AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I missed this place. It has such a pretty view when the sun is up.”
“You never come here?”
“Not without you. Do you?”
“Sometimes. Last I was here it was on your birthday.”
“Why?”
“Your brothers threw you that big party in Giovani’s villa. I couldn’t see you for a week.”
I went to sit down on the ground next to her and Grazia pulled me in for a kiss. The taste of my girl traveled through me and ignited a fire like a match stick thrown into a puddle of gasoline. I took her wrists captive and rolled my body over hers.
“Damn you, Grazi, you’ve put a spell over me.”
“You too. When you talk like that to me, when you’re soft and loving, it makes me so happy, I could cry.”
Her choice of words made me chuckle. “You’re the only person that can say I’m soft and loving.”
“I know, it’s what makes it so special.”
“I’m not following.”
“Salvatore, I’ve seen you break someone’s kneecaps with a pipe.” And I’d apologized for forcing her to witness that for a month. “You’re a very bad man, but you’re good to me.”
“You know why.”
“I do.” She smiled but it seemed a little empty. “Why is it so hard?”
“What is?”
“You and I. Our engagement was the only thing that I could count on and one day it was just… over.”
“Goddamn it, Grazia.” I was tired of hearing that word.Over. It was poison.
“Oh, stop! It’s the truth.” She pushed me away. “Can I ask you something?”
“Shoot.”
“Why?”
“More words, Grazi.”
“My dad never told me the whole story. I don’t even think he told my brothers what your father took from him. What was so important that they couldn’t agree on after thirty years of brotherhood?”
Shit. Fabiano didn’t just kept part of the truth from her, he rewrote the narrative. I could see why. The black stain on his cheek would bring a shame so dark, no blood family in Italy would turn his way again. It’s one thing to steal, to cheat, or to kill, but to break brotherly honor was an offense people didn’t let go so easily.
“Grazia, it was a closed doors business. No one told you for a reason.”
“But do you know?”
“Yeah, I do.” Every single fucking detail.
“Is it money? Gold?” She kept going. “I know Adrian and he’s many things, but he’s not greedy. Can’t he just give it back and make truce?”
“Grazi, drop it.”
“Maybe I could talk to him. He always liked me.” Father didn’tlikeher, he loved her like she was his own daughter.
