Page 23 of Lily

She chuckled again, but this time, the sound was off, and it made him flinch. “Trust me, you don’t want to know what I’ve been through. I’ll forever be grateful for your help tonight. You saved my life. I don’t think I could’ve gone on much longer. I promise not to be a burden, but if I could stay here a few days… I don’t want to be alone.”

Stefano dropped to his knees and held her gaze and her cheek. “Look at me, sweetheart.”

She swallowed.

“I know we didn’t acknowledge there was anything between us beyond friendship before you were abducted. That was mostly my fault. I had my head up my ass. I kept telling myself I was too old for you. You were too innocent for someone like me. I was so deeply involved in my work that I forced myself to ignore you and my feelings. But they were never buried very deep. You were on my mind all the time.

“Unless I’m way off the mark, I think you felt something for me, too. You got so flustered when I talked to you. Your cheeks turned pink with heat. You got tongue-tied. And now, I know you memorized my number and used it to call for help. Me. You called me. Not the police. Me.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb.

“I knew the police were not an option. If I had called them, my Master would’ve put me in his silent safe room until he got rid of them, and then he would have…” She shuddered. She couldn’t imagine what he would have done.

He gave her a lopsided smile. “So you’re saying you only called me as a last resort, and you don’t have any feelings for me?” Was he teasing her?

She lowered her gaze. “You were all I thought about every hour of every day,” she whispered, her cheeks heating at the admission.

“I’m glad because the feeling is mutual. Now, I can’t predict the future. There are a lot of things you don’t know about me. I’m not a good person. I’ve done…things. I can’t erase the past. I’m not sure when all the chips fall that you’ll even like me. I’m not sure I’ll even be a free man.”

His admission made her breath hitch. She’d ignored the writing on the walls, but she’d always assumed Mr. Santo was not a good person. Since Stefano had worked for him for many years, perhaps he knew things that might get him in trouble.

Roselia didn’t care. “I know you’re a good man,” she countered.

“I’m going to try to be for you, sweetheart. You’ve softened my heart, burrowed into it, and forced me to love. I couldn’t stop it then, and I’m done trying. I’m still too old for you. I’m still not worthy of your innocence and kind heart. But I’m not letting you go until you tell me to walk away.”

Her eyes widened.

“I’m stuck to you like glue. I’m not letting you out of my sight. It nearly killed me to leave you in the car to go get your things. It’s not happening again.”

She bit her lower lip. He was serious. She couldn’t believe what he was saying. Tears ran down her cheeks.

Stefano wiped at the salty lines with his thumb. “I’m going to protect you. I’m going to get you to a safe location and ensure no one can find you.”

“Do I have to call the police?” she asked, her voice wobbling. She didn’t feel up to facing something like that.

“No. This may sound strange to you, but I don’t think it’s a good idea. At least, not right now. If you want me to drive you to the police station so you can file a report, I will, but I’m afraid all it will do is bring attention to you. I’d hate for the press to flash your face all over the news. I think it would be best if no one knows you’ve escaped.”

She blew out a breath. “Thank you. I’m so tired. I don’t want to face the police. What could they possibly do, anyway? Besides perhaps arrest Master—” She needed to stop calling him that. “Mr. Vanderbilt. How could they even help? I don’t know where I was before that.”

“Let’s take it off the table for now. Focus on getting you well and rested. Okay?”

“What about your job?”

“As of this moment, I officially quit.”

She flinched. “Can you do that?”

“Absolutely. I’m done. You’re more important to me than my job. Santo can bite my ass.”

“Don’t you at least want to give him notice?” she asked, shocked. Hadn’t he worked there for fifteen years?

“I’m not even going to tell him I quit. By the time I don’t show up, we’ll be long gone.”

“Where will we go?” She couldn’t believe this was happening—any of it. This man she’d known for years as Marco was really named Stefano? And he had feelings for her? And he was going to quit his job and take her somewhere safe?

“I’ll rent us a cabin outside of Denver. We’ll pay cash and give them fake names.”

She stared at him. He was serious. She finally nodded. “Okay. I… Do you think I still have access to my bank? I have money.”

“I’m sure your bank is fine, but we’re not touching it. Don’t worry about money, okay?”

---