Page 75 of Stolen Queen

His jaw tightens. "Do you realize what you're risking?"

“I do. And I'm prepared to face those consequences. I'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe, even if that means walking away from everything. Or dying at Rinella’s hand."

Elio's eyes narrow. "You realize what you're saying? Rinella won't just come after you. He'll come for all of us. The entire family is at risk because of your actions."

That part is fucked, and I want to find a way to fix it. “I’ll take all the blame. You can disown me if necessary.”

“She’s worth all that to you?”

I struggle to find the right words to express the depth of my feelings for Ava. How do I explain that she's not just some girl I'm infatuated with, that she's become my whole world?

"Yes. She's unlike anyone I've ever met. She's got this spirit, you know? This fire inside her that just draws you in. Even after everything she's been through, she's still so kind, so full of life."

He watches me, studying, assessing.

"And she's brave. She snuck out of Rinella’s home. Twice.”

His brows shoot up. “What? Did you help her?”

I shake my head. “She showed up at one of the clubs. God, she was like a lamb in a wolf's den, but she walked in anyway. I got her home safely.” I skip the part about the kiss. “But there’ssomething about her daring, so I watched her and sure enough, a month later, she’s sneaking out again, but she falls, hits her head, and I?—”

“You saved her?” Elio wants me to be a hero, but I’m not.

“I brought her home knowing that once I did, I was fucked.”

“But she wanted to stay, right?”

I blow out a breath. “She was torn, I believe. I had to show her I wouldn’t hurt her or use her like her father does.”

He shakes his head, and I know he’s seeing through what I’m not saying. “But she does now. Jesus, Matteo, she was dressed?—”

I hold up a hand. “She says she loves me.”

To my surprise, I see the corner of Elio's mouth twitch in amusement.

Encouraged, I continue, "She's got this adventurous streak that just… I don't know, it makes me want to show her the world. And at the same time, it makes me want to protect her from all the darkness in it."

“I see.”

“Last night, fucking hell, I nearly had a heart attack. She left, Elio. Left to protect me. Me!” I sit back, still stunned by her guts and her gall.

“She’s with you now?”

“She’s at my place, yes.”

Elio's expression is unreadable, and I tense. I've known this man my entire life, but at this moment, I can't predict how he'll react. Am I swaying him? Or am I about to be booted out of the family?

Elio leans back in his chair, his expression softening slightly. "Women have a way of fucking with your mind.”

And your heart.

“Do you know how hard it was to not kill Piper’s ex with my bare hands?”

“I do. I was there.” No one would have blamed him since the man had a knife to little Elysse’s throat. But it had been important to Elio that the cops handle Gabriel for Piper and Elysse’s sake.

“I’d do fucking anything for her and Elysse. Including going against my family.”

“Which you did,” I remind him. Piper was why Elio broke off his engagement to Ava.

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