Page 34 of Twisted Obsession

‘You stayed,’ she uttered disbelievingly.

‘Of course.’ I pushed myself off the wall and moved towards her. ‘I needed to know that you and your mama were okay.’

‘We told him to go, and that he would have been contacted later.’ Paulo spoke and I intentionally made no effort to look at him, instead keeping my eyes focussed on the beautiful yet vulnerable young woman in front of me.

‘And you don’t want to know what I said to that… other than that Don De Luca had given me his express permission to help you with your mama, and I wasn’t leaving until I knew you were both okay,’ I explained.

‘Has my papa returned home?’ Her voice quavered slightly as she spoke, making me in no doubt of her emotional state.

‘No, not yet.’ I shook my head but never broke eye contact with her, knowing I wanted her to feel without explanation that I was there for her.

‘Oh.’ Her reply was laden with uncertainty.

‘Your grandfather has, and he’s asked to see you just as soon as you were able.’

I reached out to hold her up as soon as I saw the colour drain from her face and her body begin to tremble. Holding on to both of her forearms as I steadied her, and feeling her reliance on me for that minor thing, I understood then that I wanted her to be dependent on me for so much more.

‘Come here.’ I pulled her closer to me and momentarily wrapped her up in my hold. Reluctantly, I released her just as suddenly and led her towards a light-coloured seat that I knew would be big enough for the two of us to sit down on while she regained her strength.

‘Better?’ I questioned.

‘Better.’ she agreed, sighing out loud as she swept her tongue over her lips. Memorised at the small but telling action, I felt my cock twitch in anticipation. I knew there was no way she could do it again without me pressing my mouth against hers, so I reacted the only way I could.

‘Get her some water,’ I demanded, not looking up at the two men who were now standing far too close to both of us.

‘I can’t believe that my whole life has been turned upside down in the space of a few hours,’ she started, as she lifted a hand to take the offered water.

As she started to drink, I watched as her anxiety consumed her. Her spare hand scrubbed against her leg, making the fabric of her dress bunch. Instantly, I covered her hand with my own, silently offering her my solidarity, all the while fighting against myself to pick her up in my arms like I’d done with her mama only an hour before and to take her back to England with me, where I could show how much being dependant solely on me could be to her benefit, and of course mine.

Lorenzo, the man that, until now, I had always had the upmost respect for since fighting by his side, stepped closer after seeing me touch her.

With a strength that I knew came from our connection, my anxious girl gave him a look that made him freeze and straightaway backtrack.

‘It’s a feeling I know only too well,’ I released mistakenly, giving her an insight into the pain I carried, making her turn her head and look at me intently.

‘You do?’ she questioned hopefully. I knew she wanted to know more; I could see she had many unspoken questions swirling around those unusual coloured eyes of hers. But knowing how much she had already affected me, I pressed my lips together tightly before offering her a non-committal agreement.

‘I’m not sure I know how to do all of this,’ she admitted.

Happy to take the direction away from me personally, I thought about my sister Sera.

‘You can, and you will, because you must. I know how much pain one person can deal with. Look at Serafina. Our elder brother was killed, and our papa had a massive heart attack, which damaged so much of his heart he now uses a wheelchair. Instead of going to university like she dreamt of, she married your brother at sixteen and lost their first child.’ I stopped myself from talking, as anger over what the sibling I was closest to had lost in her young life swept in and took a firm fucking hold.

‘I admire her so much. At least her marriage is a happy one.’ She smiled as a blush took away the pale pallor of her skin.

‘At least,’ I replied, trying hard to curb the sarcasm.

‘I mean, here I am at twenty and alone.’

‘Twenty is no age at all.’ I countered, and instantly regretted my tone when I saw how embarrassed she looked from my rebuff.

‘It might not be in England,’ she retorted. ‘But here, most of our marriages are arranged way before then.’

Fuck! Were they going to marry her off, too? And why the fuck do you care if they are?

‘Touché.’ I replied, feeling surprised at the anger that was seeping into every one of my pores at my internal thoughts. Then, as I attempted to shake its hold, I nodded at her hoping to get her to carry on. When she didn’t, but continued to stare at me instead, I was sure she was seeing right through me. Trying to deflect, I spoke again and asked something I wasn’t sure I really wanted the answer to. ‘Is your marriage already arranged?’

My hand froze over hers, making her look down at our conjoined hands. I was barely managing to control my anger at the thought of her with another man, another man that wasn’t me, and was pleased her eyes were no longer on me.

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