I’ve never shared anything like this with a woman before. The feeling of her shattering around me in blissful waves as I come apart beautifully inside her, the two of us connecting on a level I never would have thought possible. And that’s when it hits me.
I think I love this woman.
Fuck. I do. I love her. I just can’t tell her.
Because love? It’s a liability.
And right now, it’s exactly the kind of liability that could get me killed.
23
CANDI
After another round,slower and more languorous than the first, we both lie back in bed. I’m completely spent, my body awash in a warm, blissful haze. I don’t know what’s come over Armani, but I’m afraid that if I ask, it will ruin whatever this is. So I don’t ask.
Instead, I keep my head on his chest and listen to the sound of his heartbeat in the afternoon stillness of our room.
My emotions are such a dumpster fire right now. I hate the way he rolled up at the B&B with his gun drawn on Juliana. He should have just showed up with empty hands, an open mind, and a willingness to sit down and have a frank discussion with her, like I had envisioned.
But I also understand why he felt the need to be cautious. And honestly, he wasn’t that out of line…because Juliana brought a gun, too. And how could he have known what he might be walking into? The Armani Bellanti I know would never show up to a meeting with one of his enemies unprepared, not without arming himself appropriately.
That doesn’t mean it was the right move, though.
Do I regret asking him to meet us today? I don’t know. I was terrified when I sent him those texts, and not because I was worried about what he might do to Juliana. No, I was far more concerned about what might happen to her if I didn’t get her out of both her uncle’s and the Bratva’s reach, ASAP. It was a risk either way. On the scale of good and evil, however, I consider the Bellantis to be much more on the side of good. At worst, they’re the lesser of two evils.
On top of that, I’m fully aware of how urgent it is to stop the alliance between the Bratva and the Brunos. It’s terrifying to think what might happen with a union that powerful taking over the Mafia underground. So yes, it was imperative to get Juliana to a safe place. Or at least, a “safer” place. I genuinely hope that I made the right call.
If I’m honest with myself, I had ulterior motives as well. I wanted Juliana and Armani to meet face-to-face so that the issue of Juliana’s genealogy could finally be resolved. I can’t imagine how Jules will take the news if my hunch about her being a Bellanti turns out to be correct, but that’s a bridge we’ll have to figure out how to cross (or not) when the blood test comes back. Regardless, Armani did promise to keep Juliana safe. That’s all that matters.
I just hope she can find it in her heart to forgive me after all’s said and done.
A fresh wave of guilt hits me. Here I am, freshly fucked, nuzzled up against my husband, while my best friend is panicked and alone in a strange house, surrounded by her sworn enemies’ guards. Despite the fearless, antagonistic attitude she displayed when Armani cornered her, she’s probably terrified of what might happen to her now that she’s in enemy hands.
After Armani had left us alone, Juliana really unleashed on me. She swore she’d never talk to me again and accused me of selling her out to a family of murderers for some good dick. She told me that I’d broken our friendship, that we were done, that she couldn’t even stand to look at me. It crushed me. Not just because she was so angry or because I might be losing her forever. But because everything she was saying about me betraying her was 100% true.
I wonder if Orloff is looking for her yet. Surely the Brunos are, since Juliana’s babysitters would have reported back to Sergio Bruno the second they realized she was gone. Would Sergio have gone straight to the Russians then, or would he try to keep her escape under wraps in order to avoid the Bratva’s wrath? Either way, I think it would be smart to talk Armani into giving Juliana her phone back for a supervised call. She needs to speak to Orloff. If he finds out she’s missing and he doesn’t hear from her, it’ll only be a matter of time before he starts burning Napa down to find her.
The thought sends a chill down my spine.
Maybe I shouldn’t have brought Juliana here. I might have put all of us in the path of unspeakable danger.
“What are you thinking about?” Armani drawls sleepily next to me. “I can hear those wheels turning.”
“Nothing, really.”
“Liar. Don’t forget how well I can read you, Candi. There’s something on your mind.”
I let out a deep sigh.
“There are a lot of somethings. I’m worried about the baby. I’m worried about my best friend. I’m worried about this DNA test. I’m worried about…”About you. Aboutus. But I don’t say that out loud. “I’m worried about what the test results could mean for you and your family.”
He runs his fingers lightly up and down my back. “Everything is going to be okay.”
“Do you really believe that? Or are you just trying to make me feel better?”
Armani doesn’t answer right away. After a few moments, I start to wonder if he’s going to answer at all.
But then he says, “I really believe it. Our family is strong. Resilient. We’ve been through hell before, and we’ve survived. Whatever lies ahead, we’ll meet it with everything we’ve got.”
