Page 74 of Vincenzo
Enzo licks his lips and throws an arm behind his head. His disheveled hair and his body on display for me like this has my mind going places it shouldn’t be going right now. I need to focus because I need answers. Enzo coming down to Miami and helping me when I really needed him is so telling of our situation, but I need to hear what he has to say about it.
“When I found out you had left, I… I fucking lost it. My mind ran rampant with what could happen to you. All I knew was I needed to find you before it was too late.”
“You don’t think I can take care of myself?” I nudge him in the side and smile.
He laughs. “Oh, I know you can.” His tone suddenly gets serious. “But I think the point I’m trying to make is that you don’thaveto. I know we’ve gone back and forth with these feelings that have manifested between us, and I know I’ve been in denial about them, but when I found out you left, I was with my brother, and he called me out on some shit.”
“Oh yeah?”
“I’ve been trying to keep you at arm’s length because of my parents,” he says.
I furrow my brows, not understanding where he’s going with this.
“When they were killed, I made a decision that I wasn’t going to let myself get in too deep with a woman. I made a decision that I would never have a family other than my blood.”
I slowly nod, all the pieces finally falling into place for me. So this is why Enzo was so wishy washy with me. One moment, I could see the fire he had for me behind his eyes, then the next, he was treating me like the dirt on the bottom of his shoe.
“You were afraid,” I say.
“Losing my parents really fucking sucked. It reminded me of the world we live in, and if I could keep myself guarded, not allow for people to enter my life that it would kill me if anything ever happened to them, then that’s what I was going to do. It was the easiest thing to do.”
“I get it. Why open yourself up to heartache when you don’t have to?”
“And what about you?”
“What about me?”
“I confessed my reason for keeping you at arm’s length, but what about you? What’s your reason for not allowing a man into your life?”
I sit here quietly for a moment, staring at a piece of lint on the comforter until I finally raise my eyes to Enzo’s.
“Same as you, you could say. I was scared. I mean, no guy has ever given me those flutters in my stomach that would make mewantto pursue something, but also, I’m a hitwoman for the cartel. It’s a lot easier—a lot safer—to stay single when your life is dedicated to killing people. It’s why I don’t even really have friends. I just have… Armando.”
“That’s valid… So, how do you feel now?”
“Is that not obvious?” I say with a laugh. “The fact that I’m still in this bed with you should be a pretty good indication.”
He sits up and takes my hand in his. “I just need to hear you say it,” he says, and it melts my heart.
“You make the butterflies erupt in a wild but perfect swarm of disarray in my stomach,” I say. “And honestly, we’re carved from the same wood. Who better than a Mafia guy for a hitwoman to fall for?”
We both laugh at that.
“So you’ve fallen for me, huh?” Enzo wiggles his thick brows at me.
I roll my eyes. “Oh, come on. Don’t even start with me right now.”
He tugs me toward him slowly, probably to make sure I’m not in any pain from last night, but even if there was any, it couldn’t keep me from getting wrapped in Enzo’s embrace. To feel his strong arms hold me to his chest. It feels safe and warm and like… home.
I prop my head on my hands on his hard chest and gaze up into his eyes. He moves a strand of my hair behind my ear and runs his finger down my cheek.
“These feelings I have for you… they’re strong. I’m falling for you, Amalia. Hard and fucking fast, and that … scares me.”
I lean into his hand when he cups my cheek. “I know.” I nod my head, completely understanding the worry that comes with developing these strong feelings for someone like this. “I’m falling for you too.”
We stare deep into each other’s eyes as if we’re silently telling one another those three words we have yet to say. The three words I feel are too soon to say to one another, but our deafening silence is articulating everything we need to know.
He bends over and takes my lips with his, kissing me in the sweetest way I’ve ever been kissed, and it has me whimpering in no time.
