Page 51 of A Son Hidden from the Sicilian

“Why would I?”

“So she could understand. So you could deal with it. You can put us all in our little boxes. You can put your memories in some sort of lockbox under eighteen kilometers of denial, but it’s stillthere. And no amount of planning or control changes the past.”

“That is why we focus on the future.”

“Yes,” Stefano agreed. “Butyourfuture. Not plotting out Brianna’s or Gio’s, but actually thinking about whatyouwant.”

“I am abillionaire. Everyone in my care is well taken care of. What more could I want?”

“That’s a question only you can answer,” Stefano said. Very quietly.

But it echoed like thunder inside of Lorenzo. Especially as everyone began to get up. His siblings walked by, brushed kisses across his cheek, patted him on the back, but they all filed out and left him alone. The last thing said:That’s a question only you can answer.

He wasn’t sure how long he stood in the dining room. Alone. When he finally convinced himself to leave, he knew he should go to his office. Check on the moves Dante was making. Get to work on the renovations, the studio building—because Brianna wasn’t leaving. He refused to let her.

So why are you in charge? How are you going to assert this?

He didn’t know yet, but he’d find a way.

Still, when he walked by his office he didn’t stop. He walked out the back of the house and into the gardens. He hadn’t known she’d be here.

Had he?

But she was sitting on a little bench he’d had installed that he sometimes sat on when he needed air and solitude. The trees weren’t in bloom this time of year and it was too chilly for her to be out here.

But somehow he’d known she would need air after all that, just as he did.

She must have heard him, because she turned. He watched her as she straightened her shoulders, lifted her chin. As she braced herself for dealing with him.

Why had he come? He knew he would not get through to her yet. He had no plan. No threats or entreaties. Only this black, roiling thing inside of him that threatened to have him begging at her feet.

Because that was the kind of behavior love brought out in a person. Desperation. Pathetic, destructive needs. Hers or his, it did not matter.

“Your family is lovely.”

“That is not the word I would use in this moment.”

Her mouth curved ever so slightly. Then she sighed. “Well, I’m very tired. I should get to bed.” She stood, but he stopped her.

He wanted to ask her what he should want. He wanted her to lead him. It was unacceptable, but he couldn’t let her arm go. He could only stand here, blocking her exit, holding on to her. Her soft, chilled skin under his fingers. He couldn’t resist drawing his hand up her arm, pulling her closer.

She even went, without censure or resistance. Until he’d pulled her to his chest. Where she belonged.

She looked at him. He’d expected a flash of anger or something, but all he saw was a grim kind of exhaustion. “We can do this again, Lorenzo. God knows we’ll enjoy it.” Tears shone in her eyes. “But it won’t change anything. Is that what you want?”

Why was everyone suddenly so concerned with what he wanted? “You want to know what I want?” He dropped her arm and staggered away from her, everything inside of him threatening to erupt. He strode away, then back and pointed at her. “I want you to listen to reason. To do as I say.”

“To think as you think? To feel as you feel?” she returned, again sounding more tired than frustrated.

Hewas frustrated. “Yes!”

“I wish I could. It would make things so easy, wouldn’t it? If I could be your little lap dog, but I am not.”

Lap dog. It brought up all those unpleasant memories. What his mother had twisted herself into. All for love. Because his father had never been moved. By his mother’s pleas. By her sacrifices. He’d never thanked her. He’d only found more blame.

Thatwas love.

“You think you understand, but you do not. You should trust me on this. I only seek to do what is right for all of us. You cannot defy me on this. I cannot let you.”

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