Page 22 of Mob Princess

“You don’t mean that.”

My eyes finally met his as I choked back the tears. “Look me in my eyes and tell me that again.”

He stared at me for a long time. When he puffed out his cheeks with a sigh, I knew he finally got it. “You’ll die alone if you leave, Bonnie. At least here, if something happens, you’re not alone when it happens. If it happens. Which it won’t, because no one will ever defile my home with such a sin.”

Did he really think so highly of himself? “You really underestimate me that much, don’t you?”

When he didn’t answer, I turned my back on him again. “I’m not dying until my uncle sees that hell first. And I’m not leaving you until I bring my uncle down. Not for your benefit, at least. Whatever beef you have with Pava is yours to settle on your own. But that man killed my family. My father and my mother. He took innocent lives and ripped me from the only two people in this world who ever set out to make me happy with no strings attached. And I intend to make sure he pays for that.”

“Trust me, I intend to do the same thing.”

Yeah, right. “But once he’s gone for good, I’m not sure I can stay here.”

He rolled his eyes. “You’ve only been here because it’s convenient for you.”

I spun around on him. “Don’t do that.”

“Hey, I’m just listening to what you’re saying. You said earlier that you're here to woo me. To show me you care. And then, in a split second, you tell me you’re only staying because our missions align. So, which is it?”

Both, but only because I’m forcing it. “I don’t know. I suppose that depends on whether or not you’re capable of loving me the way I love you.”

In all honesty, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever uttered those words to Israel. Everything about our union seemed so blurred. Days melded into weeks in the blink of an eye, and sometimes I’d forget conversations I had with him even yesterday. But as I turned around and looked up into his shocked face, I knew I’d never forget this moment.

I knew I’d never forget the first time I willfully admitted to loving Israel to his face.

His eyes widened. “You—you just said—”

I shook my head. “I know what I said. I’m not stupid like you seem to think. So, I’ll leave it at this. Your brother is going to force me to turn my back on you in any manner he can. It’ll torture me, but I’ll deal with it so you can have your ‘brother time.’ But once this is all said and done, and once this is all wrapped up, understand one thing, Israel.”

His head fell off to the side, but he said nothing as I drew closer.

“Whether or not I stay will depend solely on you.”

He raked his hand through his hair. “If it makes you feel any better—”

“Don’t try to make me feel—”

“—I’ve never trusted my brother.”

His words stopped me in my tracks. It stopped my brain from spinning and my heart from spiraling. Had I just heard him correctly? Did he just admit to not trusting his brother? It didn’t make any sense, though. I didn’t understand. He just watched his brother force himself onto her and he’d taken his side. So, what the hell was this?

My hands fell limp at my sides. “I don’t understand. Help me understand.”

He sighed. “Yeah. I’ve never trusted Giovanni. Not as far as I could throw him. So, to have two people under my own roof that have shown me many reasons why they both can and can’t be trusted is throwing me for a loop.”

“I’m so sorry, Israel.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“No, not for what you just said.”

He furrowed his brow. “Then, why are you apologizing?”

I swallowed hard. “I’m sorry I never got the chance to know you before this all happened. Because I think we could have been really happy if the circumstances had been different.”

He smirked. “Already giving up on me, Bonnie?”

I shrugged and took a step back. “I don’t know. It seems like you’ve already given up on me if you can lump me into the same group as your brother.”

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