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What a fool he was. He’d thought showing her his love was far more important than saying it. In fact, he had assumed demonstrating the depth of his feelings was the exact same thing.
“How could I not see it?”
“Because you’ve never told a woman you love her. It would have been the height of poor judgment when all you wanted was to get them into bed.”
“Solette is different!”
Romy held up his hands. “I know and you do, but she doesn’t. She’s convinced you want her, and maybe she thinks you love her. Anyone who speaks with her can see there are still insecurities there. Maybe from something she suffered in the past.”
Cason had never told his brothers all he knew about Solette’s relationship with her son’s father and about her dad. They probably knew about the dad because all the brothers received the reports when they did background checks, if they cared to read them. Cason hadn’t wanted Ezio and Romy to pity her or think less of Solette, so he hadn’t discussed her with them. Romy of course was very perceptive.
“So, what are you going to do, fratellino?”
Cason grinned. The weight hanging on his shoulders faded away. “I’m going make her mine in every way possible, especially in name!”
Chapter 16
“Thanks so much for getting out of the house with me, Solette.” Shakarri folded one leg over the other and rocked her foot. Solette found it funny how Shakarri had spoken to her shoes rather than to Solette. She had learned early on that Shakarri was obsessed with heels, and she wore them even throughout her pregnancy. “Aren’t these shoes amazing? They make my feet look so slim.”
Solette grinned. “Sure, but my feet hurt like a beast. You ran me all over the world shopping.”
Shakarri picked up her coffee cup and sipped the steaming brew that let off a strong whiff of hazelnut. Solette had ordered a cola light on the ice and a salad, but she had only picked out the meat. Today, she wasn’t feeling it because her mind was so full.
All around them, the café overflowed with people, chatting and drinking coffee. Solette wondered that no one had to work in the middle of the day. She’d taken off the morning herself because she wanted to talk again with Shakarri.
“Aw, don’t tell me you’re like Sonya,” Shakarri moaned. “I can’t get her to shop with me to save my life. I took her once, and she left after the first store. Can you imagine that? I don’t get that woman.”
Solette laughed. “I can feel her pain, but I do like to shop. Regardless, there’re not many people in the world that can keep up with you.”
Shakarri rolled her eyes and waved her hand. “You’re exaggerating.”
“I wish.”
“All right, so let’s get down to business. I know the real reason you said yes to coming out with me today.”
Nerves assaulted Solette, and she clenched her hands in her lap. They got loose of their own accord and started waving about. She was a mess of excitement, although she tried her best to get a grip. “I saw it.”
Shakarri’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “Saw what?”
“His…love.” Solette felt like she would faint. “You were so right, Shakarri. I saw it in his eyes. I hardly want to believe it. I’m scared to accept it. It just seems so impossible, but I know I’m not crazy. Cason loves me.”
Her head spun, and she put a hand up to her forehead and shut her eyes. Saying the words out loud felt like too much to bear. Fear gripped her heart and threatened to squeeze the life out of it. At the same time, she wanted to dance on the table. Cason Sartori loved her. Not Bambi. Not any other woman.
As Solette thought back to all the times she had seen him talking to other women and she showed up, he almost ran over the women to get to her. She’d thought it was her own illusion, but it was true. Lately, Cason didn’t spend even a single night away from her, although she was pretty sure he hated her place. Cason loved the mansion.
But not more than me.
Her heart swelled.
“I see all these emotions in your face, Solette,” Shakarri said. “Share, girl. Tell me what happened. I’m all curious.”
Solette started to tell her, getting into the details when she sensed someone watching her. She didn’t usually pay attention to this sense because a bodyguard was always watching. One got used to having eyes following every movement. It came with the territory of being involved with a member of the Sartori household. Then again, she was pretty sure the Sartoris didn’t hire bodyguards for every lover that happened along. She was special.
The feeling of having someone watching felt different, and she paused in her story to scan the café. A man in a gray pinstripe suit with a pastel purple shirt and matching tie sat two tables away from them. With slicked back hair and dark beady eyes, he came off a bit oily to her. She judged him to be of Latino descent with his smooth brown skin tone. He was handsome if not for the shady feel to him.
A gaze that appeared almost black met hers, and he grinned and winked. Out of courtesy, she offered a small noncommittal smile and looked away. From the corner of her eyes, she saw that he leaned across to his friend and indicated her and Shakarri. Solette groaned when they stood.
“Solette, you stopped midsentence,” Shakarri said. “What happened next?”
