Page 56 of King of Obsession

A long, sinewed finger lifted my jaw, canting my eyes to his.

‘Carissima, even the most capable people need relief. A companion to lean on, hope with, and fuckin’ play and laugh with.’

I stilled, my hands gripping his shirt. ‘Says the lone wolf,’ I quipped.

‘You’ve got me wrong, carissima. A Calibrese is never alone. We’re a pack of wolves.’

I huffed at his apt description.

‘I’m not sure I know how to do that anymore,’ I admitted. ‘Leaning. Trusting. I feel like I’d be weaker to rely on anyone else.’

‘It’s not about weakness, mia sola,’ he growled. ‘It’s about knowing when to let someone help carry the load. Like I do for my family, and they for me.’

My eyes searched his. ‘Is that what you’re offering? To help carry my load?’

Something flickered in his gaze, a heat that made my breath catch.

We stood in each other’s arms for a long moment, the ambiance thick with unspoken tension. My heart raced in my chest, my skin prickling with awareness of his closeness.

He opened his mouth, but I preempted him, raising a finger to stop his roll. ‘Don’t answer that. Not when you’re holding me hostage so you can achieve whatever the fuck you’re up to.’

He shuttered down. His soul retreating, the warmth leaking from his eyes, his withdrawal causing such a whiplash that I hissed.

‘Cazzo, I need air,’ he growled.

I’d insulted him, somehow.

The realization sent shame flying through me.

He stepped away, turning and heading out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I listened to his footsteps fade as he retreated outside.

With a sigh, I forced myself to move, busying my hands and tidying up the meal’s remnants. But even as I went through the motions, my mind drifted back to him.

Damn, Alessio Calibrese unnerved and intrigued me.

He studied me as if he saw straight through to my soul. The way his presence filled a room, commanding attention without even trying.

And, hell, how he made me feel like I wasn’t alone.

Maybe, just maybe, I didn’t have to carry the world’s weight by myself.

I finished cleaning up and headed outside, needing the fresh air to clear my head.

As I stepped onto the porch, movement caught my eye.

He stood by the fence line, his back to me as he surveyed the surrounding landscape.

For many long moments, I studied him.

Taking in the strong lines of his scapulae, the set of his stance, the golden mane lifting in the wind, and the menace of his prowl.

He was like a gilded warrior surveying the lay of the land before a battle.

Like a man who foresaw a darkness and dread so terrifying it foreshadowed Hades.

Chapter 11

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