Page 30 of His to Honor

Though I accept that Giulia isn’t some naïve girl who’ll blithely walk into danger, I’m aware there is always a risk. My natural urge is to put my foot down and refuse to let her go, but I have to suppress it. I don’t want our entire relationship to be based on me being a dictator and her resenting me for curbing her freedom.

“Okay, you can go, but you’re taking several guards with you.”

Giulia’s eyes widen. “Oh.” She sounds as if she’s had the wind knocked out of her sails. She obviously expected to have to put up more of a fight. “I thought you’d insist on coming with me.”

“It’s even riskier if you’re seen with me.” Although I’m confident I can protect Giulia, I don’t want to put a target on her back unnecessarily. If I’m with her, people will realize how important she is to me. I won’t be able to hide my protectiveness. “Damiano’s men will watch over you and I trust you not to do anything stupid.”

“You do?”

“Of course.” It’s true. I do trust Giulia. She was brought up in this life and knows to be wary of strangers. She won’t leave her drink unattended or nip out into the back alley with some guy for a casual hook-up. I’ve seen how she scans her surroundings, mapping everything out. I’ll bet in any emergency she can find her way straight to an escape route.

“Thank you, Matteo.” She comes over and presses a kiss to my lips. “Really, thank you. I was afraid you were going to become a raging dictator and ban me from leaving the house.”

I laugh as if that’s an absurd notion as Giulia walks off, but in reality, it’s taking everything I have in me not to lay down the law and forbid her from leaving my sight. If this thing between us has any chance of working, I have to keep my urge to dominate in check. Giulia needs me to demonstrate my faith in her, but already I’m struggling. I have to tread lightly, otherwise I’ll wreck everything.

CHAPTER 10

Giulia

When Matteo said we were going to his cousin’s vineyard for lunch, I conjured up images of us driving along a dirt road to a rustic farmhouse set among the grapevines. I thought there would be a little patio with a wooden table where we’d have lunch while looking out over ramshackle barns where the wine was stored. The picture in my head included flowers around the front door and a cat sunning itself on the window ledge. I guess it was a rose-tinted vision.

Perhaps in a bygone era this place was full of old-world charm, but now it’s a monument to modernity. An asphalt road that’s so smooth it has to have been laid recently leads up to a magnificent building that commands attention from miles around. Its sides are a sandy brick, and its roof is black slate. The entire front of the building is a wall of glass. It’s nothing like I expected yet it fits the landscape perfectly.

Matteo parks his car in the large visitors’ lot at the side of the building and switches off the engine. There must be fifty or more cars here. Perhaps the winery offers tours, or something.

“There’s Lorenzo.” Matteo nods his head toward the man sauntering toward us like he hasn’t a care in the world.

His cousin isn’t at all what I expected. While Damiano has been impeccably dressed in three-piece suits each time I’ve seen him, Lorenzo has opted for casual beige shorts and a white polo shirt that accentuates his tan. He’s wearing white tennis shoes without socks. His light brown hair is tousled, like he couldn’t be bothered to comb it. In reality, he probably spent ages getting it just right.

Grinning broadly as we get out of the car, he exudes warmth and friendliness. Nothing about him saysnotorious mobster, but I don’t suppose he’d have his kill count tattooed on his forehead. His genial manner probably makes him especially dangerous. Nobody would see him coming.

He opens his arms wide and then rests his hands on my shoulders.

“You must be the delightful Giulia.”

“She is.”

Matteo’s growl would make other men back off, but Lorenzo ignores him and kisses me on each cheek as a greeting.

“Hands off.”

Lorenzo just laughs and then reaches for his cousin to hug him. “Matteo. Welcome to Casa di Lupo.”

“House of the Wolf?” I query out loud.

“It was the name of the house that stood here before,” Lorenzo explains. “There were many rumors about the family who lived here for hundreds of years. Some say they were descended from wolves.”

While I don’t believe that for one second, it seems apt that Lorenzo would end up owning the property. His reputation is that of a dangerous predator. I don’t dare say that to him, though. He seems affable enough, but people don’t tremble in fear whenever someone utters the name of a nice guy.

“Is Damiano here yet?” Matteo comes and stakes his claim by putting his arm around my waist.

“No. Your sister had something to take care of. They’re running a little late.” He smirks as he glances down at Matteo’s hand resting on my hip. He offers me his arm and despite Matteo’s warning snarl, I loop mine through it. “Come,bella. Let me give you the tour while we wait.”

Lorenzo leads me, with Matteo hot on our heels, around to the back of the building. There’s an incredible view over the vineyard in the valley below. He points out a massive warehouse in the distance.

“That’s where we make the wine. If you’re interested, Giulia, I will take you down there after lunch and show you what we do.”

“I’d like that.”

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