Page 98 of Bound to You

Marina and Miles.

Nora’s studio selling.

Losing that much money.

My parents being here.

I don’t even know where Caio and I stand right now.

My emotions are boiling over, tears spilling over the edge of my eyes.

I’ve mindlessly walked closer to the group where Alessia and Leo are arguing with Caio and Rafael trying to mediate. It’s a jumble of voices and arms flying.

“Caio,” I say, my voice wobbly.

His eyes snap to mine. One second, he feels miles away, and the next I’m wrapped up in his arms, sobbing against his shoulder.

“What’s wrong sweetheart?” He strokes the back of my head. His arms around me are the only thing keeping me up right now. “It’s okay, baby.” He soothes me.

“How is any of this okay?”

He pulls away to cradle my face in his hands. “We’ll figure it out, okay? Together. Isn’t that what you told me?” He presses a kiss to my forehead.

“I thought you were mad at me,” I say.

“I’m not mad, gorgeous. I’m frustrated with the situation, but that doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere. I just needed some space to cool down before, I didn’t want to say anything I’d regret. When will you start believing that I’m not going anywhere?”

His words just make me cry harder. I needed him. Even if he’s mad at me, I want him to be mad at me with me. He steadies me, he’s the one person I can always lean on, and he won’t wobble.

“All of this, it doesn’t matter.”

I laugh at his attempt of nonchalance. “Yes, it does.”

“We’ll figure it out, okay? Me and you. If you think a little frustration can turn me away, then you have no idea the kind of hold that you have on me.”

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, for everything.” He swipes a tear from my cheek. “For what I said before, for everything, for talking about kids with you, I never wanted to give you false hope. I’m only going by what I feel, but I feel like I’ve been throwing you for a loop this entire time, I’m so sorry.”

“I’d rather imagine a future with you, even if it never happens, than never know what it is like to love you.”

I look up into my favorite blue eyes and don’t hesitate another second before I crash my mouth into his, Caio grabs the back of my head, angling my head so he can kiss me deeper. I lick my tongue into his mouth, and he groans into mine. It’s wet and salty from my tears, but it’s exactly what I need in this moment, a reminder that he’s right here with me, and from the grip he’s got around my waist, I don’t think he’s letting me go.

“I think I love you, Caio Marchetti,” I whisper into his mouth.

He pulls away. “I know I love you, Isla Beckett,” he whispers back. “And if you don’t know that by now then you’re just as oblivious as I thought you were that first day when you left that stupid handbrake on.”

chapter forty

CAIO

Isla sighsfrom beside me as we look at what we made last night at the fundraiser.

“That’s not as much as I thought it would be,” she says.

“That two grand that Alessia lost us really fucked us over,” I sigh, resting my head in my hand.

“Who is she anyway? I’ve never heard of her, yet you guys all knew her.”

“Alessia is…well she’s basically Leo’s fuck buddy,” I tell her plainly. “They’ve been casually hooking up for years. Every time Leo has come back to town or when Alessia goes away she usually stops in to see him on the way back.”

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