Page 31 of His Stolen Bride

“Do you have a plan?”

“No.” He glances to the left, back toward the foyer where Bella holds court. “She’s the brains of the operation. Bella.”

I shift in my seat. “What’s her plan, then?” An uncomfortable ripple shoots down my spine. Bella came clean with me the other day, but has she had other reasons for revealing the truth? To distract me, perhaps? Maybe give me just enough truth to pull the wool over my eyes?

“I don’t know.” He seems to clam up again, as if he’s remembered that I’m the enemy. I’m not. Well, I’ll revise that. I’m not unless my beauty intends to leave me, to escape with her sister and Leo. I’ll never let it happen. I’d chase her to the ends of the earth and bring her back here where she belongs, then fuck the truth right into her. We are forever.

Leo isn’t going to tell me anything else. I can see that by the set of his chin and the hardness of his eyes. He doesn’t trust me.

“Fernando is going to come calling for her, sooner rather than later.” I take up the coin again and walk it along my scarred knuckles. “He wants to marry her off to a made man, someone who can bring fortune and strength to his operation.” I hold his gaze. “You aren’t that, are you?”

He shakes his head. “I have no name to speak of, no.”

“Neither did I when I was young and stupid like you. You have to make your name. But that’s beside the point. The point is that Fernando is coming, and Gianna will have to go. It’s that or start the war that we’ve all been trying to avoid for years and years.”

“I’ll happily fight a war for her.”

“I understand that.” I do. I feel the same way about Bella. “But we have to be smart. Risking lives—especially the lives of Bella and Gianna—isn’t something I take lightly.”

“I don’t take it lightly. You think I want to be here? Gianna and I should be somewhere safe, somewhere we can plan a nursery and build our future. But we can’t. Fernando will never let her go, not when he can use her to his advantage.” The fire in his tone is both admirable and worrisome.

“I will keep my promise to my bride. Protecting Gianna is part of my covenant with Bella, understand?”

“Yes, but Gianna is mine to protect.”

I sigh. “Don’t do anything stupid. That’s all I ask.” I rise and move toward the door. “Here, you’re safe. Both you and Gianna. If you were to take off, I couldn’t promise it would end well. So stay put until I can figure out a way to smooth this mess over.”

He gives me a grim nod, then we return to the foyer.

Bella smiles at me, her eyes lighting up as I approach. The foreboding in my heart lessens as she comes to me and grips the front of my shirt as I lean down for a kiss. This is real. She must feel it.

Her taste is heaven, and there’s no way in hell I’ll ever give it up.

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