Page 129 of Dirty Mafia Sinner
“Good girl.” I pause, waiting. “Anything you’d like to say to me?”
Renzo nearly pisses his pants.
But I realize love’s made me stronger, not weaker.
Not yet.
My gaze connects with Renzo’s. And for the first time since I stepped into his shoes, I read regret in his eyes.
CHAPTER 28
RILEY
“Do you love him back?”
My omelet falls off my fork. “What?”
Renzo stretches his big body on the barstool, as if his question were as casual as asking me about the weather. I’ve become fast friends with Alessandro’s twin. I can’t help comparing the two. Alessandro’s bossy and unhinged in a controlled way, if that makes sense. He can be a wild lunatic one moment and rigidly recentered the other. Renzo’s unhinged in the way free spirits are, full of life, charming and charismatic, easy to be around, yet deeply, deeply troubled. Alessandro’s the overbearing protector. His brother the lost soul.
And, if I’m reading his expression correctly, I’m the fish out of water.
Alessandro stalked off a few moments ago to take an urgent call, leaving us alone.
I bite my lip, wondering why Renzo doubts me.
“You’re wearing one, too.” He kicks out his foot, drawing my attention to the tracking device hooked around his ankle.
“What does a tracking device have to do with love?”Why am I wearing this device?
“When we were kids, Sandro had a pet turtle named Gelato.”
I laugh. “Like the ice cream?”
“Your Italian is impressive.”
I roll my eyes.
“He was so freaking protective of it, and I was never allowed to play with it.”
“Because you were a hot mess even then?”
“No. That happened afterward.” Renzo sobers, and then shrugs off the abrupt flash of sadness. “I asked him why, of all animals, he chose a turtle. And you know what he said?”
“Let me guess. Slow and steady won the race?” Except Alessandro’s bossy and not into delayed gratification—not his own, anyway.
His brother rakes his eyes over me.
“Tell me.”
“It will never run away without me catching it.”
I blink.
“He likes to trap the things he loves.”
My stomach flutters as I murmur, “But what if I like being trapped.”
That catches Renzo’s attention, and he offers me a long look.
