Page 32 of Third Degree

The man I wasn’t supposed to have any interaction with, at least for the next six months. The man who prevented me from being married because he had consumed my every thought for the last twelve fucking years.

He was the only man who had ever touched me, granting me the taste of freedom I had longed for.

The man I yearned for, fantasizing about him every night.

The man I wanted but could never have.

For over a decade, thoughts of him had consumed my mind, and I had spent countless nights wondering if he was still alive or okay.

My gaze fixated on Elio, taking in his appearance. Once youthful, his salt-and-pepper hair now displayed the marks of time, making him look older than when we first met. His chiseled jawline remained. The years had added a certain maturity to his features but only enhanced his rugged handsomeness. Clad in a black suit accentuating his thick muscles, he exuded a commanding presence.

Elio Marchetti. My best friend’s father-in-law.

He shook hands, making his way around the group until our gazes locked. His mouth parted, and it felt like all eyes were on us. There was a long pause, and finally, he reached his hand out to me.

“Elio.” His green eyes connected with mine, and I could barely raise my hand up to his without feeling like my entire body was being consumed by a raging fire.

“G—Daphne.” I had to remind myself of the name I was going by now and mentally cursed when I almost slipped up in front of everyone.

“It’s a pleasure.” He held my hand much longer than he did with any of my friends, and I let him because fuck, I missed the way he felt against me. He didn’t even flinch when I introduced myself using another name. I missed his touch, the way his skin felt pressed against mine. I missed him.

“Excuse me,” I exclaimed. I bolted toward the door and rushed into the nearest bathroom.

Panic and bile rose in my chest, and then I was hyperventilating, unable to catch my breath. I noticed that he shot me a concerned look, but I managed to get into the bathroom and start focusing on counting the tiles on the floor to calm myself down.

I wasn’t supposed to see him. I wasn’t supposed to know who he was.Hewasn’t supposed to be here.

The first thing that came to my mind was that if my parents found out somehow, this could potentially ruin the entire deal between them. This stupid little run-in could create a war among families, and with my friends now involved but fully unknowing, I didn’t want it to come to that.

The second being that I was desperate to be near him, and in the last twelve years, I imagined what this day would look like. And quite honestly, it looked nothing like it did right now. I was in a ball of panic, and I needed to get out of here. I needed to breathe.

I heard a pair of familiar heels approaching, and then my friend Chelsea knocked on the door.

“Are you okay?” she asked as she came into the small bathroom. “You look like you just saw a ghost.”

Little did she know, I did indeed see a ghost.

Biting back a sad laugh, I forced out, “I’m okay.”

She grabbed my hands and held them while guiding me through some calming breaths.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not right now. I just want to go home,” I offered.

“Go. I’ll tell them you weren’t feeling good. Tatum won’t care.” She left the bathroom, and I grabbed my bag from the front room before walking back to my car.

I felt a sense of relief that my friend didn’t pry for further details. Right now, I simply needed time to process the whirlwind of emotions that had unfolded throughout the evening. As I stepped outside, the cool night air mingled with the gentle caress of the ocean breeze, providing a much-needed respite from the suffocating atmosphere that had filled the house.

“Gianna.” My breath stopped at the voice that carried my real name on it. I turned around to see him standing in the shadows of the night. Just as he had stood the last time I saw him.

“No,” I choked out, the word barely escaping my lips. I couldn’t face this right now.

The flood of emotions threatened to suffocate me, and my lungs refused to draw in air. Panic seized my body, constricting my chest as memories and longing collided within me.

Elio’s concerned gaze pierced through the darkness, his voice filled with an ache that mirrored my own. “Gianna, please,” he pleaded, taking a hesitant step toward me. “It’s been so long. I-I didn’t know you were here.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as I struggled to find my words amidst the chaos inside me.

---