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Then all the moments when she doesn’t know I’m watching her, like the time Bella told her she just wanted to see her happy. Then there’s the way my nonno smiled at her and all our moments in the office and…tonight. It all flashes through my thoughts. I remember her words and Gio’s.
It was the excessive force I used that made him angry.
You’re making an assumption. Get to know her. See who she really is. It’s in her eyes. If you read them, you will see.
“Well, shit,” I murmur.
I’ve fallen in love with her. I want more than to fuck Lizzy. I want her and that look in her eyes tells me she just might be able to handle the real me. God, I hope I’m not making a mistake. I don’t need to hurt my daughter.
You mean, you don’t want to be hurt. Man up, Dante.
She blinks and her smile falls a bit. I smile at her and kiss her forehead. “If that means you’ve made it one of the most interesting nights I’ve had in a long time. Yeah, you did,” I say, trying to bring her smile back and cover up the feelings that surface.
She returns the smile, but it turns shy or maybe embarrassed as if she’s just realized what has happened while we’ve been in here. I rub my hand up and down her back. Searching her face, I move the braids that have fallen into her face out of the way.
“Get some sleep. I’ll check on you later.”
“Thank you, Dante,” she calls after me.
I nod as I leave to process my feelings. This was not supposed to happen.
Chapter 32
Cheer Up Lizzy
Dante
“I did what you wanted. I got the chef out of the way,” Gio says nonchalantly.
I blow out a breath. I’m more frustrated with myself than him. Gio gets things done and I should have known better. I still can’t get Liz’s face from last night out of my head.
How can a woman be so gorgeous even after watching her puke in the toilet while holding her hair back? I’m still trying to make sense of it.
“Well, now she’s been in her room all day. She lets Bella in to sit with her, but she hasn’t come out. That shit hurt her feelings,” I grumble into the phone.
“Yeah, I get that. You’re not the only one pissed off about it. I’m sending reinforcements. I’ll fix it. You can stop whining.”
“Whatever.”
“Have you talked to Dario?”
“No, I’m giving him space to figure shit out.”
“I think I may take a trip to check in on him.”
“That’s not a bad idea. Maybe I’ll take Bella for a trip. With everything happening here, it might be good to go home. No one would dare try the family back home,” I muse.
“This is a fact.”
“That could be why Dario is choosing not to come back. I don’t blame him. He’s doing what is right for him,” I say.
“Never said he wasn’t. Listen, I need to go. Help is on the way. I love you, little brother. Everything I do is for you and Dario. You don’t have to worry. This will blow over and you will have what you want.”
“The question is…what do I want?”
He scoffs. “I thought you figured that out.”
I scratch my chin as my thoughts race. “No, I don’t think I have.”
“That’s the problem. Please stop thinking.”
He’s right, but I don’t tell him he is. I stayed up all night thinking about how I feel about Lizzy and what my life has become. On the one hand, I want the peace she brings to my world. On the other, I want someone who can understand and handle my secrets and I’m not sure yet if that’s Lizzy.
“I should have some flowers delivered or some shit.”
Gio roars with laughter. “I forget you’ve never dated as a grown adult. Flowers are good, bro. Go with it. See you later.”
I hang up and run a hand through my hair. We had a good time last night. I thought she was over that fuck. It’s kind of pissing me off that she’s locked in her room over him. She deserves better and he doesn’t deserve her tears. I don’t care how much Gio had to do with this.
Maybe I should take this as a sign that I’ll only fuck things up. Bella is attached. If Lizzy can’t handle my world, Bella will lose her. I can’t afford to take that chance.
Lizzy
“Lizzy?” I look up from my kindle and find Bella looking at me expectantly.
She’s been keeping me company while I read. Technically, it’s Saturday and my day off. However, I don’t mind the company.
I woke with a pounding headache. I haven’t been able to show my face after last night. I only remember half the things Dante said to me. What I do remember is throwing up in front of him. I’m so embarrassed. Only me.
