Page 40 of Bastard Prince
“The problem is you treating me like some scared little girl,” she tossed back, throwing her arms in the air in exasperation. “The problem is you thinking you can lock me away in your fancy house while themenrun around doing all the dirty work.” She pointed her finger at my face, narrowing her eyes in accusation.
“Francesca,” I started, that feeling in my chest coming back in full force. “I need you to stay out of the way while I handle this shit. You can’t—”
“Yes, I can, Enzo,” she shouted, her voice echoing around the empty room. “Why should I stay home, huh?”
“Because—”
“Why the hell do you get to go handle your business while I am expected to just sit pretty and let someone else handle mine?”
“Because I fucking love you, goddamn it!” I hollered. Francesca froze, her mouth hanging open and her golden eyes wide and stunned. I knew she was shocked—hell, I had shocked myself—but now that I had said it, there was no going back. “Because of all the things in my life I can stand to lose, you are not one of them.” I ran both my hands through my hair, pulling hard on the ends as I tried to get myself under control.
But it was hopeless. I had opened a floodgate of words and thoughts and fuckin’feelings, and there didn't seem to be any way to stop it.
“I think about you all the fuckin’ time, Francesca. Like, all the time. Where you are, what you’re doing. If you’re happy. If you’re safe.” I dropped my hands to my hips, blowing out a deep, ragged breath, then continued. “I had no idea it would be like this, baby. Not one clue that loving someone came with so much goddamnworry. The thought of something happening to you, of you getting hurt because of me and my work? It fucks me up, babe. I would do anything—fuckin’anything—to keep you safe. To make sure that not one of the dark and ugly things I have in my life gets anywhere near you.”
I looked at her, pleading with my eyes for her to understand, but she had hardly moved. “So, excuse me if I’m a little overprotective. But I will throw down with anyone who threatens you harm, Francesca Argenti.” I narrowed my eyes. “Even if that means I have to fight with you.”
The silence that followed my words was excruciating. Had I blown it? Did I freak her out? I had never said anything like that to anyone before, never even come close, and now that I had, the vulnerability of laying myself open for someone scared the fuck outta me.
This love shit was fucked. Was this what I could expect to feel from now on? Like one word from Francesca could end me? What if she told me she didn’t feel the same? She could very likely tell me to get fucked, seeing as how she had been forced into this whole situation to begin with.
I was trying to come up with something to say, something that would get rid of this incredible chasm of worry and nervousness that was hollowing out my chest, but before my brain could find anything even remotely helpful, Francesca moved, tilting her head and blinking at me, an adorable little frown creasing her forehead.
“You love me?” Her words were quiet, softly spoken, and I found myself staring at her mouth. The mouth I loved to kiss and taste and argue with.
I sighed, tilting my head back. “Yeah, babe. I do. Sorry.”
CHAPTER TEN
Francesca
Sorry?
I scoffed out a surprised laugh, shaking my head. Only Enzo would see a declaration of love as something to apologize for.
Staring at him from across the ring, I felt all my anger draining away, the look on his face so genuine and anxious that I couldn’t possibly stay mad.
I had spent the last two days stewing in my own anger, allowing myself to work up to righteous rage at the way I was being treated. Had I not proven time and again that I was capable? Why did he insist on tucking me away like fine china, only to be brought out when he wanted to show me off.
With Antonio having gone back to Chicago, it was just Vinnie and me alone in that big house, two silent wraiths, each lost in our own thoughts and concerns.
By the time Thursday rolled around, I was a mess of conflicting emotions, a powder keg ready to explode, and I only had one target: my husband, Enzo Argenti.
It took some convincing, but eventually, I got Vinnie in the truck and headed to where I knew I would find him; fight night atWrath.
Storming into that warehouse, seeing him and Rocco messing around like they didn’t have a care in the world only served to highlight how right I was in my anger. And I had wanted to be mad, to finally be able to voice my thoughts and opinions without the worry of trying to conform to what was expected of me. What I had really wanted was to have an epic, knockdown screaming match, the likes of which I had never experienced before.
And I did, for a moment.
But then, once again, Enzo had to go and surprise me.
“You love me?” I asked again, just to be sure—and because I really liked hearing it.
Enzo looked at me, a scowl on his face as he stared. “Yes, Francesca. I love you. Alright? You happy now? I love you. What the fuck are you gonna do about it?”
My heart pounded in my chest, champagne bubbles of emotion floating through my veins as I absorbed his words. He loved me, and he looked so damn angry about it I could have laughed. I could feel the smile creeping across my face as Enzo continued to stare at me, his features shifting between anger and abject horror, and I decided to cut him a break.
“Enzo?” I said, watching as he met my gaze, the muscles of his chest flexing as he breathed, the motion making it look like his tree tattoo was waving in the wind.
