Page 117 of Toxic

She winces then nods. "Yes. I'm sorry."

I stay silent, pissed she still can't get past what happened to us in high school.

"I'm sorry. I really am," she claims.

"I haven't looked at another woman since the night I found you in the club. Every woman I've ever been with and didn't commit to was because of you. And deep down, you already know this, don't you?" I arch my eyebrows, waiting for her to admit she believes in my obsession with her, tired of constantly trying to prove it.

She caresses the side of my head and leans closer so her lips are an inch from mine. "I know you love me. And I should have told you a long time ago that I feel the same. I love you, Dante. I do."

My heart soars again at those words. A part of me relaxes, yet I still have unanswered questions. "Why were you at the club, Bridget?"

She scrunches her forehead. "The night I went to find you, I ran into Brenna in the bathroom. I swear I hadn't seen her for years. Not since that day in Central Park."

"Why didn't you tell Finn or me? You knew he was looking for her."

"I told you. She made me promise. She was adamant Giulio's men would kill Finn. I was worried she might die, too! I didn't want anything to happen to either of them," Bridget proclaims.

I study her for a moment, trying to find any sign she may be lying.

She scoots her knees closer so they hit the back of the couch. The heat from her pussy penetrates my pants, and my dick hardens. I silently curse myself. Unable to resist, I palm her back, no longer able to be this close and not touch her. She's always been my weakness. I suppose she always will be. I couldn't stay mad at her if I tried.

I tug her hair and lean over her face. She gasps as I demand, "From now on, you trust me. You don't keep these types of things from me. Do you understand?"

Her eyes turn blue and fill with more remorse. "Yes. I'm sorry."

I search her face for a few seconds then state, "No more Ritz. You stay at my place, with me. Or I'll stay at yours. Are we clear?"

A sliver of panic fills her expression. She closes her eyes, but then opens them and nods. She whispers, "Okay."

"You hesitated."

"No. I-I just..."

"Just what, dolcezza? Hmm?"

She pauses.

My gut dives as I wait.

She cautiously replies, "Here. Can I just stay here? I-I don't know if it's a good idea for you to be at my place with the kids."

Hurt rises again. I release her hair and sniff hard. "Because you're never telling them about us?"

"No!" She laces her fingers around my neck. "I don't want to cause more issues. They'll see me as a hypocrite. I'm constantly fighting with them about not having their boyfriend or girlfriend in their rooms."

I consider what she's saying then respond, "Okay. I can agree with that decision. But from now on, you'll stay here. No more Ritz."

She smiles, lighting up my world. "Yes."

Satisfied, I tighten my arms around her. "Does this mean we can stop hiding from everyone?"

She turns her head and scrunches her face.

Angry again, I turn her chin back. "Are we ever telling anyone about us? Or are we going to hide our entire lives?"

"I don't care about the others. Your family. My father. They can all know. But I don't know how to tell my kids," she blurts out, a new worry filling her expression. "I-I want to. I do. But I just... I'm not sure how."

Tension leaves my body. I swipe my thumbs over her cheeks. "All right. Let's tell my family and your father. We'll start there and figure out how to talk to Fiona and Sean."

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