Page 32 of Tilly
I walk out of the boathouse and back towards the car. I open the trunk, pull out a towel, and wipe my face before throwing it inside again. Something else for Rafe to fucking burn.
“Antonio,” Romeo yells after me.
I turn around and wait as he makes his way over. I don’t know what he wants. I can take a guess, though.
“I don’t like you for her. Know that. But as long as she’s happy and safe, I won’t intervene,” he says.
“I respect you, Romeo. More than I respect most people. That said, don’t for one second mistake that respect for weakness. No one is taking her from me. Not even you,” I tell him.
“Good.” He smiles. Fucking smiles. And then the crazy son of a bitch just turns around and walks off.
“Was that his way of telling you he’s okay with you dating his daughter?” Rafe asks, the shock evident on his face.
“I don’t know what the fuck that was,” I admit.
Chapter Seventeen
Iwake up to darkness and know I’m alone. The bed where Antonio should be is cold. I get up, throw on a robe, and walk towards the closed door, only to pull it open and find Emillio sitting in the hallway, propped up against the opposite wall.
“What are you doing?” I ask him.
“Sitting in the hall?” He says it like it’s a question.
“Why?” I glance both ways before narrowing my glare back on him. “Where’s Antonio?”
“He had something to do. He’ll be back soon, though,” Emillio says. “You want some ice cream?”
“No.” I shake my head.
I’m about to turn around and go back to bed when I hear the front door open. Then voices fill the foyer. Emillio jumps to his feet and is in front of me quicker than I can blink. His body relaxes when he hears his brother. I move to the side, to peer around him, and gasp when my eyes land on Antonio. He’s covered in blood.
My whole body goes cold. Everyone looks at me. And I do the only thing I can think of. I turn around and sprint back to the bedroom before closing the door behind me. I rush into the bathroom and make it to the toilet just in time for the contents of my stomach to expel into the bowl.
The door opens and Antonio curses under his breath as he sits down next to me. He brushes my hair away from my face.
“Matilda? What’s wrong?” he asks, then yells out through the door, “Shit. Someone get a doctor.”
I shake my head. “I don’t need a doctor,” I whisper.
“What’s wrong?” he asks again, running a hand down my back.
“I… You weren’t here. I woke up and you weren’t here. And now you’re covered in… Wait… Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?” I reach out and start patting his chest, looking for the source of all the blood.
“I’m fine, ragazza. It isn’t mine,” he says.
My shoulders sag in relief. I should be concerned for whoever this blood belongs to, but I already know without even asking. “You found him.”
“We did. He’s no longer an issue,” Antonio confirms.
They found the guy who threatened me. I knew they would and I’m glad they did. At the same time… “I don’t like that you had to do that for me.”
“I know. But, Matilda, I’ve never had a better reason to kill. I will always put you first.” Antonio presses a kiss to my forehead. “Marry me,” he whispers.
I freeze. “What?”
“Marry me. I want forever with you, Matilda Valentino.”
“I… We don’t even live together, Antonio. You’re skipping a few steps here,” I tell him while my brain tries to catch up.
