Page 50 of Capone
I wanted nothing more than to hop on a plane and return to his home. In his home, I had found peace and solace. The way he nurtured my daughter was breathtaking. I wanted to ball up the emotions he stirred inside me and bask in them forever.
He came into my life like a knight in shining armor, ready to shield me from any and everything.
After one day, he had my mother completely smitten with him. She loved watching him dote on Gabi. It was foreign to see my baby so clingy to someone other than me. She never acted that way with Derek. Gabi wasn’t afraid of him or anything. She was just more reserved around Derek.
With Capone, she demanded his attention every second of the day and he would happily obliged. You could tell it wasn’tforced. He loved her like she was his own. If you tried telling him he was spoiling her, he would shrug his shoulders and say that it was his job.
I just didn’t understand how this man was still single. He was a damn unicorn. Men like Capone didn’t exist to me. No one could be this perfect, but every day he proved me wrong. He was patient with me. Anything we’d done, I never felt forced or pressured. It came naturally. Our connection was powerful. It was a drug, and I was hooked. I craved to be around him.
I was blissfully happy when I was around him. I just needed all this unnecessary drama with Whitney to cease. Capone had contacted the club lawyer, Michael, for help. He was more of a criminal attorney, but he gave us a recommendation for a family court lawyer.
When I searched her up online, I was thoroughly impressed. This woman was a shark in the courtroom. She was the best family law attorney in Washington. I had a meeting with her in a few days. That would give me time to really think about what I wanted to do.
I had no desire to remain in Washington after today. I just had to figure out what my next move would be.
My mom and I were seated on my patio, nursing a couple glasses of wine. I could see Capone sprawled out on the couch with Gabi nestled in the crook of his arm as they watchedBubble Guppies. With a juice box in her hand, Gabi happily sipped away while resting on her favorite person.
As if he could feel my eyes on him, he turned his head, making eye contact with me. With a wink, he turned his attention back to the television. I kept my eyes on him as I couldn’t help but smile at the man who was stealing my heart.
“You’re falling for him,” my mom said, watching me intently.
“Do you think it’s too soon?” I asked.
My mom shrugged and took a sip of her wine. “That’s the thing about love, sweetheart. It moves at its own pace. You can fight it, but ultimately, if it's meant to be, then there isn’t any stopping it. You can run all you want, but it won't stop the feelings building inside you.”
I took a deep breath, letting her words sink in. I was falling for him, harder and harder as the days went on. I kept up a good fight, waiting for the other shoe to drop. In my mind, nothing could be this good without something going wrong.
“It's just after everything that happened with Derek, I’m scared of falling for the wrong man all over again.”
My mom bit her lip, shaking her head. “That’s your mistake, baby. You can't hold Capone responsible for the actions of another man. If you’re going to be with him, then be all-in. If you’re having real doubts about him, then that’s one thing, but don’t let Derek be the reason you miss on a wonderful man. In the past twenty-four hours, I have watched youandGabi smile in a way youneverhave. That man makes both of you happy.”
It was like a Mack truck had crashed into me. My happiness was evident even to an outsider. Sometimes, I thought I was letting the newness of our relationship cloud my judgment, but apparently not.
“That’s not the only thing that’s bothering me. His club is offering to open a bakery with me. They would be a silent partner. What if we don’t work out? Will they try and take it from me?”
“That’s what contracts are for, Giovanna. It sounds like you’re coming up with excuses to run, sweetheart. If you’re truly not a hundred percent about moving to Florida, who says the bakery has to be there? Did you ever ask the club if you could open the bakery in California, where you can be close to family?”
My nose scrunched up in disdain. I didn’t like the sound of that at all. There wasn’t anything back home for me outside ofmy mom and siblings. While I would love to have access to them every day of the week, that place hadn’t felt like home in a long time.
My mother threw her head back, laughing at the expression on my face. “See! You instantly hated even the suggestion of moving back home, but when you talk about Florida, you light up like a lighthouse. You don’t just talk about Capone when you mention returning there. You talk about the friendships you and Gabi are building. You talk about all the places you have been since being there and all the places you want to go. You’ve fallen in love with that town. Capone is just the cherry on top.”
I mulled over her words, allowing them to sink in. I was happy there. When I first arrived there, I only had plans to get Gabi back and return home. But every time I tried packing my bags to leave, I couldn’t.
I’d been fighting tooth and nail over something that was inevitable. The fight was futile because Capone had been there every step of the way, ready to prove to me why I belonged there and with him.
When I made eye contact with my mother, she sat there with a knowing smile. I set my glass down on the table and stood. Walking over to my mom, I planted a kiss on her cheek.
“Thanks, Mom.”
“Anytime, Baby Girl. Now go be happy.”
When I walked through the sliding glass door, Capone was shutting the door to Gabi’s bedroom.
“Lil Bit is out like a light.”
I sped up my pace, crashing my body into his. Taking him by surprise, I smashed my lips onto his. He froze for only a moment before taking over. Each time I felt his lips on me, it felt like he was branding me, marking his territory in a way that only he could. His strong hands gripped my hips possessively but not enough to bruise. He had me under a spell any time he was near.
After he broke the kiss, we stood there, staring into each other’s eyes, panting. Tucking my hair behind my ear, he leaned down for a quick peck. “What was that for?”
