Page 78 of Bianchi

Romeo

Which one?

Daniele

She said she would do it herself if I didn’t help.

Said she needed some space.

Maybe you can talk to her tomorrow?

Who the hell does he think he is? I head in the direction of his room, my phone to my ear as I call him again. Keep digging your fucking grave, Daniele.

Romeo

Answer the fucking phone.

I dial his number for the fifth time, pressing my phone to my ear and daring him to ignore me again. He picks up on the first ring, sighing heavily.

“Which room is she in?” The words are barked out, my patience gone.

“Romeo, maybe?—”

My fury consumes me and I sink into it, a welcome departure from the guilt that’s consumed me since she came home. I bellow, “Don’t you fucking dare. You’re on thin ice, Daniele. In fact, it’s cracked around you and I’ll be damned if I save you. Tell me where she is. Now.”

Defeated, he replies, “She’s on the third floor, in the room at the end of the corridor on the west side of the house.”

As far away as she could get from me, in other words.

“I’ll deal with you later.” All the anger I feel is contained in that sentence. There have to be consequences for his actions. He’s been crossing the line too often recently. Especially when it comes to her.

Disconnecting the call, I head for the room. It feels like everything is spiraling and I need to get a handle on it all. Starting with her. Even now, when she’s moved herself to the opposite end of the house, I can’t help but hold on to the delusional hope that she’ll stay. The words in her note have to mean something. Those kinds of feelings can’t just be shrugged off or taken back. Deep down, she has to still feel something for me. There has to be a shred of hope that we can make it back from all of this.

When I reach her door, I twist the handle, intent on slipping in and under the covers. Hell, I’d take sleeping on the floor beside her bed. Anything to be close to her. The doorknob doesn’t shift and I chew on my lip in confusion.

She expected me to react like this. To hunt her down and force myself into her room. I let my head fall against the door. Cristo. I’ve never been this consumed by another person and I can’t seem to control myself.

Taking a step back, I lean against the opposite wall, going over my options. I could get the master key and let myself in. Or respect her decision and return to my room. The idea tastes bitter on my tongue and makes up my mind for me. I’ll be sleeping in the hallway tonight. Sliding down the wall, I cross my legs at the ankles and relax back.

I’ve slept in less comfortable places.

My limbs feel heavy, and I smother a yawn as I close my eyes and settle in. A door closing further down the corridor has my eyes springing open. Daniele appears at the end of the passageway with a pillow and blanket in his arms.

He looks sheepish when he approaches me, holding out the items as a peace offering. “I figured you could do with these. And I needed to apologize.”

Handing them over, he slides down the wall, taking a seat next to me as I position the pillow behind my head. He has a lot more than apologizing to do, but then again, so do I with Aurora.

Tugging on the back of his neck, he lowers his gaze before continuing, “I shouldn’t have disobeyed you, but I stand by my decision. Something wasn’t adding up and if I hadn’t listened to my gut, she’d have died alone in that room.”

I blow out a breath because he’s right and I am grateful for what he did. “I can’t let what you did go unpunished.”

He nods, fully aware that I would respond like that. “I accept responsibility for what I did, and I’ll take whatever punishment you think is warranted. Everything I’ve done has been for you, Romeo. It might not seem like it, but you’re like a brother to me and sometimes you need protecting from yourself because I know you never would have forgiven yourself if you’d lost her.”

He’s both wrong and right. I’ve already lost her and I won’t ever forgive myself for what she went through. At my silence, Daniele stands and leaves me alone to stare at her locked bedroom door.

Chapter 51

Romeo

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