Page 97 of Ruthless Guardian

“You are a fool, Raffaele. You have no idea what that means. To have a wife and nurture a child in the world we live in is impossible.”

“Then let me take her away from this life.”

A dark chuckle seeps past his clenched lips. “I’m afraid that’s impossible. I have enemies everywhere, and the only place my daughter is safe is right here with me.”

“I want a part in her life. I will not abandon her or our child.”

His eyes narrow as he regards me. “I’ve already looked into your past, into your time with the GIS. You seem quite talented. My daughter could use someone like you on her security team.” He pauses, cold eyes drilling into me. “That is all I can offer you for now. If you prove yourself capable of keeping my daughter safe, I will consider allowing you a future with her. Are you up for the challenge, Raffaele?”

“Yes, absolutely. It will be my greatest honor to keep Laura safe. I’ll guard her with my life, and I swear I will never let anything happen to her.”

The scene fizzles away but the painful memories bloat my chest, thickening my throat so I can barely swallow.

“Raf, please tell me.” Isabella’s voice draws me to the present, to those brilliant blue eyes, not brown.

I blink quickly in a vain attempt to banish the past to where it belongs. “Cazzo, Isabella, I failed her. I swore to keep her safe, but I couldn’t. And my failings along with her ghost have haunted me for ten years now.”

She laces her fingers through mine, squeezing, but still, I can read the dread in her eyes. “You failed who?”

“Laura Sartori. My first client.” I pause, the words stuck at the back of my throat. “My first love.”

Hurt slashes across Isa’s face, and I hate that I put it there, but she asked for the truth, and I would give it to her, even if reliving those painful memories kills us both. She schools her face into one of compassion as the fleeting jealousy passes. “What happened?”

I grunt, the dark, frustrated sound erupting from my depths. “My fucking father happened.”

She stares at me, eyes wide as I find the most gentle way of putting the most monstrous act. No, there is no way. It’s impossible. “She was the daughter of the most powerful man in Italy at the time, and I was her bodyguard.” I chew on the next bit, the part I haven’t been able to speak for ten years. Not my father, not my brothers, not a single soul knew she was pregnant back then. I try to form the words but steel binds wind around my lungs, their hold suffocating. I can’t… I can’t even speak the unthinkable words. “But to him,” I choke out, “she was only his enemy’s daughter. A pawn caught in the dangerous games powerful men play.”

“Was?” Isabella whispers.

My head dips to my chin, the weight of her memory crushing.

“Your father caused her death?”

I bark out a dark laugh, my heart a mad drumbeat kicking at my ribs. “He didn’t just cause her death,principessa, he dragged the fucking knife across her throat.”

“Oh, God.” Her mouth pinches, brows knitting.

Bile crawls up my esophagus as blood taints my vision. So much blood. My hands covered in it.

“But why would he do something like that?”

“To teach me a lesson and bring Enrico Sartori, her father, to his knees.” I close my eyes, a vain attempt to hide from the terrible confession. “Sartori may have been a monster, but he loved his daughter. That single act ignited a war that continues to this day.”

Isabella inches closer, releasing one hand to caress my cheek. “I’m so sorry, Raf.”

“Yeah, me too.” Prying my lids open, I look into the eyes of the woman who means everything to me. Imagining thosevibrant ocean blue orbs clouding over, that vacant stare, the cold touch of her skin, it would kill me. “I can’t lose you,” I whisper.

“You won’t.” She shakes her head, that fiery determination set in her jaw. “I’m not going anywhere, Raf.” Crawling into my lap, she laces her arms around my neck and crushes me to her chest. For once, I’m the one who feels safe in someone else’s hold. Tears threaten, but I will them back, resolving to mourn the woman, the family I’d lost another time. It wouldn’t be fair to Isabella.

The car slows, and I glance out the window to the towering spires of the gothic church. On the verdant lawn beside it, lie dozens of marble headstones. The cemetery. Another pang jabs at my heart as I recognize the familiar hallowed grounds. Shit, I’d been so distracted I hadn’t even realized which cemetery we were going to. The very same one where Laura and our unborn child are buried.

If it were anyone but Isabella, I would have Sal turn around and drive us straight home. The thought of returning here has my stomach dropping to the soles of my shoes.

We remain silent in the backseat for a long minute as I run my fingers through Isa’s hair, until soft strands fall from the neat bun. I just need to touch her, to assure myself of her presence. Finally, she inhales softly and presses a chaste kiss to my cheek. “You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

I lock my eyes to hers and offer the best smile I can muster. “If you’re going, I’m going.”

“So stubborn.” Isa smirks before glancing over her shoulder to check on Sal. His head is down, likely scanning his cellphone. She brushes her lips over mine, still softly, but the light, comforting touch starts to mend the pieces of my shattered heart.

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