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Valentino’s laugh splinters the air. “Lost track of time? That’s the problem you think I have?” He unsteadily stands from his desk to approach me. Each step he takes is predatory and speaks to the dangerous territory I’m in. “For twenty years I’ve known you were my destiny. My father snatched me up and delayed us from starting our future together. He did everything he could think of short of murdering you to keep us apart. And two weeks after finally granting my wish, you decide to risk it all by sneaking out without a goddamn guard. Why, principessa? Why would you give me two weeks when you promised me a lifetime?”
Alarm rakes its nasty claws down my back and the pain in his voice slashes at my heart. The last time I saw Valentino hurt like this was after Giulio plucked him from his mother’s care. The little boy learned of her disappearance in Giulio’s cold, dispassionate voice and it destroyed a part of him that has never recovered. But I don’t understand why my being away for an afternoon has plunged him back to feeling that way.
“Valentino, nothing happened to me.”
“This time. Fucking hell, Sloane, I know someone is out there looking to kill you.” He grabs my face and I get a whiff of the tequila he’s imbibed. His hold isn’t tender, but I don’t fight him. Not after his revelation.
“How did you find out?”
“I know you. You think I can’t tell when you’re fucking lying to me? And now, you’re acting like your skin is Kevlar and you don’t need protection when you leave here. All a badass needs is one bad day or unlucky step to be a dead ass. And you just put a target on your whole body, daring the people who want you dead to make it reality.”
“That’s not what I did.”
“Then who had your back during your little jaunt today?”
“I didn’t need—”
“Bull. Shit. You need and deserve all the protection in the world. Anything that will ensure you come back to me as whole as I leave you in the morning.”
“Valentino, I—”
“Is it that you’re so used to living each day as it comes that you’ve forgotten what looking forward to tomorrow feels like? Aren’t I reason enough for you to want to make sure you have a tomorrow?” His questions shred me down to my soul.
“You have it all wrong. Dammit, Valentino, if you would only listen…” I hug my torso and pace, working my throat to clear it from the fear and pain my thoughts generate. “I want as many tomorrows as I can squeeze into this life with you and Tácito.”
“Then why, principessa? Explain your reasoning to me.”
“Do you think I wanted to leave for this? I had to. I’ll never let my messes touch you. And this thing hanging over my head has the potential to destroy what we want to build together. I can’t let whoever is behind my assassination attempt get another chance at me because I can’t guarantee you or Tácito won’t be collateral damage. I wouldn’t survive that.”
“And we wouldn’t survive losing you. No matter how you slice it, without you in our lives, there’s no moving on. No healing. No future.”
In the ensuing silence, I slump onto the sofa. Everything aches, down to my spirit.
“Alright.” Valentino stands before me with renewed determination burning bright in his blue eyes. “You and I need to understand something here. There has never been a ‘your mess’ situation. Your problems have always been our problems and I’m tired of you trying to endure the burden alone.”
“But…I can’t ask you to do that. Your career—”
“Means less than shit if I lose you. As much as I love how fucking independent you are, at times like these I really despise that trait of yours.” He smoothes his beard in a rhythmic motion that hypnotizes me. “I had hoped you would come to me after you hit a dead end with the tattoo, but I guess that was too optimistic on my part.”
“How do you know about my intel?”
He sneers at me, unapologetic and patronizing. “You’re smart enough to figure it out.”
“You hacked my computer.”
“And you thought you were slick, hiding that picture of a man from me.”
“Wait…are you telling me jealousy pushed you to invade my privacy?”
“Make whatever conclusions you want. Our main objective is the same. Find the dumb mother fucker who’s not long for this world. Now that we’re on the same page, we can team up.”
“Are you forgetting something?”
“Nothing comes to mind.”
“You can’t come near this after you fired shots at Chief Thorne. You have your own enemies waiting in the wings to shoot you down at a moment’s notice.”
A smirk appears then disappears just as quickly from his face. “Thorne and his allies can’t touch us.”
