Page 79 of Twisted Fate

“Why are you doing this for him?” I ask.

He smiles, his real smile, the one that creates the tiny crinkles at the corners of his eyes. “I’m doing it for you.” He runs the backs of his fingers along my cheek.

For me. I don’t know what to do with that, how to process my emotions.

“How did you get to me so fast?” I ask, thinking that it had only been a few minutes between the time I left him the voicemail and the time he showed up with Luca and Vito and Joe.

“Tracker on your phone,” Damian says. “But that was smart, leaving me the message so I could find you.”

“A tracker on my…” I should be angry. He put a tracker on my phone without my knowledge or consent. But if he hadn’t, Enzo could have taken me who knows where.

“I have enemies that will use you to get to me, Alina. I need to know where you are. Always,” he says. “Need to know where to find you. Sabina has trackers in her earrings and the ring she always wears, just in case they take her phone.”

They. He’s talking about enemies. About the Ivanovs or any other group who would take Sabina as a hostage to use against the Russos. Take me as a hostage.

“How could anyone use me to get to you?” I ask. I know. In my heart, I know. But I want, need to hear the words.

He lowers his head and rests his forehead against mine. “I didn’t plan this, Alina. Didn’t plan to want you. Need you. I never planned to make myself weak.”

“Damian—”

He cuts me off with a finger against my lips. “You are a liability. A way to get to me. And I don’t fucking care. You are worth more to me than my own fucking life. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“I…” I stare up at him, at the hard line of his jaw and his unsmiling mouth, at his dark, fathomless eyes, and I say, “I love you, Damian. I love you so much.”

He cups my cheeks, his gaze locked on mine. His expression is hard, intent. “If you choose me, Alina, it’s forever. You get that, right?”

My heart swells. “Yes,” I whisper. “I get that.” Then I smile. “If you choose me, Damian, it’s forever.”

“I chose you the night we met. Love at fucking first sight.” His voice is rough, like the words are torn from somewhere deep inside.

“You sure that wasn’t just lust?” I ask.

“Lust, yeah.” He runs the pad of his thumb against my lower lip. “But it’s more than that. I love that you’re strong. Brave. Smart. Funny. I love the sounds you make when you come. I love the parts of your soul that you shared with the world when you wrote your short story. I love the way you tilt your head when you have a question. I love the way you hold it together when shit gets rough. I love your loyalty. I fucking love you, Alina Madsen.”

“I fucking love you, too, Damian Russo.”

He lowers his head and kisses me, his lips on mine, possessive, like he’s imprinting himself on my soul with that kiss.

“I need to go. Leo will be expecting me,” he says. “I’m having someone pack up your belongings and bring them here. Give yourself a tour. Bedroom’s upstairs to the right. Upstairs to the left is your writing room.”

“My—”

“Desk. Laptop. Bookshelves…” He reaches into his breast pocket and pulls out an Amex Black card. He hands it to me. “Anything I didn’t think of, just order.”

I stare at him, hope and joy and a little trepidation mixing in my veins. “Are you asking me to move in with you?” I whisper.

“Not asking,” he says.

“So let me get this straight,” I say. “I’m a liability. A weakness. You are not asking but rather telling me I’m moving in…”

He waits for me to continue.

I don’t.

Damian nods slowly. “You’ve seen who I am. What I do. I understand your hesitation.”

“My only hesitation is the fact that you’re bossy as fuck.” I swallow, thinking of what he told me about his dad. “What if I give you my entire heart, my life, my everything, and you see some other blonde who catches your eye?”

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