Page 105 of His Two Hidden Masks

Leo raised his hands in the air. “Shhhh, Just tell me, do you love him?”

Did I love him? I wanted to say ‘no,’ and shut this line of questioning down, but the answer was more complicated. “I don’t know.”

“Bella,” Leo said. “Don’t be afraid of your feelings. You said yourself you were right about Roberto. Why don’t you trust yourself now?”

“I do trust myself,” I said, my eyes filling with tears again.

“Hear me out. I know that David is a lying, cheating, dickhead who I should forget exists, but last night I cried myself to sleep, remembering how good it felt to be kissed by him.”

“Oh, Leo. I’m sorry. I am such a self-absorbed ass.”

“No, you aren’t. Your problem is that you aren’t self-absorbed enough.” Leo laughed.

“You have spent years taking care of everyone else, trying to be so good, so quiet. Big, but not too big. Powerful, but not too loud. I know Dylan hurt you, but it doesn’t mean there isn’t something worth saving there.”

“Are you trying to save what you have with David?”

“Oh, fuck, no. He can suck a dick and die, which probably suits him just fine. Seriously, he would love to go out that way. So do you?” Leo said. “Do you love Dylan?”

I nodded, biting my lip. “I loved him. For a moment I really loved him, but it doesn’t matter. He lied to me, Leo. He knew about the acquisition and the plan to eviscerate all of my family’s assets. He knew these things and did nothing. He also has secrets.”

“I can’t imagine there is a billionaire alive on this planet without secrets, honey,” Leo said.

“He’s Strand, Leo,” I said.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“The musician. It’s him. The night we saw him perform? That was Dylan.”

“And you texted me later and said you left with him,” Leo said, inhaling and looking around the restaurant as if he had been transported to another dimension.

“You know, I wasn’t totally sure where you ran into him. None of us ever saw him arrive at the club.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

Leo exhaled. “So many questions.”

“You can’t tell anyone. He told me. I don’t know why. He’s going to leave Venice and he’s retired, so his secret doesn’t really matter.”

“Oh, my gosh. He was singing to you, wasn’t he?” Leo’s eyes were so wide.

“He’s leaving. It’s over.”

“And you are totally sure that you want to marry your sister’s ex-boyfriend, instead of pursuing the hot billionaire with a secret rock star identity.”

“The hot billionaire who lies and keeps secrets and has real problems?”

“We all have problems.”

I smiled and swirled the last of my Aperol Spritz in my glass before downing it. “I have thought through all the options. I see no other way to fix things. I appreciate you, and everything you are saying. I really do.”

“I hear you,” Leo said. “But one last thing. One last question. I swear.”

“Leo, I can’t. I just can’t think about him.”

“Last thing, for me. Please answer for me.”

“Fine.”

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