The seconds ticked by. The wounds scabbed over, and a strange peace radiated from his gut. once again, he was in front of that door in the hotel, a video camera gripped in his hands. A choice. His choice.
“Where is she?”
Mama Conte pulled back and smiled. “She went to the airport to see them off. you can still catch them.”
“Thank you.”
“Prego. Now go.”
He stood up and hugged her again. Then raced out the door.
…
Michael’s jet was fueled and ready to go. Heart heavy to see her family go, Julietta milled in the main lobby section before the security checkpoint and said her final farewells. Michael gripped her hard and raised her off the ground. “Stay strong,”
he murmured in her ear. She figured Max had given him a heads-up, but his strength and support eased her heart.
“I will. Take care of my nephews.”
“Si.”
Alexa shifted Maria in her arms; she had fallen fast asleep on the drive over. “Thank you for your hospitality, Julietta. I can’t wait to go home and try out all these new recipes.”
“Perhaps I’ll take a trip to New york to see your home.
I’ll see what I can do with my schedule.”
“I’d love that.”
Maggie and Carina gave her another hug. “Bye, sis. We love you.”
“Love you, too.”
“Call if you need us. For anything.”
“I will.”
They turned in a mass group and began moving toward the checkpoint.
“Wait!”
everyone stopped. Sawyer ran through the crowds, dodging and whizzing past strollers and luggage and security. He skidded to a halt in front of them, out of breath, his cashmere coat and bright purple tie symbols of stylish civility. His face reflected the opposite—a mass of naked emotion, his scar highlighted under the garish airport lighting.
Joy exploded through Julietta. “you came.”
Her family moved toward him, but he put out his hands.
“Stop. I have something to say.”
Julietta stilled. Wolfe stiffened beside her. Amidst the chaos, a frozen silence clouded around the group, half ter-rified of the words that would finally be spoken aloud. Her heart exploded in rapid beats that choked her breath. She fought through the fear and hoped that by sending Max, she hadn’t broken him.
His beautiful tiger eyes lit with uncertainty. His gaze skimmed the group as a whole, then came to rest on her.
“I can’t do this anymore. To my wife. To Wolfe. To everyone.”
“Please.” She cleared her throat, desperate to stop him.
“Please, don’t.”
“I have to. I have to do this now.” He dragged in a lung-ful of air. “I’m a complete ass**le. I pushed you past your limits and promised I’d be there to help you. But I wasn’t.
The first sign of real intimacy, of honesty, and I run like I’ve been taught my entire life. except you wouldn’t let me.
Somehow, you saw past the bullshit and loved me anyway.
you wrecked me, Julietta. you tore me apart piece by piece and then put me back together. I love you. And though I don’t think I’ll ever deserve you, I choose to try. I choose you. All of you. If you’ll still have me.”
A sob tore from her throat. She recognized the leap he had taken to confess his feelings in front of her family—a naked unveiling in public that scared him to the core. She stumbled forward, and he rushed to meet her.
His arms held her tight against his massive chest. Drunk on his scent and his touch, she clung to him, afraid she was in a dream and she’d wake up.
“I love you. every part of you, and you were mistaken if you ever thought I’d allow you to leave me. you belong to me. To us. And I’ll spend every day making you believe it.”
Alexa sniffled. “oh my God, he gave her an airport scene! Just like in the books I read and all those movies. He followed her to an airport and confessed his love before she could board the plane!”
Nick laughed. “Sweetheart, she wasn’t boarding the plane.”
“Close enough.”
Maggie sighed. “Damn, that did rock. Almost as good as you wearing the Mets cap with old yeller in BookCrazy.”
Nick winced. “Uh, can we not talk about that, please?”
Max grinned. “Hmm, I didn’t hear that story. Good, I need a little entertainment on the flight.”
“Screw you.”
Michael grinned. “Should we leave them alone to finish their scene in private?”
Maggie snorted. “Hell, no. I say we go in for a group hug. As Sawyer stated, he’s stuck with all of us.”
Suddenly, Julietta was surrounded by her family, laugh-ing and sniffling while the men held back to retain an ele-ment of coolness. When they finally pulled away, Wolfe stood off to the side, a half smile on his lips. “you guys are nuts.”
“And you’re a part of it. Part of us,” Julietta said.
Sawyer walked toward the boy. Clasped his shoulders.
And looked into his eyes. “you were right, Wolfe. I was going to run, because that’s all I knew. But not anymore.
And you’re not either. When you get something good and right and pure, you stick with it. Got it?”
Wolfe grinned. “Got it.”
Sawyer pulled him in for a short, hard hug.
This time, Wolfe hugged him back.
…
Sawyer’s hand drifted over her belly to cup one of her br**sts. A playful tug at her nipple heated her back up, and she let out a groan. “I need a break. Too many orgasms.”
He chuckled and nibbled on the sensitive curve of her neck. “Quitter.”
“Those are fighting words.”
“Hope so.” His tongue licked up toward her ear, and his hot breath shivered moist and warm, causing goose bumps to break out on her skin. “I got a lot to make up for.”
She turned her head and kissed him deep and long and sweet. “you already did.”
“Do you think Wolfe will forgive me?”
“yes. you never left. you ended up choosing him. That’s what he’ll remember.”
“I’m thinking of sending him back to New york. After Purity opens, of course, and he settles in a bit. I want him to have the experience of college. He’s so smart; he should have a degree behind him. Get a glimpse of what a normal teenager goes through.”