Page 40 of Unholy Union

Salvatore’s eye twitches, but other than that, his expression doesn’t change. “That’s too bad.”

“It really is,” Mom murmurs.

A loud thump and cry from upstairs makes everyone turn to look. Lucia comes running into the living room. “Luca was jumping on the bed and fell off and got hurt.”

Mom sighs, exchanging a look with me. “I … is he seriously hurt?”

Lucia shrugs. “Seems like it.”

Mom looks torn between wanting to check on Luca and stay with me. I tell her it’s okay. “You can go,” I say. “I’ll be fine.”

She frowns as she slowly gets up. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’ll be fine. If Mr.Fontanawants to talk, then we can talk.” I give Salvatore a sweet smile, but he just looks more annoyed.

With one final look at me, Mom leaves the room with Lucia at her side.

I turn to Salvatore. “What did you want to discuss?”

“This.” He stands up, walks over to me, and grabs my face, trying to pull me in for a kiss. I just barely dodge his lips, so they end up touching my cheek. “Now, don’t be like that, Cecilia.”

“Don’t touch me.” I shove him back, but despite how old he is, he’s still taller than me. He doesn’t go far. He grabs my face again and tries to kiss me.

“No,” I say, pushing him back, but he doesn’t relent. Finally, I’ve had enough of this.

I bring my knee up and hit him straight in the balls. Salvatore grunts as he slides to his knees.

I don’t wait for a moment longer to leave the house. Mom is too busy with the twins. And after all she told me about her and Franco, I don’t want to burden her with this, too.

There’s only one person I know who will protect me against anything, even if I don’t understand where his mind is.

Theo.

I hurry back to the hospital and find him still in bed when I enter his room.

“Cecilia?” he asks, sitting up straighter in bed.

“I’m in trouble,” I tell him.

CHAPTER 9

Theo

Cecilia’s face is flushed, and her eyes are wide as she tells me she’s in trouble.

“Trouble? How?” I ask. I haven’t stopped thinking about our kiss for the past hour. I finally crossed that boundary, and there’s no going back. I’m tired of pretending I don’t have feelings for Cecilia.

She rushes to my side. “Salvatore. He tried to kiss me, and I pushed him away, but he wouldn’t stop. So, eventually I … kneed him in the groin.”

I stare at Cecilia in shock. Good Catholic girl Cecilia just told me she kneed Salvatore Fontana in the balls. If I weren’t so hurt and so angry, I’d laugh. “Okay, then what happened?”

“I … came straight here.” She ducks her head, her cheeks blushing. “I didn’t know what else to do. I know I’m in trouble. Salvatore will be so angry. But I knew out of all the people in my life, you’d be the one who wouldn’t judge me. I’ve seen how you look at Salvatore. With utter hatred. I figured you wouldn’t judge me for what I did.”

“Why didn’t you go to your mom? Where was she?”

“She was with us.” Cecilia blows out a rough breath. “But then the twins needed her, so she left the room. I told her it wasokay. I didn’t think Salvatore would try something like that. But when I told him no and he kept coming at me, I just panicked. I hurt him, he fell to the ground, and I left. I didn’t even tell my mom I was leaving.”

I sit up straighter in bed, despite my injuries telling me to rest. “You mom should never have left you alone. Where was the other guard?”

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