Page 46 of Aldo

“Aldo isn’t hurt?”

“No. He’s fine. He’ll be pissed he wasn’t here when you woke up, but ending this was important to him. He had to be the one.”

“We had a fight.”

Roman sat back, nodding. “I know. He told me. He blames himself, and if it’s any consolation, he was coming to see you before this happened. He hated fighting with you.”

A tear slipped down my cheek. “I have to go.”

“Go where?” he asked, leaning forward. “You’re in no condition to get out of bed.”

“I have to leave Niagara Falls.”

He looked shocked. “Why?”

I had no idea why I was confiding in Roman. It had to be the meds messing with my head. “I love him, and he’ll never love me back. I can’t stay and watch him be with someone else.” I winced as a fresh wave of pain washed over me.

He leaned to the right and tapped a button on the machine that was beeping. “That will help. Probably knock you out soon too.” He hunched forward. “So, listen to me carefully. I have never seen Aldo care for someone the way he cares for you. You make him different. Better. He laughs and smiles. The same way Luca does because of Justine. He might not be able to say the words yet, but he feels them, Violet. Give him time. What happened tonight has shaken him. He was a man possessed when I got here. Terrified of losing you. You mean more than you know. More than he knows. Don’t walk away from him. I swear it will end him.”

I stared at him, the medicines doing their job and easing the pain, but clouding my train of thought. Was Roman saying Aldo was in love with me?

“Yes, he is,” he responded as if I had asked him that out loud.

Maybe I had.

I blinked, trying to fight off the exhaustion that was bearing down on me. “Thank you,” I mumbled.

He leaned even closer. “I’ll let you in on another little secret, Vi. I like you. You’re smart and funny and exactly what Aldo needs. Strong. Feisty. A fighter. He needs that. I think you’ll love him perfectly. Exactly the way he needs.”

“I like you too. You’re not so tough.”

He laughed lowly. “Not all the time. I have my moments.”

“You love him,” I said, my voice a little slurry.

“Aldo? Yes. Like a brother. Him, Luca, Nonna. They are my family. I have a feeling you will be too.” He patted my hand. “Just give him some time.”

“Okay.”

Sleep was pulling at me. “Roman?”

“Yeah, Vi?”

“Did you hit him—the asshole, I mean? Did you hit him hard?”

“Like a ton of fucking bricks.”

“Thank you.”

And I was out.

CHAPTER 15

VI

The next time I woke up fully, Aldo was there. I knew it before I opened my eyes. I felt him. His presence. I could hear him talking, the low timbre of his voice reaching my ears. I heard Roman as well and another voice—the doctor, I thought, but I wasn’t sure.

“She’ll rest better there.”