Page 23 of Let Me Love You

But that meant someone rewrote the history of what happened to her killer, then, right?

His brows slanted over his guilt-filled eyes. But nothing came from his parted lips.

I drew my palm from my collarbone down to my stomach, trying to quell the flutter of nerves unleashing hell there. “I thought karma killed that man.” My voice cracked with disbelief. “I remember my parents telling me Bianca’s killer had been in a car accident, and he drowned in the Hudson.” I waited for Enzo to say something. Anything. But he kept quiet, so I went on. “Did you cut his brakes? How’d you do it?”

He dipped his head, catching my eyes, and with grit to his tone, he rasped, “Don’t ask questions you’re not prepared to have answered.” His Adam’s apple rolled with a harsh swallow. “Let. It. Go.”

“Enzo, please, I need to know if—”

“Yes,” he nearly snarled, his nostrils flaring. “I killed him. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I don’t regret it, not for one second.”

“And if Thomas ever hurt me, you really meant what you said on my birthday?” My gaze landed on the words inked beneath the sword on his forearm. “No mercy?”

He nodded, his jaw tightening beneath his dark stubble. “And, Maria?” He gently held my chin. “When it comes to that man ... I’d enjoy every fucking minute of it,” he murmured darkly.

FIVE

Enzo

“I call bullshit. You’re trying to scare me. Push me away.” Maria’s caramel-brown eyes glossed over with emotion as she shoved at my chest, but I didn’t budge.

I captured her wrists, wet my lips, and prepared to deliver her the ugly words she needed to hear. “If Thomas ever hurt you, you don’t think I’d do the same to him as I did to the man who murdered my sister?”

And no, I hadn’t cut his brakes. I cut his fucking heart out.

Lacing her fingers with mine, I lowered our hands, holding them at our sides. “The problem is, I’d love nothing more than to break every bone in that man’s body just for breathing the same air as you.” I leaned in, my eyes still locked on hers. “But ...”

“He’s Chiara’s father, you wouldn’t do it. You know if you hurt him, it’ll hurt her in the long run. Also, you’re not a monster, Enzo.”

I was a monster. And I really would end that man if he ever hurt Maria or Chiara. I’d come close to choking the life from him this morning, too.

Maria adamantly shook her head, as if disagreeing with my unspoken thoughts; then she pulled her hands free from my grasp and swiped at the messy strands of hair by her face.

How in the hell was she not walking away from me after what she’d learned? I’d given her a glimmer of the truth, a peek at the darkness inside me, and here she was still rooted in place.

“I wish you would stop trying to keep this wall up between us.” A soft sigh left her beautiful mouth. “Just admit it—you’re scared to feel something for me.”

“I already feel something, Tesoro,” I shared, even if I shouldn’t have.

“Tesoro?”

Tesoro, my nickname for her. And until now, I’d only ever called her that in my head. She wasn’t a material object, but she was precious. Rare. Someone I’d always value, and, well—“Treasure,” I revealed, finishing my thoughts aloud. I set my hands on my hips and bowed my head and, before she could respond, roughly added, “Do you have any idea how close I am to hauling your ass to the bedroom and fucking you so hard you call out to God to come save you from me, il diavolo?” I looked up at her, angry at myself for sharing more, for giving her hope only minutes after she learned I was a killer.

She dragged her fingers across her lips as the color rose in her cheeks. And then my little fireball said in a steady voice, “The devil doesn’t sleep on the floor next to a crib, nor would he stop himself from taking what he wanted, would he?” Her hand planted on my chest, and I lowered my eyes to her touch. “So, like I said, I call bullshit.”

My breathing intensified as the blood rushed south, and all I wanted to do right now was take this woman and make her mine in every possible way.

When I remained quiet, she said in a softer tone, “You could’ve had me six years ago, and you could’ve had me last night. The fact you haven’t yet is on you. Only you. So be mad at yourself, no one else.”

“Believe me, I hate myself enough for the both of us and then some,” I snapped; then we both turned at the sound of Chiara crying, and I was shocked she hadn’t woken sooner when Thomas had been there.

Maria’s shoulders fell, and she pulled her hand from my chest. “I have to get her ready for Thomas’s. After this morning, if I don’t do what he wants, he’ll make my life miserable. I don’t want him trying to change the custody agreement or drag me back to court.”

“I’d never let that happen,” I reminded her, which only earned me a stern look. “Not by killing him,” I reluctantly added in case there was any doubt. “Unless—”

“He hurt me,” she finished for me, and a sad look that crushed me crossed her face. “He won’t, just so we’re clear. Thomas was a cheat and a lousy husband, but that’s it. Because of Chiara, he’s going to be in my life, and you need to learn to accept that if you want to stay in mine, too.” She turned to the side, preparing to go to Chiara. “And, Enzo? This whole you-killing-a-killer thing ... we’re not done talking about that.”

Once she was gone from sight, I let go of a gruff breath and slipped on my shoes. I snatched my hat and went home, deciding she needed time alone with her daughter. Plus, she needed to process our conversation. Or had that been a fight? Hell, I didn’t know what to call it, but I felt horrible. The idea of possibly losing them both had me feeling empty.

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