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I pull back slightly and cup her cheeks in my hands. Her bloodshot eyes are streaming with tears, but she’s still as beautiful as ever.
Chasing away the droplets with the pads of my thumbs, she nuzzles against my hand.
“Do you feel better?” I whisper.
She bites her lip.
“Can you just hold me?” Her voice quivers.
“You know I’ll do anything for you.”
Including sacrificing my own family. A sliver of ice runs up my spine. I’ll deal with the consequences of this later.
Resting my chin on the top of her head, I let that sweet coconut scent fill my senses.
“Tell me what’s going on, Rosa. Please, let me in.”
I’m hesitant to push her, but something is terribly wrong, and I need to know.
She pauses, her hand rests against my heart as she looks up at me. “Luca, what about Maria?”
I clench my jaw.“She knows, everyone knows, Rosa.”
Fear takes over her face. “But—”
I wipe away another tear from her cheek. “We have it covered.”
Well, we have a plan. One very much reliant on Rosa’s wedding. Right now, I don’t care. We will kill Romano, and she will be safe.
“No, Luca, it’s okay. I can tell Dante it was a mistake, that I still want to marry him. You don’t understand. I have to marry him.” Her words come out so fast it takes me a moment to comprehend.
“Not happening.”
“Luca, it has to. You can’t protect me.” She hiccups.
I can feel the tension rolling off her, so I hug her and hold her tight.
“I will lay down my life for you.”
She stiffens in my arms. I stroke my fingers along her back in small circles.
“Luca, I need to–”
“I love you, Rosa. I promised you we would fight, and now we have to. We are going to have to fight with everything.”
I bring my nose to touch hers. “Rosa, you are mine. I will protect you and your family with everything I have. I love you. I need you to fight with me. Can you do that for me?”
My breath sticks in my lungs, waiting for her to reply.
In a tiny voice, she says the words I was hoping for. “I will fight.”
I press my lips against hers and she kisses me back as she wraps her arms around my neck.
“I love you, Luca.”She smiles.
I know I’ve made the right choice.
That’s why I’m doing this,to see that goddamn smile, every day.
