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“The paramedics said that there was nothing anyone could have done. The bullet dissected her aorta. She was dead in minutes. I couldn’t save her.” Enzo pulled his hand away from mine, slicing his fingers through his hair.
“She wouldn’t want you punishing yourself for something that was completely out of your control.”
“My head knows that but my heart…I feel like I’m letting her down all over again if I let myself forget. If I let myself stop hurting.”
“You’re not. From what I’ve heard about her, she loved you and wouldn’t want you to be miserable for the rest of your life. She would want you to move forward with your life.”
“I never thought that was possible.” Enzo smiled and let out a soft chuckle. “Not until I met you. That’s why I want to give this a real try.”
"I don't know. I still feel like we have a long way to go before we are ready for a real relationship. And I still feel betrayed, like I was just being used. And I know that you were paying me for sex so, yeah, I was being used, but that was on a different level. It’s going to take some time for me to get over that."
"Okay, how about this?” Enzo turned to me and took both of my hands in his. “We continue with the deal as it was, but you promise to just keep an open mind about the possibility of this being more."
"That sounds fair."
"Good. Then let's go in there and enjoy our engagement party."
I forced a smile and nodded. "Sounds good."
Chapter 21
Aurora
Enzo gave two sharp knocks on his window and Franco opened the door for us.
We walked into the ballroom, and I looked around in wonder at the beautiful decor. Enzo's hand rested on the small of my back. Its warmth bloomed through my body radiating out from where his touch connected. He wanted me to give him a chance but that meant opening myself up to getting hurt. I wasn't sure if I could trust him, so I had to be careful. I would keep my walls up but maybe allow a small window until I knew more.
“Congratulations, you two.” Mira's voice came from behind us, and I spun around to see her smiling face.
“I told you that dress would look perfect on you.” Vittoria smiled from beside Mira, and they took turns hugging me with a kiss on each cheek.
“You are one very lucky man, Enzo,” Luca said.
Another man I had not met before approached us with a beautiful woman on his arm. He shook Enzo's hand and clasped him on the shoulder in a familiar embrace. “I have to say, I never thought I'd see the day that you would settle down again.”
“When you know you know,” Enzo smiled at me, and I couldn't tell if it was all part of the show or part of his new open honest side. “Well, I can definitely say that you are a very lucky man. Your fiancée is beautiful.”
“That she is,” Enzo started. “Aurora, this is Alessandro, one of my best friends and underboss to Matteo.”
“A pleasure to meet you,” I stated politely, and Alessandra took my hand lifting it to his lips where he brushed the smallest whisper of a kiss over my knuckles.
“The pleasure is all mine. And this is my fiancée, Sienna.”
“Sienna,” I grinned as I greeted her, “it is a pleasure to meet you as well.”
“Thank you for having us. This is such a beautiful celebration I can't wait to see the actual wedding ceremony. Congratulations on your engagement.”
“And on yours as well. When are you two getting married?”
“In six months. We will be sure to send you an invitation.”
“That would be lovely, thank you.” I felt guilty making plans with someone who seemed so nice, knowing that I most likely wouldn’t be around that long.
Once Alessandro and Sienna excused themselves, disappearing into the crowds of people, Enzo pulled me to his side with his hand still on my hip. He gently pressed a soft kiss to my temple before whispering in my ear. "Dance with me." It wasn't a question, but it wasn't a command either. It was a quiet enticement.
I nodded, feeling breathless at the closeness between us. He took my hand, guiding me onto the dance floor. Enzo pulled me close, holding my hand in his while his other hand rested on the small of my back. We swayed in perfect time to the music.
I felt like I was in a dream looking up at Enzo's intense gaze. I wanted to believe that our arrangement had turned into more than business for him too. That what I was feeling wasn't just one-sided. I wasn't sure if it was love so soon, but it was more than an attraction. It was more than sexual. It was intense, and it was safe. It was comfortable and it was exciting all at the same time. While I felt safe in his arms, I was also terrified because deep down I knew that he had the potential to break my heart. One song ended and the band shifted smoothly into the next when Matteo approached.
