Page 55 of Dangerous Attraction

“Massimo, it’s me. It’s not what you think. Please call me back. I miss you.” Disconnecting the call, I handed Antonio the phone. “He’ll call back. I know he will.” I folded my arms across my chest.

“You don’t know my brother like I do. This is bad. I need to call my father and tell him Massimo is going to be on a warpath. Excuse me.” Antonio left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I scurried over to the desk where my own phone sat charging. I’d avoided talking to Massimo since arriving in Italy, needing time to sort through my feelings. After hearing the hurt in his voice, I knew without a doubt that I was in love with him. My heart ached, needing to clear up this misconception. Pressing the phone to my ear, I waited, hoping he’d answer me, but it went to voicemail again.

“Please, Massimo. You need to let me explain. I know it looked bad, but it’s not like that with Antonio. He’s like my brother. We’ve gotten close. Don’t be mad at me. Answer the phone… please. I want to tell you how I feel, but not like this. I love you… I do. I’m sorry I’ve ignored you. I just needed some time. Massimo,” I sighed. “Please call me.”

I sent him a text, pleading for him to pick up his phone. If I’d seen him like that with another woman, I’d be livid, so I understood his reaction to some extent, but this was his brother. Who could he think I… no, we’d betray him like that? Sliding the phone into my pocket, I headed to my room. It was closing in on midnight, and I had to write my final paper for college. Somehow Massimo had convinced the college to allow a final project submission instead of attending any more classes. His status in Vegas seemed to pay off in more ways than I could comprehend.

Stripping off my clothes, I tugged on Massimo’s shirt, which I’d worn to bed every night since arriving. It was the only thing I had of him here in Italy. Antonio had taken me shopping the day after I arrived. That man had more fashion sense than any woman I’d ever met.

I glanced at my screen, wishing for a response to appear. He needed to know it wasn’t what he thought. Antonio would never cross that line, not only because he didn’t see me like that, but his loyalty to his family was more important.

His withdrawal from the family and self-loathing attitude stemmed from his fear of acceptance. With his grandfather dying, Antonio felt as though he had no one to lean on until me. He was the brother I’d never had. I just needed Massimo to see that.

By the time I finally closed my eyes, I’d sent nearly a dozen text messages and left almost as many messages. Curling up on myself, I let the tears fall. It wasn’t supposed to end like this, yet that’s how I was feeling.

Like our time was over before it had even begun.

Clasping the phone against my chest, I let sleep take claim me. Morning would come sooner than I wanted, and I feared I would find myself broken-hearted and confused soon enough.

thirty-six

MASSIMO

Pissed off,I threw the phone across my desk and watched as it bounced off the wooden surface and scatter to the floor at Donny’s feet.

“Everything alright, Boss?” He closed the door behind him.

“No. Everything is not fucking alright. Tell me you’ve found Juan Carlos.”

Donny bent over and picked up my phone. He glanced at the screen, then at me, raising a brow in question. “You have thirty missed calls.”

“I am aware of how many calls I’ve missed.”

Donny thumbed the screen. “And at least a dozen text messages from Madison. What’s going on, Massimo?”

Donny never called me by my first name, not unless he was playing friend instead of muscle. Sighing, I ran my fingers through my hair.

“I called her earlier.”

“Ok, and?”

“It was almost eleven p.m. her time.”

He shuffled forward and set the phone on my desk. “What does that have to do with your pissed-off demeanor and the missed calls and texts?”

“She must have accidentally answered my Facetime. Antonio was on top of her in a compromising position.”

“Antonio would never do anything to betray you. There must be an explanation. Did you ask her or him?”

“No, I hung up and have avoided both of their calls.”

He blew out a frustrated breath. “Massimo, you’re being stupid.”

“Look.” I pushed back from my desk. “I don’t want to talk about it, ok? I need to find Juan Carlos and end this so I can go to Italy. If Madison has fallen for my brother, who is there for her when I can’t be, I’ll have no one to blame but myself. I made her go.”

“Well, I can help you with that. Benito has Juan downstairs.”

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