Page 60 of Diavolo

Cautiously, she probed, "Which is?"

Alessandro snapped, "You do not want me. If I cannot even control my woman, how am I to run an empire? She intends to use this information against me.Against us. Soon, my rivals will know that you and I arenota united front."

"I see."

As understanding settled into Elyse, agitation began to fade. Her expression grew somber as she recalled Alessandro's claims from earlier in the night. When they were still on good terms. Before that fucking exit tempted her better judgment. His words rushed back at all once to haunt Elyse.

I want to trust you as my woman.

"I'm sorry about causing problems with your stepsister," she supplied grudgingly.

I cannot fuck around with loyalty.

Alessandro grunted sullenly in response, "Do not apologize. Just do not be so careless from now on. Every situation is more complicated than you think, and every choice carries an irreversible consequence. My enemies are always waiting for me to fuck up."

It is a matter of life or death in my world.

She admitted, "I didn't know Valentina would catch me. I never meant to cause you trouble. I only wanted some fresh air to clear my head."

Being surrounded by a room full of criminals had been nerve-wracking as hell. Yet, it'd been the pompous, old men who managed to rattle Elyse even more. Their patronizing attitudes had reminded her of the little value she carried in Alessandro'sworld. As a woman shaped by her professional accomplishments and years of independence, tonight had been a bitter pill to swallow.

His expression softened. "I can see how this evening might have overwhelmed you. I am sorry for throwing you into the deep end without warning. It will not happen again. Please believe me. Next time, things will be better for you. I will make sure of it."

Elyse gazed at him with wonder and longing. She wanted to trust him. Alessandro started nudging her toward the bed. As the back of her legs hit the mattress, he pushed her onto the soft surface. Then, Alessandro removed his clothing, crawled over to lay beside Elyse, and drew the covers over them. With an air of defeat, Alessandro searched for her eyes. The raw emotion that glimmered from him broke something inside her. Elyse felt her walls begin to crumble.

He whispered hoarsely, "Why did you try to leave me tonight?"

Emotions clashed within her. At the time, the desire tostay with himhad been nearly as strong as the desire torun from him, but she didn't know how to organize the complexity of these thoughts into words. Her answer faltered at first, "I..."

Alessandro waited for her to find her voice. With uncertainty etched across her face, Elyse mumbled, "I guess I was scared of what might become of me if I… stayed."

His eyes flashed intensely. "I would never let anyone hurt you. You are part of me now. I would sooner carve out my own flesh than let you suffer a moment of abuse."

"Believe it or not," she specified, "I'm not afraid of getting hurt. It's the thought of losing myself that scares me more."

"Why is that a bad thing? Iwantyou to lose yourself in me. As I am lost in you," he returned in heated tones. "I have wanted you from the very beginning. The moment I opened my eyes inQueens and saw you,I knew, I would never be able to look at another woman the way I look at you."

"You have the privilege of wanting me because you hold power in our relationship," Elyse argued, "but I can't give too much of myself. I don't know where I stand. There are too many limits placed on me. I can't even step away from the fucking restroom without Monte sounding the alarm. I don't have control over anything."

Alessandro laughed harshly. "You wield more agency than you think. Especially over me."

"In order for this partnership of ours to work," she insisted, "you must share your power with me."

He eyed her with suspicion. "What do you mean?"

"Knowledge is power."

His expression darkened. "No,knowledge is a burden that I do not want you to carry."

Elyse's eyes grew sharp and shrewd. "If you withhold the information I need to keep us safe, then I'll always want to run, I'll always be afraid of the unknown, and I'll always fuck things up for you—like I did tonight with Valentina—simply because I can't predict what the consequences might be. If I'm to become your woman, you need to treat me like your partner. Not some trophy to be kept out of harm's way."

At this moment, her argument finally seemed to sink into his skull. A glimmer of realization passed over his handsome features. Alessandro warned, "Once I bring you in, you will not be allowed to leave."

Elyse's heart began to thunder as her mind swirled with discontent. The Graviano blood in her veins only tightened the noose around her neck. The mafia had a chokehold on her now. The possibility of escaping her fate had become a fantasy. It wasn't like she would've gotten far tonight. Even withoutValentina's untimely appearance, Monte would've tracked her down soon enough.

With a small, sad smile, Elyse finally gave in to her fate, "I understand what's at stake, and I choose to stay with you."

14

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