Page 161 of Alessio

Alessio drifted past Corrado, tipping his head toward him as he shrugged off his jacket to set it along the back of the couch in the main room. He dropped the three small overnight bags he’d carried for them all over the side. “She’s right.”

Ginevra laughed. “Women are always right. I can’t help it that neither of you are used to that—having a woman between you as the voice of reason.”

Corrado chuckled.

“Nice,” Alessio told her.

She winked.

Alessio dropped into the corner of the couch, settling himself on watching the two of them work their shit out. After all, he had two days to do that with Ginevra, and he was good. He knew what he wanted from all of this. They were the only ones left, now.

“A drink?” Ginevra asked.

Corrado nodded as she neared the small wet bar next to the couch. “Sure, why not?”

Ginevra didn’t even ask which drink he wanted. She already knew and reached for the bottle of whiskey before pouring three fingers of the tawny-colored liquor into a low-ball glass. As she passed it over to Corrado, her gaze on him like she was waiting for their talk to continue, she didn’t forget about Alessio by reaching over with her other hand to let it drift through his hair, and then her fingertips ghosted over the side of his cheek.

Second nature.

He’d realized it a while ago, but this woman was perfect for them. There were parts of her that were better suited to handle Corrado, and other pieces of her soul seemed to just fit Alessio. She was the calm to the storm, and the light to the darkness.

He’d used to think the thing between him and Corrado—whatever that was, as strong as it was—needed to be the sun in their life. Something they revolved around. The thing that kept them alive, and together.

He was wrong.

Ginevra was the sun.

They just hadn’t found her until now.

“I’m where I want to be,” Ginevra said before Corrado could speak. “Here, with you. And with Les. I am where I want to be, and where I should be, so let me say that first. Is this where you want me to be, Corrado, regardless of the rest?”

Corrado didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

Alessio tossed an arm over the back of the chair. “That settles that, doesn’t it?”

“But not all,” Corrado returned. “What happened at the club scared you, and you ran off, Ginny. Which would have been fine, except it seemed like you kept running.”

“I don’t like what you sometimes do,” she said simply. “That scares me for a lot of reasons, and it makes me question who I thought I was when I have to face the fact I love people who also do bad things, but I am where I want to be. And that’s what matters.”

“Is it?”

She stared hard at Corrado. “Yes.”

“Even if it happens again?”

“Even then,” she whispered.

She was still touching Alessio, her fingers skimming over his jawline as she took a minute to consider whatever it was running through her mind. He knew it was something in her mind keeping her quiet because that knot formed between her brow which said she was thinking too hard.

She always did that.

Ginevra focused on details.

Alessio dwelled.

And Corrado … well, he shut down.

They were three imperfect people who had somehow found a way to fit together. Life would be far more boring without them there to share it with him, though, flaws and all. Of that, Alessio was most sure.