Page 81 of Mafia Shade's Reluctant Bride
I could have told him the truth. I could have told him that I lied about Matteo’s father being a mere fling I didn’t know and that I had overheard his conversation about the shipment and didn’t want to expose my son to that world. Even if I wanted to believe Lorenzo wasn’t like his father, I couldn’t take that risk.
But I didn’t.
Because admitting all of that would mean admitting how much I cared. So, I did the only thing I knew how to do—I lied.
“Because I don’t feel the same way.” The second the words left my mouth, something inside me cracked.
Lorenzo inhaled sharply, his eyes darkening with pain that I didn’t want to see.
“You don’t mean that,” he murmured.
I forced myself to nod.
He exhaled, shaking his head. “Your mind is in fight or flight mode right now, and I know you well enough to know you’re choosing flight.”
“I need to go home.” My voice was quieter than I wanted it to be.
Lorenzo stared at me for a long moment, his jaw tight. Then, without another word, he turned and grabbed his clothes. We packed in silence.
And with every passing second, I felt myself slipping further and further away from the one thing I have always wanted but never been meant to have. Him. The drive back to town was excruciatingly silent.
I sat in the passenger seat, arms crossed, staring out the window as the scenery blurred past. The tension in the car was suffocating, with everything left unsaid. Lorenzo gripped the steering wheel with one hand, his other resting on the gearshift, fingers tapping against it as if resisting the urge to speak.
He hadn’t said much since we packed up and left. I knew he wanted to. I could feel it in the way his jaw clenched, in the way his eyes flickered toward me every now and then, but he didn’t push.
And thank God for that because I had no idea what I would say if he did.
I had done the right thing. I knew that. Even if every fiber of my being screamed at me that I had made the biggest mistake of my life. Lorenzo wasn’t a bad man, but he was still dangerous in ways I couldn’t ignore. Even if he wasn’t involved in anything shady, I still had my own secrets—secrets I was prepared to take to my grave.
Matteo had already faced enough stigma just for being my father’s grandson. If people ever found out that Shade was his real father…I couldn’t protect him from that.
It would mean a lifetime of whispers behind his back. A name that would follow him forever, branding him as the son of a man who should have never existed yet caused a lot of chaos and was feared.
I exhaled sharply, pushing the thought away as Lorenzo pulled into the driveway. Before the car had even fully stopped, the front door burst open, and Matteo came running out, his little arms spread wide.
“Mommy!”
The moment I stepped out, he crashed into me, wrapping his arms around my legs. I knelt down, pulling him into my chest, breathing in his familiar scent.
“Did you behave?” I murmured into his hair.
Matteo pulled back just enough to nod. “Yes!”
Kayla stood at the door, smiling. I placed Matteo down and glanced up at her. “I hope he wasn’t too much trouble.”
Kayla shook her head. “He was perfect. As always.”
Matteo beamed, but his attention quickly shifted. His eyes landed on Lorenzo, and his grin widened. “Lorenzo!”
Lorenzo barely had time to react before Matteo ran to him. Without hesitation, he scooped Matteo up, holding him like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Did you bring me anything?” Matteo’s eyes were full of hopeful mischief.
I stiffened, embarrassment washing over me. With everything that happened, I had completely forgotten to get him something.
“You know I did.” Lorenzo, as always, was one step ahead. He set Matteo down, walked over to his bag in the car, and pulled out a small, shiny toy car.
Matteo’s face lit up. “Whoa! Thank you!” He held the toy up like it was the greatest treasure he had ever received. “You’re the best!”
