Page 34 of The Silence Lies

“Thank god you’re not the one wearing it then,” I snark, glaring at him at the same time. After last night, I didn’t think he would be talking to me. It appears that he’s still taking his position seriously and not leaving my side.

“Yellow isn’t my color, anyway.” He turns to grab a silver, backless dress from a hanger. “Now this, I can imagine you in.”

“Really?” I raise my brows at him.

“And out of,” he adds with a wink.

Despite what happened, I can still feel the ghost of his lips pressed against mine. I won’t lie that our kiss was hot—all of them have been. Every part of me wants him. I want to explore the feelings that have developed—even if they came out of nowhere. I trust Levi enough to know that he wouldn’t hurt me. Because that’s what is holding me back, and I think he knows that.

Sure, I miss my best friend. Sure, Enzo’s words will haunt me. But that’s not what lingers in the back of my mind. It’s the fact that my last relationship was so toxic and destructive that I lost myself. It put me off relationships forever, and I can tell just from the palpable attraction between Levi and I that he wants more than just a one night stand. But I don’t know if I can give him that.

Through my grief, I’ve sort of forgotten how gorgeous he really is. I guess the similarities of my best friend riddle me with enough guilt to push any ideas of something happening to the back of my mind. Levi is still beneath me, he’s my second in command. Neither of us can afford distractions, or our emotions getting in the way of our plan.

I’m currently warring with my sensibility as I flip through the dresses on the stand. I can’t have anything to do with my second in command. It would be stupid of me to even entertain the notion.

So why do I want to kiss him all over again? Why do I want his hands to tug my hair or cup my face? Why am I desperate for more of his touch, his attention?

Maybe I just need to get laid. It’s been so long that it’s no wonder I was so turned on my Levi and his demanding kiss.

“What d’ya say?” he asks, waving the floor length dress at me.

“That’s a little too dressy.”

“Says who? You’re Donna Bianchi, you wear whatever the fuck you want.”

I gaze into those tempting eyes, tracking the way he licks his lips at me until I finally give in.

“Add it to the pile then,” I sigh.

He drops it into the chair by the dressing room. “I’m grabbing some coffee. Can I rely on you to keep her safe for ten minutes?” he asks Giovanni.

With a stoic nod from Giovanni, Levi heads out of the store. I pick up a few more options before I head over to the dressing room. Giovanni is already waiting for me as he stoically checks they are empty. Once he’s satisfied, he holds the curtain open and gestures for me to enter.

I try a navy blue lace dress first. It hugs my body beautifully, but it’s short. When I step outside to see Giovanni shaking his head, I know it’s not the right one.

The yellow one is next. It’s bright and simple, elegant in a beachy vibe kind of way.

“Gio!” I call out for him as I slide my arms through the sleeves. “Can you zip me up?”

He appears without a moment’s hesitation. I can see why my father picked him. He’s both obedient and reliable, he doesn’t question anything. Levi is still giving him a hard time about last night, making digs wherever he can.

In any other situation it would probably do him well, but after almost two weeks of silence, I won’t lie that it’s starting to grate on me a little.

Giovanni steps forward, and I watch him through the mirror as he tugs the zip up. His warm knuckles run up my back, a subtle tingle on my skin catches my breath, stunning me into silence. But when I meet his green gaze, I see the gentle hint of a smile.

“Is that a yes on the dress?” I ask him, but he doesn’t react.

“Definitely not!” Levi’s voice carries into the stall, making Giovanni and I both jump. And then his head pops over the side of the curtain. “Try the silver one!”

Rolling my eyes, I turn away but don’t miss the way Giovanni slowly retreats, taking a coffee cup from Levi.

“You’re going to need it,” he smirks at my bodyguard before returning his attention to the zip. It’s nice to see his mood has shifted a little already. But I’m still wary. It wasn’t Giovanni’s fault after all.

I put myself in that position with D’Angelo, I knew what I was doing and my bodyguard was ready to step in. He only obeyed my order. Had it been a different situation, I doubt he would hesitate.

Shaking my head, I peel off the yellow dress and slide into the silver one. I can’t really fault Levi’s choice. The more I gaze at it, the more I like it. It’s more of a rose gold than silver, but it clings to my curves and accentuates them perfectly. It’s far too sparkly to wear at a wedding, but I need to remember what Levi said.

“You decent?” Levi’s voice sounds from the other side of the curtain.

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