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“Yes.” I don’t need to sound so desperate, but suddenly, all I want is to be home, alone, with my husband. The one person in this world who knows everything. I bet he’s told Matteo whathappened today. Now that the initial shock has passed, I’m exhausted.
“Let’s go.”
He takes my hand, and I don’t have it in me to protest. Honestly, he could guide me into Hell right now, and I’d follow him blindly. I can’t pinpoint what changed my opinion of him like this. All I can hope is that it will last.
We say our goodbyes, and eventually, we’re on our way back to his apartment. It’s quiet in the car. I’m too tired to make small talk, and Stephano seems deep in thought. We both stare out of our respective windows as the driver navigates Boston’s rush-hour traffic.
“How’s Carla doing?” he asks when we’re almost home.
“I don’t know. She didn’t talk much, and I sense something’s off, but I don’t know what.”
He searches my face and then sighs. “You can’t protect her from everything, angel.”
A fact I’m not ready to acknowledge.
He holds my hand as we scale the stairs to the apartment, and once we’re inside, he takes me by the shoulders and turns me to face him. “Do you trust me, angel?”
“You asked last night.”
“Yes, but I ask you again. Do you trust me?”
I swallow at the knot in my throat. His stare is so intense, it’s as if he wants to strip away every layer that ever was between us. “Why do you ask again?”
He skims his hands down my arms and catches my fingers with his. “Because there’s going to come a time where you’ll doubt everything. In that moment, I need you to come back to this one and remember that youtrustme.”
“I... I…” My voice breaks, and I’m in his arms.
“Say it, angel. Say the truth now.”
“I trust you,” I whisper as I look up at him.
He drops his head back and exhales deeply as he hugs me close. “Okay.”
“What’s going on, Steph? What’s happened? You’re scaring me. Does Franco?—”
“No, not yet. But soon.” He peers into my eyes. “Remember this moment.” He leans in and presses the softest of kisses to my forehead. “I’ll sleep on the sofa going forward.”
“But…” I swallow my own protest as he lets go of me and walks to his office and closes the door, exiling me from his presence. My heart sinks, one beat at a time, to the pit of my stomach.
The one thing that kept me going was the notion that he’d be there tonight, at some point holding me close.
35
STEPHANO
I sit at my desk and send Dominic a message from my phone.
You’ve been monitoring Carla’s laptop?
Dominic
Yes. Gigi’s too. Why? So far, no red flags.
I huff out a breath.
Best keep an eye on what’s going on there. Something’s up with Carla and she won’t talk to Gigi. Matty’s picked up on it too.
Dominic
