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“It’s not up to you.” Natalia faced Enzo. The fire in her eyes and determination in her voice made it perfectly clear she was done going along with others to make them happy and keep the peace. “And I’m doing it for Ryan, not Anthony. And if anyone should understand what it’s like to lose—”
“Don’t,” Enzo hissed. “Don’t go there.”
I had no clue where “there” was, but it’d triggered him. He turned his back to everyone and crouched on the driveway, diving his hands through his dark hair.
“I’m sorry.” Natalia lowered in front of him, gripped his shoulders and rested her forehead against his. The gesture spoke more about their relationship and closeness than his protective attitude toward her ever had.
Maria peered at me, a sad look in her eyes, then she came closer and leaned in to clue me in without Enzo overhearing. “His twin sister was murdered,” she whispered.
My knees buckled. I finally understood him. Understood his rage toward the guys in the parking garage.
You took the life of the man who murdered your sister, didn’t you? And I knew, without a doubt, I’d have done the same.
“I won’t lose you, too.” Enzo slowly rose, and Natalia stood with him. “I won’t let something happen to you because you got mixed up in more of Anthony’s bullshit.” His eyes met mine, and I clamped down on my back teeth, my hands diving into my pockets as his painful past hit me like bullets to the chest.
“He won’t let anything happen to me.” Natalia pointed my way. “And you know that.” She folded her arms and tipped her chin with confidence. “You both know how stubborn I am. So, I’m helping,” she added while looking back and forth between us. “No one is going to die. Are we clear?”
Enzo cursed before closing the space between us. “When it’s time to pay off his debt, you tell me when and where.” He cocked his head, the warning embedded in his tone daring me to deny his demand. “I’m going with you.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
RYAN
“How’s your head today?” It was Sunday morning, and we’d be heading to the hotel for the party later that afternoon. I was surprised I’d yet to hear from my uncle. Something didn’t feel right about his silence.
“As good as good can be.” I wrapped my knuckles against the side of my skull and winked.
“You’d tell me if not, right?” Natalia perched her hip against the counter in Mom’s kitchen and stirred sugar into her coffee. Thankfully, Mom was out shopping, so Natalia and I had the place to ourselves. Jury was out on whether that was a good or bad thing.
“I promise.” And in truth, the bruise looked worse than it felt. “So.” There was a reason I called her over to talk over coffee, wasn’t there? I was distracted by the way her pale blue V-neck tee dipped low enough to show her cleavage. At least she was wearing a bra today. Although, with the way it accentuated her assets, it was as distracting as her braless-white-tee look. “Um.” I forced my focus up. “How and when are we telling our parents about this insanity?”
“We’re all having dinner at my parents’ tomorrow, right? What if we drop the news on everyone then?”
The dinner? Shit. I swiped a palm down my face. I’d forgotten all about that. Would I be able to sit through a meal with her parents and not lecture her mother about pushing Natalia into accepting my brother’s marriage proposal?
I let the scene play out in my head, knowing I’d struggle not to open my mouth. I was done keeping quiet about my feelings.
“Yeah, but are we being honest and telling them it’s fake to help Anthony? Or are we going to let them believe—”
“That there’s really something between us?” Her voice broke, and God, was she scared I’d change my mind? That I’d flip some switch and decide there wasn’t anything between us? “Do you know why I kept asking you why you convinced Anthony not to marry me?” She did a cute one-shoulder shrug. “Well, before you told me the truth.”
I quietly studied her, waiting for her to continue, unsure if I actually wanted to know the answer.
“I was hoping you couldn’t stand the idea of him marrying me, because you wanted me for yourself.” A sheepish, embarrassed smile played across her lips, and her cheeks turned pink.
I advanced closer, took the mug she was now trying to hide behind, and set it off to the side. “I’ve felt guilty ever since the day he broke up with you because I was relieved it was over. And I wasn’t sure what kind of person that made me, to be happy about a broken engagement,” I confessed. “But in truth, I never would have been able to watch you walk down the aisle with him. I would’ve tried to stop it from happening if it came down to it.”
Her eyes widened at my admission, and she chewed on her lip.
She deserved to know more. To hear the full truth from me. To know how long I’d wanted her. I toyed with the strands of her hair, rolling the locks between my fingers as I shared, “I’m going to be forty next year, but I feel so much older. We must age in dog years in the military, because I feel like I’ve already lived three lifetimes.” I let go of her hair and set my palms on the counter, trapping her in my new favorite position—right in front of me, close enough to feel the energy between us without being completely consumed by it. “I’ve had a lot of time to rack up regrets.”
Natalia’s hands went to my abdomen and climbed to my chest, her eyes never leaving mine. “What are you trying to say?”
“When I came home that Christmas when I was twenty-eight, and it was the first time I saw you in years . . . one word came to mind.”
“What was it?” she whispered, her brows slanting.
“Mine,” I answered without hesitation, remembering that moment nearly eleven years ago as if it were yesterday.
