Page 21 of Winter Love

My head is spinning as I listen to them talk. Apparently this T-Rex is a really bad guy and somehow he’s connected to William. Now they’re coming after my girl and I don’t know what to do. We watch Enea, Leonardo, Antonio and Giacomo discuss what happened. Sebastiano and Francesco are doing their thing and looking for both men. Trying to find out anything they can about how they’re connected. Even Salvatore’s using his connections to help.

Watching them makes me wonder what we would’ve done if we didn’t have their help. Living in Wintervale, we’ve never had to deal with anything like this. Small town life is usually quiet and the worst thing I’ve gone through was losing my parents. Now we’re dealing with mafia and MC families. They’ve seen things I never thought were real. I’ve watched stuff like this on TV. But this is real life. My life.

“I love you,” I whisper to Emma. “We’re going to find a way through this.”

“I know. I just hate that my decisions brought us here. I knew when I met William that there was something wrong with him. But I ignored that nagging feeling. And look what happened. I brought a madman into our lives. Your family, my family. All because of me,” she says as a tear rolls down her cheek.

I wipe it away and kiss her.

“I don’t ever want you to think like that. None of this is your fault, we all make decisions. Sometimes they’re good and sometimes not so good. I mean, I could easily say this ismyfault.”

She frowns at me. “That’s crazy. How would this be your fault?”

“I couldn’t figure out a way to keep you with me. If I had, you never would’ve dated William. So that’s on me.”

“No way. How could you have known?—”

I can see the realization in her eyes.

“Okay. I see what you’re saying. But I still feel bad.” She sighs.

“You can feel bad. Just don’t blame yourself. Okay?”

“Okay,” she says as she kisses me. “I love you.”

I hold her tight, I hate that she feels like this is her fault.

Emmanuelle

“How do you do that?” I whisper.

“Do what?”

“Make me see things differently, make me see that things might not be what I think they are.”

“Baby, none of this is your fault. No matter what circumstances brought us here, it wasn’t something you did. You need to see that.”

“But I’m the one who dated William. So it’s my fault. I chose to say yes.”

“Would you say this situation was my fault if it was reversed? If this was a girl I chose to date?”

I frown and look up at him. Would I blame him? Not even for a second. Ugh. He did it again. I make a face at him.

“Thank you for loving me like you do,” I say softly as I hug him tighter.

Chapter Eleven

Emmanuelle

My family is arriving today and I’m terrified. All the papas that are here remind me of mine. And my papa is going to be angry. Not so much at me for what’s going on, but because I didn’t tell him. My brothers will feel the same. How can I explain that I didn’t want them to go after William? Even saying it in my head sounds dumb. If one of my sisters had said that? I would’ve screamed at them that no matter what, we don’t keep secrets. But that’s just what I did.

I clean to keep busy as I wait for my family to get here. Lukas was on shift last night and it was a busy night. So he’s sleeping until they get here. Two more hours. It’s dragging on like time knows I have secrets to confess, so its torturing me.

“I understand why you didn’t tell your family. Sometimes it’s hard to admit what we’re going through. It took me years to tell mine about the fears I had growing up. I know it’s not the same. But I guess what I’m saying is I understand the fear and not wanting your family to feel bad because of it,” Sebastiano says as he sits at the counter.

I smile at him. “How did you meet your wife?”

“My Schuyler was in a horrible relationship when we met. But I knew from the moment I saw her that she was the other half of my soul.”

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