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I turned to look back out of the window. Right now, it was the only idea I had left.
It’s been two days since the revelation that I had been literally flirting with my sworn enemy. The one man who had been my teenage forbidden obsession and the reason I had refused to show any interest in mafia men! How did this happen? Out of all the men in Italy, it had to be him? Was this the universe playing a sick trick on me? The first man where I felt a genuine connection and where I was willing to fight for my freedom—and it turns out to be Alessio fucking Barbieri!
I felt sick. Physically sick every time I thought about how messed up this was. I had hardly slept. I hadn’t left my room except to show my face for family meals where I stayed silent and pushed my food around my plate until I was given permission to leave. Everyone was staring at me like I had a horn growing out of my head, walking on eggshells around me as if I was about to detonate at any given moment. They all thought I was still fuming over Giovanni giving me permission to date Enzo and blindsiding me with a group date. They had no idea it was because I was grieving for a connection I knew I could never explore.
I had turned Flora’s phone off now to avoid the temptation to obsessively read back through our messages again and again. One thing was clear. He had no idea who I was. He was as naïve to our situation as I had been. And the worst thing about all of it was how I could no longer allow myself to see him as the sexy, funny and intriguing man who made me feel so alive. I had to train my mind to hate him. He was my brother’s biggest rival. He had just stolen a huge amount of money from my family. He was out to destroy us. And here I was fantasising about him. No. It ended now. I had to finish this once and for all, before Alessio figured out who I was. God knows what would happen then.
Jumping up from my bed, I grabbed Flora’s phone and turned it on. It immediately came to life with a few more messages from him and my heart flipped. The last one read:
I know you are ignoring me. If you aren’t interested, I need to know why. Or at least just let me know if you are okay?
Traitorous tears sprang to my eyes and I blinked them away. Why was I crying? Why did something that was never meant to be hurt so bad?
Swallowing my emotions and trying to focus on the logical part of my brain that told me this was a dangerous, controlling man who wanted to cause my family harm, I typed out a text quickly before I could change my mind.
You are right. I have been ignoring you and I’m sorry. I just needed a bit of time to think about things and I have made a decision. This isn’t going to work between us because we are from very different worlds and…
I paused as I contemplated which direction to take. I needed to say something that would make him leave me alone. That would ensure he didn’t want to take this further with me or keep trying to pursue Flora. What are all men terrified of? Commitment.
I know you just want to sleep with me and that’s okay. I thought that was something I wanted to do but I can’t lie to myself. I want a long-term relationship. Not with you, just in general. I am not looking for a one-time thing. And I have met a guy who can give me that. So unfortunately, I won’t be able to see you again. I hope you understand.
I pressed send and released a shaky breath as I dropped the phone in my lap. Surely that would be enough. He would run for the hills at relationship talk this early. All men did in my experience.
I saw that he had read it and I started biting my thumb nail, my nervous habit. In all honesty, I didn’t even expect him to respond so when the dots started dancing across the screen, I held my breath. Then they stopped. He’d deleted whatever he was writing.
I shoved the phone in my Chanel handbag and put on my heels. It was done and I had to get rid of any evidence of this phone. Now I knew who he was and what he was capable of, he could try and track it at any point. My bedroom door opened and I was surprised to see the imposing, muscular frame of Giovanni in my doorway. He looked a little awkward as he gave me a smile and examined my room as if he was unsure whether he was allowed to enter or not. I was still angry with him about the Enzo situation so I placed my hand on my hip and swayed to the side.
“What do you want?”
“Can I come in? I think we need to talk,” he said carefully. I shrugged and sat back down on my bed as he strode across the floor space with large steps. He perched awkwardly on my vanity stool, making the entire room look smaller just by being in it.
“So… talk,” I gave him sass and he smirked, before running his hand through his black, styled hair.
“I want to apologise. For the other night,” he started.
“You mean Liv forced you to come and apologise?”
“No. Believe it or not, I feel bad. I shouldn’t have put you on the spot like that in front of everyone and especially not in front of Enzo. I wasn’t thinking. You always talk about wanting to date, so I thought I was giving you what you wanted.”
“Wanting to date someone I choose! Not who you want for me!”
He nodded, leaning his elbows on his knees. “I know, I’m sorry. Elle. Have I ever told you what papi said to me a few months before he died?”
I shook my head, shuffling back on the bed to get more comfortable. He sat up straighter and sighed before looking into my eyes.
“We were having a meeting about what my family responsibilities were going to be when I took over as underboss eventually. When I look back on it now, I can’t help but wonder if he had some idea about his impending death.” Gio shook his head as if the memory pained him and I bit into my bottom lip. “He told me that if anything was to ever happen to him, I had to ensure you were never sold in a marriage alliance. He said you were his little bird and a bird should never be caged. He knew what your life would be like if you were forced to marry a Boss or Don as an alliance and not for love. He didn’t want that for you. But he also said I had to keep you safe.”
I remained silent as he collected his thoughts. He stood up and came to sit next to me on the bed. “Elle, alliances through marriage are a part of our world, but I have refused many men’s interests in marrying you over the years. Enzo is the first that I have considered and that is only because you know him. He’s already an ally and you both get along. But you don’t have to date him. Or marry him. That will always be your choice.”
I stared at the colourful painting of a pair of lovers in a passionate embrace on my bedroom wall as I let those words sink in. Men had tried to buy me? To make deals with Gio for my hand in marriage? I had no idea. Suddenly, an uninvited thought that Alessio may have been one of those men entered my mind.
“Has Alessio Barbieri?” I asked before I could stop myself.
Gio frowned deeply, his dark brows so predominant on his face. “You really think our enemy would ask to marry you?”
I swallowed and shook my head, ignoring the strange disappointment that settled in my stomach. Of course, he wouldn’t have.
“Why would you ask that?” Gio quizzed and I started to panic.
