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Angelo ran my uncle’s business on this side of the city. He was tall, sturdy, and sexy as hell. He was also single and actively looking for a wife so he could marry and have children—someone to pass on his legacy to.

The problem?

He wasn’t the man I wanted.

The young blonde girl stood plastered to the wall, her eyes moving back and forth between the two wannabe gangsters and us.

“Give the girl back her money,” Angelo said clearly and emphatically, the prominent Italian accent in his voice making his words all that much fiercer.

The younger, obviously more stupid of the boys stood tall, crossing his arms across his chest with a look of defiance. “What you going to do about it, business man?” He lifted the hem of his shirt, revealing a handgun that was tucked into the waistband of his boxers.

The noise of a train filled the station, the breeze blowing against my skin as it began to pull to a stop. People rushed around us, oblivious to the paltry confrontation. Angelo swiftly slipped me to the side, next to the blonde girl. His thick hand reached out and grabbed the thug around the throat. He pulled him close, and his mouth moved but I couldn’t hear what he was saying because of the noise of the train and the crowd.

He threw the boy backward but he managed to catch himself. He looked over at me with wide eyes before grabbing his friend by the shirt and dragging him off down the platform.

Angelo watched them leave before he turned to me. “Let’s go, Rosalie.”

I took a deep breath and dug my hand into my pocket. I pulled out whatever cash was in there and reached for the young girl who was still staring at us in shock. I grabbed her hand and forced the money inside.

Not stopping to talk, I jogged after Angelo, who’d already began walking in the direction of the exit. I followed him back outside where, just as I had suspected, it had started to pour with rain.

There was a dark tinted car sitting at the curb and Angelo drew the door open and waited for me to climb in before following suit. I stared out the window, waiting for the lecture that I knew was coming.

“Why would you do something so stupid?” Angelo asked casually, but I could hear the sharpness to his tone. “Gang members are dangerous. They’re young and stupid and that makes them extremely unpredictable.”

“You were there. It’s fine,” I told him, feeling like I was a little girl who’d just been caught sneaking out at night.

“And if I hadn’t been?”

I snorted. “No point in thinking about what could’ve been. Doesn’t make sense.”

We sat in silence for a few minutes, swaying side to side as the driver weaved through New York City traffic like he was trying out for NASCAR.

“How do you grow if you never consider the mistakes you’ve made in the past?” His question made my back straighten.

I turned in my seat so I could meet his eyes. They watched me carefully, and with amusement as if he was enjoying the reaction I was giving him. “How do you move on if you’re constantly dwelling on all the shit you’ve fucked up?” I shot back at him with a little less class.

“Sounds like you speak from experience,” he noted, his eyes watching me carefully.

“Don’t bullshit me, Angelo.” I screwed up my nose. “Don’t act like my uncle didn’t inform you of what happened.”

“Touchë, toroso mio,” he said with a slight smirk.

The truth was that I did dwell. The choices I’d made during the last year hung heavily on my mind and constantly made me feel sick to my stomach. I desperately wished that there was a way I could make things right. I’d allowed myself to be manipulated and used.

Somewhere along the way, I’d lost myself.

I’d lost the ability to tell right from wrong—and love from hate.

I’d lost friends, family, and all of my pride and self-respect.

But out of everything, it was knowing that I’d losthimthat almost broke me.

Almost.

I wasn’t giving up just yet.

If there were a way to fix the things I had done, I would take it in the blink of an eye, regardless of the consequences.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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