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“It’s the only way to keep you and your brother safe. I have many regrets in this life, figlio. I’ve done things I’m not proud of and I only hope you’ll never discover half of them. If some day you do, just know I did awful things for what I thought were the right reasons. For you, your brother and your mother. I love you all more than anything in this godforsaken world.”
I nod, unable to summon a single word.
“When I’m gone, it’ll be your job to keep our family safe. Capisci?”
My head dips again.
Dio, how I’d fucked that one up.
CHAPTER18
NO FREE SNEAK PEEKS
Dante
I’d kept my promise to Papà that day, but in doing so, Luca had stepped in, assuming the role he thought I was too much of a coward to take. I’d stuck to my word, but I hadn’t kept Luca safe. Quite the opposite. I threw him into the mouth of the lion, and at the time, I was too fucked up to realize what my silence would cost.
“Um, hello, Dante?”
I blink quickly, burying the dark thoughts of the past and focus on the woman sprawled across the bed waving at me. From the tight knit of her light brows, she must have been trying to get my attention for a while.
“Morning, sweetheart,” I grumble.
“I can’t believe you slept on that chair all night.” She sits up and stretches, her long arms extending her slim torso and revealing another peek of the underside of her breasts.
OhDio, not this again.
It takes me a second to process her words with the overwhelming distraction of her half-naked body. She doesn’t remember dragging me into bed with her?
“How’d you sleep?” I decide skimming over the truth is my best bet.
“Shockingly well.” Her brows knit as she regards the crumpled pillow beside her.
“No nightmares?”Dio, I’m a masochist. Why even bring it up?
Her lips screw into an irresistible pout. “I don’t think so. I just remember feeling safe for the first time in days.”
An unexpected pang of emotion streaks through my chest. I massage the foreign feeling settling at the hollow of my ribcage. Clearing my throat, I mutter, “Glad you slept well. At least one of us did.”
Her cheeks flush an enticing crimson, the tantalizing hue I imagine she’d turn if my cock was thrusting deep inside her.
“Yeah, um, sorry about that.” She slides off the mattress and starts to make the bed. “Maybe I should just go back to my place—”
“No,” I bark.
Her head whips toward me, electric blue eyes wide.
“It’s fine. I slept just fine right here. Anyway, I had to get work done.”
She nods and continues folding the blanket over the top of the pillows.
“You don’t have to do that. Maria will come in later and take care of it.”
Curiosity flickers across those lively eyes. “I didn’t know you had a housekeeper.”
“She only comes for a few hours a day. Tidies up the place and does my laundry. I don’t need a live-in lady like my OCD brother.”
“Clearly.” She smirks, and it goes right to my damned cock. “You said you were working over night?”
