Page 39 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 3

The doorbell sounded, and I walked over to the door, not even checking the peephole before opening it wide.

Erik and Savannah stood looking haggard and brokenhearted.

“Brother,” Erik breathed and pulled me into his arms.

“I’m so glad you’re here, man.” I held on tight. “We lost her. We lost Ellen.” I croaked and the two of us stood in the entryway to Ellen’s home and wept.

Episode 70

Time to Celebrate

JULIANNE

Gio held my hand as we walked through Central Park. Lee and another bodyguard were walking a discreet distance away, giving us space but still close enough to intervene if something happened. Since Giovanni’s trauma, his hospital stay, and the police report of the assault being leaked to the media, we’d had a weekend at home and a single night out for dinner before the vultures came cawing.

Thankfully, Lee was strategic in his protection of his charges—Gio and me. However, Gio insisted Lee’s instructions were to ensure my safety first, above his own.

We had words about it.

I lost.

Now whenever we left, Lee had four identical blacked-out SUV’s leaving the garage at the same. Sometimes he drove us, other times he didn’t. All to ensure we’d lose the paparazzi. And he was fantastic at making us all disappear through the New York City traffic.

“So, how was therapy?” I nudged Gio’s shoulder as we walked through the park, just a normal couple out on a stroll.

He grunted and squeezed my hand. “Fine.”

“Hmm, fine doesn’t sound like an answer. If you don’t want to talk about it, you can just say, ‘I don’t want to talk about it.’”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” He let out a long breath.

“Fine.” I snapped back and tried to pull my hand away. He didn’t allow it and held on tighter, followed by a low, groan like sigh.

“I hate that I even need therapy,” he finally admitted.

I nodded.

“It’s like this entire big thing happened to me, to you, and I can’t avoid it, when all I want to do is ignore it entirely. Does that sound asinine or what?”

“No, it doesn’t. What Bianca did was traumatizing and criminal. That’s why you’re talking to someone about it. To eventually move past the trauma and be able to live your day-to-day life without it creeping up and swallowing you whole, or invading your dreams, like last night.”

Last night, I’d shaken him awake in the middle of a night terror. He’d jolted awake and jumped out of the bed so fast he was practically a blur. Then he just stood there, his body covered in sweat as he panted, hands in fists at his sides, eyes wild and scared. Eventually, I got him to relax by talking to him calmly.

He just kept whispering, “I need to get clean.” So I led him into the shower, and he stood there, palms against the tile as I quietly spoke to him and washed him from head to toe. Once he felt he was clean enough, I dried him and together we went back to bed, him holding me from behind as though I might try to leave. I wasn’t ever leaving him.

“I hate it so much. It makes me feel so fuckingweak,” he growled. “Last night…” He looked down and away. “Why does it feel like sometimes it’s getting worse?”

“Because maybe it has to go through whatever cycle in your brain it needs to in order to expel it. I know you hate it, baby; I do too. But to me, you’re dealing with it, and taking steps to find a healthy frame of mind. And that is beyond strong. It takes a lot to admit when you’ve been wronged so horribly and do something about it.”

He shrugged. “I guess you’re right.”

I nudged him playfully again. “I’m always right.”

He turned and pulled me against him, wrapping his arms around my waist as I crossed my wrists behind his neck.

“You’re the only thing that matters to me in this entire world. You know that, Julianne? I’d burn this fucking city down to the ground if anything or anyone tried to take you away from me. You’re all I live for.”

My heart pounded while my chest ached at the sincerity in his tone. “Sweet talker,” I whispered and rose on my toes so I could kiss him. He tasted of coffee and the cinnamon churro we’d shared when we entered the park. Absolutely delicious. I hummed against his lips as he nipped and teased my own.

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