“You’re surprised they used to be human?”
My eyes find Matteo almost immediately, like I’m drawn to him. Even the young version of him, who looks to be about seven or eight. Another boy I believe is Salvatore stands behind him, holding up bunny ears behind his head. They look happy. The perfect picture of a loving family.
Valentina stays silent as I turn the pages, each picture warming my heart. I find one of Matteo going to prom. He’s in a clean-cut dark suit, his hair longer than it is now. He looks handsome with his arm around a gorgeous blonde I’m guessing was his prom date.
“I’m starting to think he has a type,” I murmur, amused.
I’m not sure how long I stay there, gazing at the Vitale family pictures and seeing them in a completely different light. When I finally look up at Valentina, it’s clear she can read my thoughts. Triumph lights up her eyes.
“Don’t be afraid to fall in love with him, Lin,” she tells me. “That boy is still in there somewhere.”
She’s right. I know that better than anyone else. He’s let me in and I’ve seen so much more than the façade of ruthlessness he exposes to the rest of the world.
“I just can’t ignore the parts of him that live in the darkness.”
Valentina frowns. “Do you think that’s what I do?”
I shrug in reply and she exhales a soft breath.
“Lindsay, I’ve never had any misguided notions about who Salvatore really is. I’ve come to accept it, yes, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be okay with the horrible things he does. My mission is to be the calm to his storm. To temper his rage and in doing so make the world a better place, somehow. It’s not exactly ideal, but I enough that I’ve figured out a way to make it work. You can too, if you want.”
“I don’t know. Things are great between us. He sees me, Val. More than anyone else ever has. He makes me think and he irritates me to no end. But he’s also so sweet and kind andsoft. But while he may be all of that with me, I know every moment he’s not by my side, there’s a possibility he’s being the complete opposite with someone else. I’m a prosecutor—how am I supposed to be okay with a man who commits crime like it’s a sport?”
“To be fair, Matteo’s actually gentle compared to his brothers,” Valentina points out.
I roll my eyes.
“I’m serious.” She laughs. “Compared to Raffaele and Sal, he might as well be a cute puppy. You could do so much worse, Lin.”
“I’m telling him you compared him to a cute puppy.” I smile.
“All I’m saying is that I’m rooting for the two of you. Have you met Leo?”
“Yeah.” My smile turns into a grin. “He’s the cutest thing ever.”
“That’s good. I’m glad for you, Lin. I’m glad you found Matt and I’m glad you’re happy. You are happy, right?”
I nod. “Happier than I’ve been in forever.”
“Then go for it. You’re a badass, babe. I’ve never seen you not succeed at anything you put your mind to. You’ve brought a fearsome mafia capo to his knees. He’s all yours for the taking.”
Her words are soothing and exactly what I needed to hear. They quiet all the doubts in the deepest parts of my mind. I imagine a future at Matteo’s side and it suddenly doesn’t seem impossible. But first I need to make a very important life change.
“I think,” I hesitate before voicing something that’s been circling in my head for a while. “Val, I think I want to quit my job.”
Her eyes widen. “What? But you love being a prosecutor. You’re amazing at it.”
“That’s the thing. I think I love it so much because I’m amazing at it. I don’t really feel anything when I’m standing in court or poring over endless case files. I don’t feel any passionor joy. Not like I do when I’m standing in a library, for instance. My work is a huge part of who I am, but it doesn’t define me. I’ve never wanted it to.”
She considers that for a moment.
“This isn’t because I told you to figure out how to work it out with Matteo, is it? You shouldn’t have to quit your job to fit into his life. You could do both.”
“Says the girl that quit her job at the library after meeting her husband.”
The accusation in my tone is impossible to ignore.
Her eyes narrow. “Don’t be a bitch.”
