Page 212 of Mafia Kings: Valentino

Cat stood there looking at me, tears pouring down her cheeks…

And she gave me the saddest smile I’d ever seen.

“It hurt too much to tell you,” she whispered. “And I wanted you so badly.”

That killed me.

It broke my fucking heart.

This woman…

This amazing woman…

She’d known all along about what a piece of shit I was…

And she still wanted me anyway.

My voice broke as I said hoarsely, “I’m sorry… I was a fucking idiot. I’d doanythingto go back in time and tell Dario ‘yes.’”

“So do it,” she whispered, taking a step forward. “Tell them you want to marry me and not her.”

“They won’t change their minds.” I scowled.“Niccolowon’t change his mind.’

“Then run away with me!” she begged as she took my hands in hers.

“Ican’t.”I felt desperate – like a rat trapped in a barrel slowly filling with water. “Massimo might be dead… Lars, too. We’ve lost all our money, and Roberto hasn’t gotten it back. This thing with Don Vicari might be the only chance we have to stop Uncle Fausto. Ican’trun away and leave them in the lurch. Ican’t.”

She gave me that sad smile again –

But this time, she cupped my cheek with her hand.

“I know,” she said softly. “I just had to ask.”

“I’m sorry,” I croaked out.

She hesitated. Then…

“I am, too,” she whispered. “But it’s not under our control… so we just have to make the best of it, I guess.”

“How do we do that?” I asked. I was angry at Niccolo, at Don Vicari – at the entire fuckingworld.

She smiled sadly. “Make love to me… and tell me you love me.”

I pulled her to me.

Half of my heart was filled with grief… and the other half was filled with love.

“I love you,” I whispered. “Iloveyou.”

When I kissed her, I tasted the salt of her tears.

74

Caterina

My heart was breaking…

But it felt so full, too.

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