Page 38 of The Seventh Circle
A ghost of a smile touched his lips. "Since the moment you kissed me."
I reached out, my hand hovering just short of touching his face, as if asking permission. He leaned into my touch, his cheek warm against my palm.
"I've been fighting this for so long," I whispered. "Trying to be what they need me to be. The perfect son. The worthy heir." I let out a bitter laugh. "And for what? To inherit an empire built on fear and blood? To continue a cycle that destroys everything it touches?"
"You're more than your name," Antonio said fiercely, covering my hand with his own. "You always have been."
"Because you see me," I said, the realization striking me with sudden clarity. "You're the only one who ever has."
Antonio's expression softened. "And you see me. Not just the soldier. Not just the poor boy from the streets. You see all of me."
I stepped closer, eliminating the last distance between us. "If we do this—if we really do this—there's no going back. We'd need to plan carefully. Your family first, getting them safely away."
"And the Vitelli meeting?" Antonio asked, his tone carefully neutral though I could see the tension in his jaw.
"I'll go," I said. "I'll be the dutiful son one last time. Keep up appearances while we make arrangements."
"How long would we need?"
I considered. "A week. Maybe two. To secure the money, to arrange safe passage for your family." I hesitated. "And to create a diversion big enough to cover our tracks."
Antonio's eyes widened slightly. "What kind of diversion?"
"I'm not sure yet," I admitted. "But my father's enemies arenumerous. It wouldn't be difficult to create confusion, to direct attention elsewhere while we slip away."
"This is really happening, isn't it?" Antonio said, wonder and fear mingling in his voice.
In answer, I closed the final distance between us, capturing his lips with mine.
Unlike our first kiss, frantic with newfound discovery, this one carried the weight of decision, of commitment. My hands found his waist, pulling him against me as his fingers tangled in my hair. He tasted of coffee and something uniquely him, a flavor I was already becoming addicted to.
When we finally broke apart, both breathing hard, I kept my arms around him, unwilling to let go. The sunlight streaming through the broken ceiling bathed his face in gold, illuminating flecks of amber in his brown eyes I'd never noticed before.
"We need a system," I said, suddenly practical despite the desire coursing through me. "A way to communicate, to coordinate without raising suspicion."
Antonio nodded, his mind shifting to strategy even as his hands remained on my hips. "If I need to see you urgently, I'll mention books during collections. Ask if you've read something specific."
"Meditations," I suggested, remembering the Marcus Aurelius he treasured.
He nodded against my chest. "And if you need to see me?"
I considered. "I'll ask about your brother. How Enzo is doing in school."
"Simple enough to seem casual," he agreed. "And for our next meeting—what time?"
"Tomorrow after collections," I said. "I'll have news from the Vitelli meeting by then, and perhaps a clearer plan."
Antonio's expression grew serious. "Lorenzo, if we're reallydoing this—if we're really going to disappear together—there's something I need to know."
"Anything," I promised.
"Are you certain?" His eyes searched mine. "Not just about leaving your family, but about choosing a life with me. A man. With all that means."
I understood his fear. In our world, what we felt for each other was more than forbidden—it was unthinkable. But in that moment, standing in the filtered sunlight of our crumbling sanctuary, I had never been more certain of anything.
"I've never been sure of my place in this world," I told him, cupping his face in my hands. "Until you. You are my certainty, Antonio. The only truth I've ever known."
His eyes, always so guarded, filled with a vulnerability that made my chest ache. "I love you," he said simply, the words both a confession and a pledge.
