Page 99 of His Vicious Desire

“Look, I know you didn’t.This isn’t about who is right or wrong, I just want my wife happy again.Could you please be the one to make the first move?”“Yeah, I will.”He assures me.Studying me, he nods.“Whatever was going on, you two worked it out?”

I shrug.“Yeah, it was…” Exhaling a laugh, I admit.“I needed to get over it, but it wasn’t easy.She got pregnant on purpose, without telling me.”

Throwing back his head, he laughs.“You thought you knew what you were getting into, you had no idea.”

Fucker.“What pissed me off was how unrepentant she was about it.All she said was it was the only way to get you to accept us without me dead.”

A hand goes over his mouth as he battles his smile.“She’s not wrong.”

Damn it.I hope he doesn’t tell her that.She’ll love being able to remind me of it in the future.

“Right up until I met and fell for Carina, only her pregnant would have saved you.After I understood what the hell it’s all about, I’d like to think I wouldn’t have been so pissed.Although, honestly, I can’t say for sure.Be careful, she’s going to run rings around you.”

“It’s no more than she deserves.I was put on this earth to be whatever she wants or needs.”

“How long have you loved her?”

“Since that first night,” I admit.

Shaking his head.“If nothing else, I’m glad you’ll help me keep me a part of the promise I made my mother.You’ll protect her from our world and give her the life and love she deserves.”

When I get home, it’s to Bianca glowing from Sandro’s phone call.He’s invited her for lunch the next day.

Bianca

I’m in the library studying the journals again, one last time before I do what I should have done after the first time I read them—destroy them.Finally, the horror I felt when I read them has left me.It’s replaced by sorrow for the girl.And she was a girl.She never grew up in the years they were married.

The first journal was started before she married Gaetano.There were two more, one was written in the last few months of her life.Apparently, her mother kept them after she died, and they were in a box here in the closet of the room.Gaetano ignored the box all these years, yet he admitted there was no way I would have understood why he was worried about us without reading them.As a way of holding out hope, he never threw them away.

I cringe to see so much of what I thought of Gaetano mirrored in the beginning of the journal.He had every right to be worried.At eighteen, I had no idea what the hell love was.Getting involved in Gaetano after the week I spent with him would have been a complete disaster.It’s really annoying how right Gaetano was.

My phone ringing pulls me out of the sad thoughts in the journal.It’s Sandro, and my stomach twists in nerves as I answer.“Hello?”

“Hey, I have some time tomorrow.Are you free for lunch?”

“Yeah, sounds good.”I work to keep my voice even.

“I’ll have the dining room in the restaurant downstairs emptied in the back for us.”

“Okay, see you then.”

I’ve barely ended the call with him when my phone rings again, it’s Nico.I’m surprised how I’m almost as happy as when Sandro called.Nico started calling me after I admitted I lied to Gaetano, and he moved into the hotel.The first call was a short one, simply him checking in on me.And one that came after Dario dropped in for dinner, and he found out Gaetano was gone.

Gradually, the calls went longer, and he was teaching me to play chess over the phone.It was fascinating.He’s kicked my ass three games in a row, although he was proud of how close I came to winning the last time.

“Nico, Sandro called me.”I can’t contain my happiness.“He invited me for lunch tomorrow.”

“There you go, little sister.I told you that he would come around.”

“Maybe...”

“Ah,” he chuckles.“You’re wondering how low you must grovel to earn his forgiveness.”

It’s not fair how easily Gaetano and his brothers can read me.“Maybe.”

“Your brother loves you.The grovel will be there on both sides.However, it is a part of life.As long as your apology is sincere, he will accept it and move on.It’s a part of life, little sister.The sting of needing to face your error is enough to grow from the experience so that next time you will handle things differently.”

“You make it sound easy.”I sigh.Is it really?

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