I’ve been such a bitch to you about everything.” I drop my gaze at the disappointment I feel in myself for all the time we’ve wasted.

Nicco lifts my chin with his finger, and his piercing gaze nearly takes my breath away. “You never have to apologize. I deserved it all.”

“I don’t want to go into detail about everything again,” I whisper to him, suddenly feeling intoxicated by the heat of our lips being so close. “Just promise me one thing, Nicco.”

“Anything,” he whispers, surely feeling the same effect I’m feeling from him.

“Just please promise, moving forward, we’ll communicate with each other. No matter what it is. You won’t leave me in the dark about anything ever again.”

“I promise,” he says, and I can’t help but be a little surprised at how quick he was to agree. The widening of my eyes and the hitch in my breath must give me away because Nicco frowns down at me.

“This was the only secret I’ve ever kept from you, and it nearly killed me not being able to tell you when I wanted to. I willneverlet something come between us ever again. I’ve spent far too long away from you. There’s not a chance I’ll ever risk going back to that.”

Nicco glances down at my lips, and I run my tongue along the bottom one. He follows the movement, and before I know it, a set of warm, soft lips meet mine, consuming my entire being.

The heat from his lips radiates through me, and I rise up on my tiptoes to deepen the kiss, not able to get enough of him.

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