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“Me!” Enzo calls out and we all laugh.
“I’m glad you finally got your head out of your ass,” Miceli states.
I’m breathing easier now that I’ve finally admitted my feelings. “Yeah, me, too.”
“You better go get your girl before some other man swoops in and woos her away,” Angelo says, grinning from ear to ear, his smile bright white and charming. “Like me!”
“Don’t even think about it,” I warn him. “I just hope she can forgive me for being such an idiot.”
“She will,” Enzo assures me, and I hope he’s right. Otherwise, I really will end up with a broken heart. And I don’t think I’ll be able to recover this time around.
“Okay, I’m going over to see her and do some serious begging.”
“Good luck!” Miceli says.
I’ll take all the luck I can get. “Thanks,” I say wryly. “Let’s hope she’s on the same page.”
“She looks at you with stars in her eyes, Vin,” Enzo tells me and my heart constricts. “She’s definitely on the same page.”
“Yeah, she’s just been patiently waiting for you to realize it and get your shit together,” Miceli adds.
I nod, toss them a salute, then hurry out of the cafe. As I head back to my car, I realize that I’ve been fighting a losing battle this entire time. Every time Hannah managed to punch through one of my walls, I did my best to reinforce it, but she still found weak spots and a way to sneak through. She found the way into my heart and I know I’ll never be the same.
Slipping into my car, I start the engine and say the words out loud, “I love you, Hannah.” It feels so good to speak the words, to give them life, and I can’t wait to tell her. The moment I say them, something happens. It’s like the rest of the walls around my heart come tumbling down.
It’s time to stop being so miserable and dwelling on the past. Yeah, Cynda was a bitch, but I gave her too much credit. She didn’t wreck me for other women; she brutalized my trust and left me fragile and vulnerable. Too broken for any other possible relationship. But Hannah—along with a little help from my brothers and Lottie—has shown me I’m capable of loving and being loved in return. I’m worthy of all the beautiful and miraculous gifts that come with love, too.
I’m finally ready to take a chance. A leap of faith. I just hope and pray that Hannah is, too.
I know I screwed up and I’m going to do my best to prove to her how much I love her and deserve her. Of course, at this point, she might not want me any longer.
No, I don’t believe that. Hannah Everson is my woman, my perfect match, and I’d be willing to bet anything that she already knows this and, like Miceli said, she’s been waiting for me to figure my shit out and get my head out of my ass.
Prepared to go down on my knees and beg, grovel and plead—whatever it takes—I drive over to Brooklyn and park in front of her building. The first thing I’m going to do is have her move in with me and get her out of this crummy neighborhood. I hate that she lives in a rundown, unsafe area. Not for much longer, though, I assure myself. Very soon, she’s going to be sleeping in my bed every single night. I can’t wait to wake up to her beautiful face and even more lovely heart every single morning.
Belatedly, I realize I should’ve brought her flowers or something. I suppose I could walk down to the corner store and see if they sell bouquets, but then quickly decide against it. All I want is to get to her as quickly as possible and make things right again. Then, I promise to make sure my Angioletto has fresh flowers every day for the rest of her life.
Her life with me.
19
HANNAH
Ihave no idea where we’re going, but I stay alert, looking for any opportunity to bolt. Caleb drives us to an office building near the docks and parks in the subterranean garage. He walks around the car, opens my door and, the moment I step out, he takes a firm hold of my arm. As he guides me over to the elevator, I can’t help but notice how quiet it is and more deserted than I expected. I guess since it’s the weekend, nobody is here working. Great. Just freaking great.
Once again, I’m on my own. But, it’s a place I’m accustomed to being and I have no intention of giving up. Not now, not ever. I’m a fighter and I will go down swinging. As nice as it was being rescued, I know this time around, I’ll be rescuing myself. Because as much as I’d like to see Vin appear, I know he has no idea where I am.
A girl can dream, though, right?
No, I immediately scold myself. A girl has to be able to take care of herself and kick some ass when necessary. And that’s exactly what I plan to do.
We take the elevator up to the twenty-fifth floor and I’m hoping we run into someone else. But my hopes fall flat as we step out of the elevator into a dimly-lit office. The place is a virtual ghosttown, not a soul around. Caleb finally releases his tight grip on my arm, but where am I going to go? I feel trapped. Deciding to bide my time a little bit and see what he’s up to, I force myself to be patient because there’s literally nowhere for me to run.
At least, not yet.
“This is my building,” he states proudly and all I can think is whoop-de-doo. I mean, seriously, what does he want? A standing ovation?
Congratulations on all your money and being able to buy a building, you piece of shit. As tempted as I am to say it, I press my lips together and keep quiet. He also tried to buy me, too. More specifically my virginity. Hmmm. Maybe if he knew that was long gone, he’d lose interest in me. I file that little tidbit to use later.
