AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“But you’re an assassin,” I say, still heading down the stupid track. I just can’t connect what he’s saying with reality. This is a joke—right?
“You see, then, why I hide it,” he says. “From everyone. Including Ciro, when he was alive.”
“And Sandro?”
“Sandro knows, but he only found out recently.”
Actually, the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. “This is a real thing?” My mouth keeps up the stupid, though. “I mean, a scientific thing?”
“Yes. Prosopagnosia is the technical term.” He goes on, explaining in more depth, but all I can think is that this explains so much about him. About his blank expression when Romeo revealed himself. About the intense stare he gets when meeting people.
My heart clenches, but I don’t think he’d welcome sympathy right now. So instead, I reach out for his hand again. “You know, I thought it was me?”
“What do you mean?”
“I thought you considered me sobeneathyou, you didn’t even recognize me.” A second later, his stricken look makes me wish I hadn’t said it. “It’s fine,” I add. “I mean, I got over it. But thank you for telling me.”
“You don’t think it’s weird?”
“It’s fuckin’ weird, yeah,” I say, before I can stop myself, but I grin at him. “But so are you, Castellani. And I like that about you.”
“You do?”
I get up off the step ladder, my ass aching a little—pretty sure I have the brand name stamped into my butt now—and come around the table, looking down at him before I lean in to kiss him. “Yeah,” I tell him after. “I do. And listen, I know we both have secrets to keep. Secrets that aren’t our own. But I want us to be honest with each other. Can we do that?”
Julian’s eyes are suspiciously bright. “I’d like that.”
I pull him up into my arms, and he comes willingly. “In the spirit of honesty, you should know,” I begin, my heart pounding in my chest. “My father, he hates the fact that I’m gay. In his eyes, it’s a weakness he can’t afford to have within the Family. He cut me off financially. Said when I stopped sucking dick, I could live like a Bernardi should live. Big house, five cars, all the money in the world…” I shrug.
“That’s why you live like this?”
I have to laugh. “Christ, Castellani, it’s notthatbad.”
“It’s pretty bad, Leo.” The concern shining from his face is definitely real, but that just makes me chuckle again.
“You know what, it made me reassess what’s valuable. What Ineedin life. And despite my dad’s bullshit, I’ve always done everything in my power to serve the Family,” I continue, my voice getting harder. “Loyalty above everything. Then he went and pulled that shit with Roxy and Gino. And now, with you…I don’t know if I can keep doing it. Serving him. Being loyal to him. Don’t know if Iwantto keep doing it.”
“Leo,” Julian murmurs, his thumb gently stroking the back of my hand as it rests on his cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“Forget about it. You got shit of your own to deal with. Is Sandro really coming for you?”
His face drops. “It doesn’t matter what I do,” he says sadly. “Sandro is never going to trust me. Is he?”
I kiss him again. “I don’t know your brother well,” I tell him after. “But one thing I do know is, he cares about you.”
He scoffs. “Don’t lie to make me feel better.”
“I’m not,” I say, but the way his hands roam over me makes me drop the conversation. “You feeling better?” I hedge. I’m getting hard, but I don’t want him to think I just want to get off.
I mean, I do. But notjustthat. If he wants to talk more—
“Better? I’m not sure. I’m not good with feelings,” he tells me. “They’re either dulled down or too overwhelming for me. There’s no in-between. But whatever I feel now—what I feel for you, Leo… It’s deep and warm and Ilikeit. But honestly, I’m better at showing these things in bed.” I can’t help but snort at the wicked glint in his eyes. But when he leans in closer, his lips hovering just a breath away from mine, I don’t stop him. “I don’t know what’s going to happen between us,” he whispers, his lips brushing mine. “But I want to find out.”
Desire crackles between us as I drag him back to the bed. We drop onto it together and I grip the back of his neck, angling his head for a deep kiss. Our bare chests slide together, and I’m so thankful that all those useless clothes are already off.
My hands find his ass and I grab it tight, pulling him hard against me as our tongues tangle together. He moans against me as I get lost in the sensations, the way his body feels against mine, the way his cock hardens against my stomach.
He’s all I want. All I need.
