Page 12 of Taking His Heart

“Let’s say I do, and I moved to Melbourne, would you?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

“I can’t,” she says quietly. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.” Daniella stands from the bed and quickly runs out the door.

It’s okay, because I have time. I can wait for her to come back.

Chapter Six

“Where’s the fire?”

I halt my pending escape out the front door at the sound of my brother’s voice. I don’t turn around, not until I can muster a smile on my face. Counting to six in my head, I inhale and spin on my brother.

“Why the bloody hell are you lurking in the shadows?” I frown.

Aurelio makes a point of looking around the foyer. “No shadows here, Daniella. Where you going in a hurry?” His scrutinizing gaze sears into me, inspecting every inch of my face.

“I need air.” I turn and walk out the door. I just need to be out of this house. Away from him.

Aurelio doesn’t get the hint that I want to be alone, and instead chooses to follow me. Actually, I’m pretty sure he just plain ignores the fact I want to be alone. “Cool, I could use some air, and while we’re both getting this air, you can tell me who made you upset.”

“No one made me upset, Aurelio. Drop it,” I grunt. I hate that my brother can read me so well.

“I could just go back inside and take an educated guess. Shoot first, ask questions later kind of thing,” he says. “The asshole already has one bullet hole. I’m sure a few more would only be an improvement.”

I turn my glare on Aurelio. “You are not touching him,” I grit between clenched teeth. “It’s not his fault. It’s mine.”

“I highly doubt anything is your fault, Daniella. And if it is, I’m sure it’s still that fuckhead’s fault anyway,” my brother says. “But enlighten me. What is your fault?”

I walk farther into the garden before falling to the ground. “Remember the last time we came here?”

“Hard to forget. I got my ass kicked by a fucking billionaire.” Aurelio laughs, recalling the time Jazzy’s husband, who was her boyfriend at the time, kicked Aurelio’s ass at the gym.

“Yeah, good times, huh?” I smile at him.

“What happened?” Aurelio is staring at me, waiting for me to actually tell him what happened back then.

I haven’t told anyone. I honestly thought this was a secret I’d take to my grave. It was easier when we were back in Australia and nowhere near the Bianchi family. Being here has brought up everything I tried to bury deep down, and I don’t know if I can handle it alone.

“He asked me to stay. CJ, he wanted me to stay with him and I left,” I admit.

“Okay, so you’re just not as into him as he is into you. That’s not your fault, Daniella.”

“Oh, but I am. I loved him. I still love him. So much it feels like I can’t breathe, Aurelio. Leaving was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. And I had to grow up with you as a brother. So trust me, I’ve had hard times before.”

“You love him?”

“More than anything.”

“Well, fuck, Daniella, how the hell am I meant to fill him with bullet holes now?” Aurelio groans.

“You don’t,” I warn.

“Okay, so if you loved him back then, why didn’t you stay?”

“I couldn’t. My life is in Melbourne. My family is there,” I lie. That’s not the reason I left. But it’s a good reason to want to be in Melbourne. I love my family.

“Bullshit, what’s the real reason?” Aurelio asks.

“It’s not bullshit. I happen to love our family.”