And then I exploded.
“You want the truth, G? Okay, you got it. You think I’ve got a crush on Drea or I’m infatuated with her? Well, you couldn’t be more fucking wrong.”
“Leo–”
I smacked my palms against my chest. “I’m not infatuated with her–I fuckingloveher. I’ve loved her for months. Maybe from the first time I saw her when she slammed into me right here in this garden.”
My words had such an effect on Gianni that he staggered back. “Wait, what?”
“Just trust me on this one since I don’t have the time or patience tonight to explain everything.”
Over the years, I’d seen Gianni shocked many times. But I’d never seen him so completely floored as he was at the moment. Like he was gobsmacked.
“Fucking hell, Leo,” he finally muttered.
“Tell me about it.”
“Does Rafe know?”
Sweeping my hands to my hips, I counted, “What do you think?”
He nodded. “With his head where it is, there’s no way in hell he picked up anything like I did.”
“Lucky me,” I grumbled.
Gianni’s expression sobered. “Yeah, you should consider yourself lucky. Rafe would lose his fucking mind if he found out there was something going on behind his back.”
A screech echoed through my mind like a needle on a vinyl record. “You’re joking.”
“No man, I’m not.”
For a moment, it was difficult processing what he was saying, least of all respond to it. I felt like I’d been dumped into the Twilight Zone. It wasn’t like I’d expected Gianni to be happy about my feelings for Drea. But I expected his anger would come from a place of disappointment that Drea and I couldn’t be together.
“How the fuck is this possibly a betrayal when not only does Rafe not give two shits about Drea, but he’s risked everything personally and professionally for Maeve?”
“You’re his brother, Leo. You’re always supposed to have his back.”
Getting up in Gianni’s face, I snarled, “Don’t you dare make this a betrayal!”
Gianni shoved me back. “Then what the fuck is it?”
“Just like Rafe, it’s denying myself the woman I love for our fucking Famiglia.”
“With your brother’s fiancée.”
“Since when are you the fucking moral police?”
“It’s not about morality, Leo. It’s about our family being on the edge of ruin, and instead of falling in line to pick up the pieces, you’ve been scattering them even harder.”
Shaking my head, I countered, “You are such a fucking hypocrite. When did you ever pull this guilt trip on Rafe when he was burning down his alliance with Edoardo, not to mention alienating Callum? The last time I checked, we both just wanted him to be happy.”
“You don’t know the conversations I had with him in private after the bombing at Inferno.”
“Yeah, well, your little chats didn’t do shit. He only changed his mind when Maeve didn’t give him a choice.”
“Drea could’ve been more than just a distraction for his heartbreak. She could’ve been his salvation.”
“Drea is her own person. It’s not fair for her to be just a means to an end for Rafe.”
