AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Using one of his favorite lines, I say, “Your food is getting cold. You better eat. I’ll speak to Sophie later.”
Flashing me a grateful smile, he takes my hand and presses a kiss on my knuckles. “I don’t deserve you.”
“But you’re working on that,” I remind him. “And you’re not doing too badly so far.”
When he leans closer, the familiar fragrance of citrus and cedar washes over me. His male scent envelopes me, giving me an unexpected sense of belonging.
Not that I belong to him, but that he belongs to me.
Because despite the marks of ownership he put on my body, he’s always been mine.
Right from the start.
I may not have realized it as clearly as I do now because Angelo’s possessive masculinity can be so overbearing that it dominates every other sentiment. But in this moment, I know it with startling clarity just as I know he’llalwaysbe mine. No matter what happens, Angelo will never let me go. He’ll never leave me or look twice at another woman. He’ll stand by my side like he vowed to do from the onset. He’s not the kind of man who breaks his promises. I know it with a certainty that comes from my heart.
And when he presses his lips in the gentlest of kisses against mine, I feel safe and protected. For the first time since my life was turned upside down by all the secrets and lies that Dad’s death uncovered, I feel that I belong.
ChapterThirty-Five
Sabella
The morning breaks sunny and fresh. Light streams through the sliding doors. I left them open a crack so that I could smell the sea. The fragrance of honeysuckle drifts in with the salty air. Birds chirp in the garden. A seagull calls from farther away. The season has changed from winter to spring.
I lie still for a moment, experiencing the sounds and the smells. The warmth of Angelo’s body that’s curved against mine. The weight of his arms around my waist. I savor every impression of my senses like a person who came back from the dead, appreciating the simple but profound luxuries. The luxury of waking up on a beautiful morning in the arms of a man who cares about me. A man who needs me. Who appreciates and respects me. I see it in his eyes when he looks at me. I see it in how hard he tries to make up for the things that went so wrong.
Life is too precious to dwell on the bad and negative experiences. I learned that from the kids. Despite how hard their short lives had been, they never complained. They fought and survived. They have such a simple way of looking at life. Perhaps that’s the secret of being happy. Not to overcomplicate things. To just appreciate every moment, because each second is a gift.
I turn, feeling the effort, but I’m less tired than yesterday.
The moment I move, Angelo opens his eyes. “What’s wrong,cara?”
“Nothing.”
He kisses the tip of my nose. “You look better.”
I grin. “You look worse.”
He scoffs. “Compared to your brother, I got off lightly.”
“Macho much?” I tease.
“Just honest.”
I chuckle. “And humble?”
He grunts.
When I make to move, he tightens his hold.
“Stay.” He nuzzles my neck with his nose. “The kids won’t be up for a while yet.”
It’s tempting, but I want to see the sunrise. I want to live this new day to the fullest. “I’m suffering from cabin fever. A bit of fresh air will do me good.”
He’s up in a wink. “Let me help you.”
“No,” I say gently. “I can manage alone.” At the dark look that comes over his face, I add, “I promise I’ll ask if I need help.”
Somewhat appeased, he gives me space. “I’ll go make coffee. Dial the kitchen if you need me.”
