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“We can go this winter, and I’ll fall just to make you laugh.”
Glancing at him, I take in the soft expression in his eyes.
Since he told me he loved me, he hasn’t said it again. He also hasn’t tried to kiss me or push for more.
Well, except for all the forehead kisses. Those I get in spades.
Even though he seemed to fall in love with me at the speed of light, it’s going to take me some time to return his feelings.
It’s something I’ve tried to focus on instead of letting my grief consume me – whether I can love Renzo.
Yes, he can be brutal and unforgiving, but he’s also gentle and understanding.
I stare at the man who’s swept through my life like a tornado. Just as I think I’ve figured him out, I see a new side to him. He’s bad, good, and everything in between.
Understanding why he did the things he did when we first met makes what I’m about to say easier.
“I forgive you.”
I watch as the words hit him, and relief washes over his face.
“If I had the power you have, I would’ve done the same thing,” I admit. “I don’t know if I have it in me to kill a person,but I’ve fantasized about it a lot since Dad died. I’ve killed those bastards, over and over.”
I suck in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “So, I forgive you for everything you’ve done to me and Dad because I understand the pain you felt when you lost Giulio.”
Renzo lifts his hand to my face and tucks some hair behind my ear, and it causes tingles to rush over my skin.
His voice is soft as he says, “Thank you.”
With our eyes still locked, I can finally admit I’m attracted to him, and it’s no longer a bad thing.
Where I did everything to ignore the attraction before, I now let it in because I desperately need to feel something good.
I’m keeping a tight grip on my heart, though, not ready to let him in yet.
Leaning forward, I press a soft kiss to his mouth, then pull back and spear a piece of salmon with my fork.
Renzo doesn’t make things awkward by asking why I kissed him, and instead, helps himself to a piece of steak and sautéed vegetables.
We eat in silence, and every now and then, he adds something to my plate, asking me to tell him what I think of it.
By the time we’re done with dinner, there’s a flicker of happiness in my chest. Forgiving Renzo was not only for his sake. I had to do it for myself.
Getting up, I help put the leftovers in the fridge and clear the dishes from the island. When his phone begins to ring, I walk to the stairs and head back to my room.
The curtains billow into the room from the wind blowing through the open sliding doors, and I step out onto the balcony again.
As I rub my hands up and down my arms to ward off the chill in the air, all the good feelings I shared with Renzo vanish, and the sorrow creeps back.
Renzo makes me feel better.
“Come inside,amo. I don’t want you catching a cold,” he suddenly says behind me.
Turning around, I look at the man who’s all I have left in this life. Without him, I’d be completely alone.
He could’ve sent me to the mansion and forgot I ever existed.
He could’ve continued hating me.
