Page 150 of Brutal Legacy

Beneath stone and concrete, seeds push through?—

And those seeds can lift whole buildings.

A YEAR LATER

GEORGIA

Castel Amaro

After a morning working with my team on my first ever upcoming show, I left Erica in charge of catching up with the PR team and went for a swim. My favorite place to swim wasn’t the swimming pool just beyond the stables at home. It was the secluded lake that sat a few miles outside of town.

I rode my favorite horse, Vento, there. Yes, a year ago I was living off ramen, had a loan shark banging down my door, and had worked my hands to the point of early arthritis. Now, I was working on my first collection, and I split my time between Atlantic City and Castel Amaro, going into Naples when I needed to talk to stores and make production decisions. I rode horses in the countryside and was wildly in love with my husband.

After years of misfortune and tragedy, Elio coming back into my life had turned it all around. He had saved me after all in the end, and I’d saved him right back.

I tied Vento up to a tree to let him graze then stripped down to my bikini. The shore of the lake was dotted with pebbles. I passed over them, enjoying the way they pressed into the soles of my feet. The water was cool and refreshing.

I walked out until I could swim and then dived beneath the glassy surface. When I came back up, I lay on my back and floated, enjoying the feel of the sun on my exposed skin. It was funny, even though I’d lived in LA for so long, this was the first summer in years that I was sunbathing and swimming.

Vento snorted from the shore, and I turned to see that he was no longer alone. My blood immediately heated to see Elio standing in the shade beneath the tree, stroking the chestnut horse’s neck.

He was back. He’d been away on business for the past few days.

He left Vento and walked toward me. His suit looked odd in the idyllic rural setting. Usually, he opted for worn-out jeans and T-shirts to work with the horses at the house or wander the countryside.

“Nice outfit… city mouse,” I called to him, treading water.

He grinned at me as his hand went to his suit jacket. He shed it like it wasn’t a bespoke designer piece and discarded it on the stones. His shirt followed next.

“I haven’t been home yet. Ettore told me you were up here.”

Ettore, the youngest man in Elio’s private guard who had chosen to be hurt over failing his boss. Toni had spared him, shooting him in the leg. He’d recovered well and was back at work.

Shirtless, Elio stole my breath away. His hands went to the waistband of his pants, and he pulled his belt out of the loops with a dramatic swish that had my mouth falling open.

“Now you’re just showing off.”

“I told you I was experienced with restraints,topolina.” He smirked, cast the belt aside, and dropped his pants.

“Hey, no complaints from this end,” I murmured, my heartbeat picking up. I took in Elio’s body. I’d never get tired of looking at my husband.

“Where’s the bodyguard I assigned you?” Elio walked into the water.

“I don’t know… he can’t ride fast enough to keep up with me. Better get Toni back,” I said.

Elio’s eyes narrowed. “Not happening.”

“We’ll see,” I called back.

Toni and her partner were living up north near the Alps in a ski town. Giada had found her for me. I knew she wanted to be brought back into the Santori fold, but Elio was being stubborn about it. I’d wear him down.

“I warned you not to ditch the bodyguard again.”

“Like anyone will find me up here!”

“Still, it’s not a risk I’d like to take. You broke the rules,topolina.”

A thrill went through me at his dark, intense expression.

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