Page 86 of Mafia Shade's Reluctant Bride
“No,” she looked at me, eyes serious now. “She respects you. That’s different. She knows the man you are.”
I didn’t know what to say to that, so I just squeezed her hand.
When we got back to her house some minutes later, she unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for the door, but I caught her wrist before she could leave. Her skin was warm against my fingers, and I felt her pulse quicken just slightly.
She turned to me, brows drawn together. “Lorenzo?”
“I need to talk to you.”
She hesitated and then let go of the door handle. “Okay.”
I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. “This isn’t just an act for me.”
Maria blinked. “What?”
“I thought I could do this without feeling anything, but I was wrong.” I looked at her, really looked at her. “I like you, Maria. More than I should. More than what makes sense.”
She didn’t reply immediately, and that silence made my heart race. I braced myself up for impact. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
I swallowed hard. “If this is still just a job for you and if you don’t feel the same, I get it. Just tell me, and I’ll—”
“I like you too.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I stared at her, not sure I’d heard right.
Her gaze softened, a small smile forming. “I was scared to admit it. But yeah. I do.”
I didn’t think. I just moved. One second, we were staring at each other. The next, my hand was cupping her face, tilting her toward me, and my lips were on hers.
The kiss was slow at first and hesitant, like we were both testing the waters. But then Maria exhaled against me, melting into it, and everything else ceased to exist. I deepened the kiss, my fingers tangling in her hair as her hands clutched my jacket, pulling me closer.
She tasted like cinnamon and something sweet I couldn’t place, and it drove me insane. I tilted my head, kissing her deeper, feeling her respond with the same hunger that had been building between us for weeks.
By the time we broke apart, we were both breathless.
Maria’s forehead rested against mine, her fingers still gripping my jacket like she was afraid to let go.
I swallowed. “You should go before I do something reckless.”
A small, breathy laugh escaped her. “Like what?”
“Like tell you to stay.”
She looked at me then, her eyes searching mine. “Would that be so bad?”
Hell no, it wouldn’t. But I knew if she stayed, I’d never be able to let her go. And with Luca digging, with the truth about Shade so close to coming out, I couldn’t risk dragging her down with me. Not yet.
I let out a shaky breath and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Go.”
She nodded, but I saw the hesitation in her eyes before she slipped out of the car.
I watched her walk away, and I knew one thing for certain. I was completely, utterly doomed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
MARIA
I walked into the Russo mansion still feeling the lingering warmth of Lorenzo’s touch on my hand from earlier. For the first time in a long time, everything felt right. Like I wasn’t constantly bracing myself for something to go wrong. It was an odd feeling, a good one, but odd. I had spent so long running from my past and from my feelings that I never stopped to think that maybe happiness could be this simple.
