Page 56 of Irreplaceable

Even now, I was questioning his motives for inviting me to stay at Mizuki House. I found it difficult to believe it was purely out of self-preservation because he’d given me unfettered access to him. If he’d been scared I’d go to the press with the story of his driver nearly running me over, he could’ve offered me money in exchange for signing a nondisclosure agreement. But he hadn’t.

“I appreciate you saying that, but how do I know I can trust anything you say?”

He jerked his head back. “What?”

“Enzo, you lied to me—about everything.” When he opened his mouth to speak, I held up my hand. “Let me finish.”

He nodded. I could feel his eyes on me the entire time, and it was both flattering and unnerving. In the months since I’d seen him, I’d wondered if I’d imagined how hot he was. His intensity. His desire. And seeing him again had made me realize just how powerful our connection still was. Even if I didn’t want it to be.

“And I can’t ignore the matter of your temper.” His expression darkened at my words, but I stood my ground, unwilling to bend. “How do I know you won’t snap at me any time something goes wrong? How do I know you won’t treat our child like that?”

He seemed so different from the man I’d seen playing soccer with the kids in Bali. Was that the real Enzo, or was this private side I’d seen the true one? Was he Lorenzo Mancini, internationally acclaimed soccer star, or my Enzo—a man who was thoughtful and sexy?

“Look,” he sighed. “I know you have no reason to trust me, but I feel like there’s something I should tell you. Something that might help you understand why I reacted the way I did.”

“Okay,” I said, drawing out the word.

He stared at his hands in his lap. “While we were in Bali, my ex threatened to tell our story to the tabloids. Well, her twisted version of our story. It was all lies, but the press wouldn’t know that. All they’d see was a salacious story that could reflect badly on me and my image.”

I frowned, my gut churning at the idea that she’d sell him out. Manipulate him. No wonder he’d freaked out. No wonder he found it so difficult to trust. “That’s awful. Is that why you threw your phone into the pool?”

He nodded. “Yes, and while I didn’t want to let her threats get to me, they did. It made me question every relationship in my life. It made me tighten my circle and keep to myself even more than I already had.”

That was understandable. Even if they’d gone their separate ways, she shouldn’t have betrayed Enzo’s trust like that. A relationship—and what happened between the two people in it—was private. Or at least, it should be.

I almost placed my hand over his but then thought better of it. “Thank you for telling me. I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“It doesn’t excuse my behavior, but I hope it helps you understand it.”

I nodded. It did, but I wasn’t ready to jump back into bed with him—literally or figuratively. I might be pregnant with his child, but there was no need to rush into any decisions.

“I have to go.” I stood. “Take some time to think about how you’d like to proceed. Once you’re involved, there’s no going back. You’re either in, or you aren’t. I won’t do that to my child.”

“Uccellina.” He stood and faced me head on. “I’m in. All the way. I want another chance.”

I swallowed and glanced away. It was too much. Too fast. “Enzo, we barely know each other.”

“Cazzate.”

“No.” I shook my head. “Not bullshit. We’ve spent, what…a week together?”

“Harper, I know what turns you on, and I know what pisses you off. I know you.”

“If you know me so well, then you should realize that I’ve never lied to you. Which is more than you can say.” This conversation was pissing me off, as was the fact that he could still have such an effect on me.

“I’m sorry.” He hung his head. “I don’t know how many times and how many ways I can say it, but I’m sorry.” This time, his apology was said with more determination. “And I’ll keep repeating it until you believe me. I just wish we could go back to the way things were in Bali.”

I kept looking over at him, my brain on overdrive. We’d had an amazing vacation fling, but then it had completely imploded. I’d expected never to see him again, then…

“What?” he asked.

“I’m just… My head is still trying to catch up with everything that’s happened the past twenty-four hours.”

“Yes. It has been quite the whirlwind. Though every time our paths cross, you seem to turn my world upside down.”

I wrung my hands, wondering if he regretted our time together. Wondering if he would even be here now were it not for the baby. Actually, I didn’t have to speculate; the answer was a resounding no. And that scared me—for our future. For my child’s future.

I’d never admit this, but I’d spent some time online last night when I couldn’t sleep, combing through footage from Enzo’s games and interviews. Stories about him from reputable sources. Ordinarily, I would’ve seen it as an invasion of Enzo’s privacy, but he’d forfeited that right by lying to me. Besides, I reasoned I was doing it to protect my child. I needed to know what kind of man Enzo was.

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