Page 25 of Twisted Knight

I chuckled. “Exactly! My mother is adorable but scatterbrained and as happy-go-lucky as they come. She’s the epitome of the Hippie Boho. She went to a yoga retreat in India when she was twenty. She met that charismatic Indian Yogi, and I was conceived. She called me India because that was where I was conceived.”

“I see.”

I laughed. Somehow, I didn't think he did. His house, his clothes, his way of speaking, everything about him screamed traditional, severe upbringing… Mafia or no Mafia.

“Okay, so going back to the subject of my… line of work.” He continued with an even tone, keeping his eyes locked on me. I suspected Luca was a bit like me—gifted at reading people.

‘Line of work.’ That was a way to put it.

“I’m listening.”

“I don’t want you to be upset with Cassie.”

Okay, that didn’t go the way I expected. “I’m not. Why would I be?”

“She wanted to tell you—about me, us, and the life we lead—but I discouraged her from doing so.”

I nodded. “Because you didn’t know if you could trust me; it makes sense.”

He shook his head. “No, well…” He cocked his head to the side. “Maybe partially but Cassie trusted you. That was enough credential for me. No, it was more the fact that knowing the truth has the potential to put you in danger.”

I tried to swallow past the lump of anxiety settling in my throat.

“I’ll keep you safe; Dom will keep you safe.” He leaned forward on his chair, resting his forearms on his thighs. “But the only thing Cassie wanted was your safety, nothing more.”

I leaned forward too and reached over to squeeze his hand.

“I never doubted her. Cassie is a lot of things but not petty. I understand and I promise to be careful.”

He nodded. “Good, I just wanted to clarify.”

I knew when I was getting dismissed.

I stood up and started toward the door but stopped before I could stop myself.

“I know you’re scared for her and I get it. She’s one of the most important people in your life and you’ve already lost so much. But she is doing good.”

He gave me a small smile. “I know she is but this fear—” He tapped the center of his chest with his forefinger. “I can’t smother it. I can barely contain it. The irrational part of me just wants to sweep her away and lock her in a tower surrounded by pillows to make sure that no harm will ever come to her, ever. Because while your assessment is quite accurate, it has a major flaw.” He took a deep breath. “Cassie is notoneof the most important people in my life; sheismy life. She is the person, the one that brought me back to life. She is not just my wife and my love… she is my everything.”

I looked at this big, scarred, terrifying man being brave enough to bare his soul and admit out loud the extent of his love for Cassie, and I could not help the tiny pinch of envy that squeezed my heart.

Would I ever be lucky enough to be loved that way? Would I ever be deserving enough?

“Then you’re both blessed… in a terrifying sort of way.” I smiled at him. “I’ll go make her tea now. See you later and thank you for being honest,” I added before exiting the room.

Dom was just walking in the back door as I entered the kitchen. I scowled silently in his direction before turning toward the cabinets to prepare the tea.

I expected him to just walk by, like he couldn’t see me, like he’d been doing every time we were alone and he didn’t have to pretend for Cassie’s sake.

It was why I startled when he spoke.

“Why the scowl?” he asked casually.

I turned around, the scowl still very much present on my face.

He reached for a red apple in the fruit bowl, rubbed it on his dress shirt over his pec, and took a big bite, completely unfazed about what I liked to call ‘my glare of death.’

“What?” he asked, his mouth still full of apple.

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