Page 304 of Valentino

My eyes hold his.

“If it comes to a situation where Val has to choose between killing Carlo or taking a bullet for him.”

“Don’t,” I whisper. “Don’t even say that.”

“You can imagine from our point of view, knowing this. Knowing that Val loves you more than anything…that you in turn lied to him and betrayed him for Carlo.”

“I was trying to protect him, Romeo,” I whisper. “I didn’t want him to go to jail, I promise you, I would never betray Val like that.”

“It looked like you did.”

“I know.” I nod. “In hindsight I regret it.”

We walk in silence for a moment, both lost deep in thought.

“You really don’t think Val would hurt him?”

This is good…. That means he won’t go to jail for murder.

“I know he wouldn’t.” He looks out over the lake. “He wants to believe that if he had to, he would…. But I think deep down he knows that he would never be able to.” He links his hands behind his back. “When he shot Carlo in the back of the car, he was fucking traumatized. It haunts him that he nearly did it, and that he didn’t do it. That he may have to in the future. Fucked him up so bad that he used to have nightmares about it all the time.”

I stop on the spot. “That’s what his nightmares are about?” I whisper.

“He still has them?” He frowns.

I nod.

“Fuck.”

We begin to walk again. “What do you mean Val protected Carlo?” I ask. “Explain that to me.”

“Ever since they were kids, Valentino has been like Carlo’s big brother. He kept him out of trouble and fought his battles for him. Carlo came from a bad home and he practically grew up at Val’s parents.”

I get a vision of the photo of the two of them from last night.

“They were more like brothers than friends,” he continues.

My stomach twists. “Poor Val,” I whisper.

He lets out a deep sigh. “I can’t imagine what a betrayal that deep must feel like.”

I listen intently as I stare out over the lake.

“And then you went and did it too.”

I get a lump in my throat.

“He had to watch his brother be with the girl he had always loved…. And then he finally got her back only for her to betray him too.”

Guilt fills me all over again.

His eyebrows flick up. “I’m not going to lie, Anna, I will kill anyone to protect Valentino.” He rolls his lips. “I have no problem with it…and if that person happens to be you, then so be it.”

I smirk. “Well…I guess.” I bump him with my shoulder. “Thank you for looking out for him.” I smile. “But also…. Please don’t kill me.”

He chuckles. “Please don’t make me.”

And as we walk around the lake I find a new appreciation for my fiancé’s murderous friend.