Page 25 of Under His Embrace

I shook my head, not as an answer of no, but a show of how this conversation broke me down. “I will never regret you, Franco. Never.”

11

FRANCO

Even though Chloe was emotional and seemed to be on the verge of breaking down, I noticed the difference.

She said she never regrettedme. But she couldn’t say that she didn’t regretleavingme the way she had.

“I can’t ever regret you, Franco.” She licked her lips as she lifted her watery gaze to mine. Her hand came up to slide along my jaw, and I couldn’t help but lean into her touch. I’d missed it. I’d longed for her tender sweetness for so many years, and I was beholden to her affection again.

Staring down into her blue gaze, I saw every bit of the open vulnerability shining there. She was trusting, but still so scared. She was opening up, yet holding back.

Too much time had passed between us for this conversation to go differently. Yet, I refused to let her think she couldn’t rely on me. I had to convince her that I was here for her and that no matter the distance between us, I would protect her. She had my heart. She always did. And that wouldn’t ever change.

The delicate stroke of her soft fingertip on my skin rocked through me. Such a gentle caress, and it coursed through me so fiercely. Any connection with her would hit me hard, but I refused to tumble back onto the bed and take her hard again. Icouldn’t fuck her senseless as a diversion from what needed to be shared now.

Truths. She had to come clean, fully honest about anything and everything she wanted to hide from me yesterday.

Stroking her hair back from her face, I kept her snug against my side. But I was firm in the decision that I wouldn’t take her again. Not hard, nor gentle. I couldn’t let sex dictate all that came between us now.

“You don’t regret me, yet you can stand by your decision to leave me.”

She lowered her gaze. Shame and pain filled her face, but I tipped her head so she’d look me in the eyes again.

“Chloe, I need to know why you ran. Why you ran from me.”

She sucked on her lower lip for a moment, hesitant. “It was ten years ago.”

“It wouldn’t make a difference if it was ten days ago. Why, Chloe? Why’d you run from me if you loved me?”

She tried again to look away, but I deserved more. I was due the truth. I lifted her chin again. “Why couldn’t you fight for us, for us to stay together?”

“You don’t understand,” she replied on a shaky whisper. Tears leaked from her eyes, and as they streaked over her cheeks, I wiped them clear from her soft skin. Even though she couldn’t see me, she didn’t make a move to shy away or cower from my direct gaze.

Watching her crumble and break apart was hard. It broke my heart to witness her suffering and crying so softly like this, like the sadness and despair had to slip out because she couldn’t bottle it in and hold it captive any longer. If I was the key to unlock the dam of all that she’d kept in, so be it. If she needed me to firmly ask for long overdue answers, then I would persist and beg for her to explain.

I had to know. I was due an explanation. I would hold her and let her soak my shirt with her tears. Determined to have an answer after all this time, I would wait for her to overcome her emotions and reach a point where she could explain.

Tears were a weakness—from my enemies. Deep, heart-felt sorrow was a grievance—from anyone who dared to come against the family.

Chloe was the exception. She would always be my exception. My life was full of danger and threats, of violence and death. Darkness had to rule sometimes, and I embraced how skilled I was at dealing it out, of being the family’s top capo.

I didn’t give mercy to anyone. No one.

Except her.

This beautiful soul was theonlyexception in my life, and she always would be. It was the biggest reason I used to think we made so much sense together. That we were so compatible as extreme opposites. She was soft and sweet and delicate to express tender emotions while I had to train to be hard and mean and wield my power with ill intentions. She was the light to my darkness. The Yin to my Yang. It united us. Our love and acceptance of each other tied us closely together in that deep affection, but still, it wasn’t enough to keep us as one.

I never saw her as weak and prone to wishing for peace. She never held it against me when I had to be cruel and harsh. We were opposites, but stronger together.

“Help me understand,” I said as I rubbed her back. Giving her a moment to collect herself, I waited in suspense for her to speak.

“My parents wouldn’t approve of us,” she replied.

This again. I shook my head slightly. “They didn’t approve of our hooking up in the first place. They told you not to date me at all, and you didn’t listen.”

Her shoulders slumped as she sighed. “I know. I couldn’t have stayed away from you then.”

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