Page 82 of Thief of my Heart

“Mattias, stop.” Sofia Zola’s voice brooked no argument, and her husband, almost like a child, immediately quieted. “He is a good boy. He should not have been in Lea’s room, but it’s not his fault these bad men wanted to find him. He loves her. I saw it myself. He fought too many men to protect her, to protect me. He was ready to give his life for her.”

“He wasn’t the only one willing to do that,” Lea said, chin lifted in defiance.

Yeah, we’d be having words about that later. I wasn’t too happy about her little stunt when Ricky got that gun.

But my girl was valiant like a lion. I couldn’t exactly fault her for that. Especially when I knew it only came from love.

I looked back at Matthew, then at Mattias, standing behind him. Both men seemed to be processing what we were all trying to tell them. But I realized there was one thing I hadn’t said. Maybe the most important thing of all.

“Look,” I said, then swallowed hard, trying to gather my words together. Trying to do this justice. “I would have taken a bullet for her if it meant getting her and your wife out of that room, Mattias. I would have given my life and then some. I honestly can’t think of a better way to go.”

I swallowed hard. This wasn’t about what happened in Morrisania. I needed to get to the heart of things.

“I could say a lot of things about what happened last night and today,” I said. “And I will. I’ll tell you whatever you want to hear. But it all comes down to this: I love your granddaughter more than anything. I haven’t had a lot of good luck, and God knows I’ve made some mistakes. Never had a family like yours, never had anyone to care for me like she does, never anyone who inspired me to be better. But she does all of that and more. And I…I finally see a reason to be around. All I want is to spend forever trying to make sure Lea has the best life possible. We love each other. That’s all there is to it.”

I looked around, expecting arguments. Waiting for Mattias to take a swing at me or kick me out of his house.

No one spoke for what seemed like minutes. Even the little girls on the sofa were watching their grandfather warily, like they knew my little speech would either make him melt or blow up completely.

“Dai, Mattias, the boy saved our lives today!” Mrs. Zola finally spoke. “Let him in so he can get warm, at least, eh? He’s a part of the family now. We might as well get him some food too.”

She grabbed her husband’s coat and yanked it off him in order to hang it up. The movement seemed to wake everyone up.

“All right,” he said with another wary, if more accepting glance my way despite the fact that his wife was now towing him toward the kitchen. “One drink. And then we gonna set some ground rules for the two of you.”

“Close the door, Lea,” Nonna ordered. “You’re letting in all the cold air. Girls, come help to make dinner, okay?”

“Nonna, are there anything leftovers from last night?” Matthew could be heard asking as he followed everyone out of the room. “All this fighting makes me hungry.”

“Mattie, are you ever not hungry?” Kate wondered.

After she closed the door, Lea and I turned to face each other, suddenly left with a moment alone as her family disappeared down the hallway.

For a moment, we blinked at each other in a daze. I couldn’t blame her. The whole afternoon seemed like a dream.

Then we launched at each other, equally wrapped up in a need to reconnect.

“You stupid man,” she said in between ferocious kisses. “What the hell were you doing getting involved with those guys?”

“I was trying to get out,” I told her, though I couldn’t quite stop sucking on her bottom lip. “They were loose ends. From before, you know?”

We kissed again, this time only stopping once we both seemed to realize that anyone from her family could walk in on us again and then we’d really be screwed.

I set her away from me, and she didn’t argue. Her green eyes sparkled with the same adoration I was sure was pasted all over my face.

I felt warm. Energized, but not in a hurry. Ready for whatever might come, but equally happy to stay right here forever.

Safety, I realized. That’s what that feeling was. And I was experiencing it for the very first time, right here, with her.

“Don’t you ever do that to me again,” I whispered, framing her face with my hands.

Unable to help myself, I pressed another, more gentle kiss on her full lips.

Lea smiled against my mouth. “We should clean up your face.”

“Later,” I said before kissing her again.

But she had something on her mind. “So, that man…the one who said you owe him a favor…”

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