Page 79 of Frayed Bonds

He sighs. “Why not? I’ve got so much of it, I need someone to help me spend it all,” he jokes and I roll my eyes, pushing him gently.

What starts as a gentle push, ends with him grabbing my hand and pinning me to the mattress underneath him. “The offer is still out there if you ever change your mind, sweetheart,” he says, gently pushing a hair out of my face.

“Thank you,” is all I can muster.

“I’d do my best to fix all of your problems if only you’d let me,” he whispers into my hair as he lets me go and I lay down on his chest

“Trust me, if you knew about all of them you probably wouldn’t want to. My life is a bit of a mess.”

“Unlike my youngest brother, I enjoy a good mess. What else is bothering you?”

“I just feel like there are certain things of my past that won’t leave me alone,” I sigh.

“These things wouldn’t have anything to do with the engagement ring you sold to Antonio?”

My head snaps up to him but he’s staring up at the ceiling. His body is tense and I can tell he’s worried about bringing this up.

“Antonio told me. But only because I asked why he bought a moissanite ring for that much money.”

I sink back into his shoulder and join him in staring at the ceiling. “Then he told you why I wanted to sell it as well. I just want control over my life again. You know, be the one making decisions that move my life forward. Not having someone controlling every move I make.”

He stays quiet for a while and I almost begin to wonder if he fell asleep.

“I get that, I felt that way for a long time growing up. Having my father mould me into a miniature version of him for so long. Just be careful that you don’t explode when trying to find yourself again.”

“Is that what the last few years on the Amalfi coast were for you? An explosion?” I chuckle but his silence slices through my humour.

“I guess you can say that, freedom is one hell of a drug and unfortunately it takes a pretty huge problem to snap you out of it and make you realise that you’ll always have responsibilities no matter how much you run.” He looks down and meets my eyes.

“It's ironic that this lack of freedom is now affecting my responsibilities.” I look into his eyes but they’re way too consuming and I force myself to look away.

“How?”

“I have no passion for my art anymore. I’ve been avoiding it like the plague because I feel like I can't get into it without overthinking.”

“It’s a fine line, sweetheart, but that is something I can help you with under one condition.”

“I’m listening…” I furrow my brows and look at him.

“I’ll help you taste more freedom and passion than you have in your entire life, as long as it's only with me.”

“Coming from Italy’s most notorious playboy, this is almost ironic,'' I smirk and even he can't help but chuckle at my use of the title that has surrounded him for the last few years.

“Let's just say that's the one title I'm trying to lose.”

“Well, then you have a deal.”

He pulls me so that I’m lying on top of him. His lips brush against my chin, just slightly against my scar and I try my best not to jolt away from him.

My body is finally feeling the toll this night has taken on it. I am exhausted beyond measure. The emotional and physical toll today had on me is way more than I’ve ever had to deal with in one day.

Ambrose’s arms are the perfect blanket to silence all of my worries and I can only hope that my presence is doing the same for him.

Chapter thirty-one

Ambrose

Normally I don’t struggle to fall asleep unless my mind is obsessing over something, but right now, I feel as if I have a weight the size of a mountain on my chest, and it isn’t from Valerie laying on it.

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