Page 131 of Brutal Legacy

He swallowed hard but didn’t glance at it.

I sighed. “If you believe a word I’m saying, you’ll look.”

Slowly, he lowered his gaze to the photograph. I knew what he was seeing. It was a picture of Tommaso near the end. He’d been bald and bedridden but still smiling. He was sharing his bed with the one person he’d loved… the partner of his dreams. They were holding hands.

“That’s Drew. Tommaso’s partner. They were together nearly thirteen years. Can you believe it… the first gay bar we went to in LA when we arrived, and they met. Nothing can keep soulmates apart.”

I followed his gaze to the picture.

“He lived with us for a decade. The happy couple and their friend — me. Tommaso was always scared what his parents would think if they found out, and he was right to be. They cut us off when they found out that Drew was living with us, and it wasn’t him, but me in the spare room.”

The photograph fell to the table as Elio stared at me.

“Are you telling me you married your gay best friend and lived the life of a fucking nun for the last fourteen years?”

“Yes. If you don’t believe me, here—” I yanked off my locket and threw it at his chest. He caught it, his reflexes unbeatable. He held it in his fist.

This was it. Honesty. In the past couple of weeks since this man had stormed through my life and changed every single thing,facing the past had been out of the question. It wasn’t the right time. We were fighting to survive. There was no hurry…

But the look in his stormy gaze now told me this was the time. He’d been waiting for this conversation for fourteen years, just like I had. He’s been waiting… just like me.

I took a deep breath and spoke through my fears and insecurities.

“I think you were waiting for me, too, somehow, against all logic and reason. Weren’t you?”

I held my breath while I anticipated his answer. I hadn’t even been aware I was going to say the words, but somehow, I knew with stone-cold certainty that I was right. Elio wasn’t an approachable man. The person who had found me in LA wasn’t some hot-blooded man who indulged his desires. He’d been my robotic, untouchable mercenary. I was willing to bet he’d been that way for a very long time.

Since me.

He swallowed, and the way his well-defined muscles bobbed in his tattooed neck was a thing of beauty.

He opened his mouth to answer, but a knock sounded.

Toni opened the door and looked at Elio.

“Boss, the plane is ready and waiting at Strawberry Field.”

“Thank you, Toni,” he said and tore his eyes from mine.

Disappointment filled me, just as the words sank in.

“I’m flying to Casa Nera?” Panic threatened to overtake me again before logic intervened. Why would I fly when the drive was only a couple of hours?

Elio shook his head. “That’s for me, don’t worry.”

“For you? Where are you going?” I caught sight of his expression. Reality dawned on me. “Wait — you’re not going to the Ravellis, are you?”

“I told you not to worry about me, Georgia. I can take care of myself.” He caught my eye. “As long as I know you’re safe. It’s time to go. Toni has packed you some belongings.”

His men entered, dressed in unrelenting black. His hand moved toward me, like he was about to cup my cheek, and then it fell, and he turned away.

“Elio!” I shouted after him.

He wouldn’t look at me. It was happening. He was leaving again, and there was nothing I could do. I could barely process everything we’d talked about in the last few minutes.

I backed away from his men, who approached, and pointed a shaking finger at Ettore, who was closest to me. “Don’t touch me. I’m not leaving!”

Then Elio was there. “Don’t worry. No one touches you but me.”

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