“Just that they arrived at the Compound and that Catarina looks a little worse for wear, but she’s good. He said Reaper and the others are giving them some time before discussing the other matter. They’ve put Sypher on the trail. Luciano said he was impressed with the kids’ skills. We should know more soon. It was good thinking leaving Luc with Reggie. He will know how to handle him when he goes off the rails.”
“God, this alliance is one big mess. Just when I think I’ve got everything covered, something else happens. Do you think she will ever forgive me?” I asked, looking at her still standing before the water’s edge. She hadn’t moved. Not one inch. It was as if the ocean and captured her in its thrall.
“She will. You didn’t know how bad it was. Now you do. We could all hear her screams last night. They were bad. Illyria came into my room, crying last night. She couldn’t handle them anymore. Lorenzo and Antonio have been in the gym. They know a fight is coming.”
“What about you?”
“Me. I am doing what I always do.”
“Waiting on me?”
“Yes. Give some direction Gio. Anything to make this better.”
“I will when she gives me one. And brother, you won’t be alone this time. I want their blood on my hands too.”
“You really like her, don’t you?”
“I think I am past like. I feel protective of her. I want to see her smile again. I want to hear her laughter. I want to hear her smart mouth. Anything but her cries of agony. When I find the man who broke her, Sal, I am going to rip that mother fucker apart with my bare hands.”
“Gio,” Sal said, looking at me.
“I know Reggie told me she had a horrible past. That she was held captive. But I never, I didn’t think. She is a treasure, Sal, and she was treated so horribly. She should have been protected. Cherished. Loved. Instead, she was violently raped and abused repeatedly for years. What she endured was unthinkable. They broke her, Sal. They ripped everything good and beautiful from her life. I want to fix her. Give her back some semblance of her former life. I want her happy and protected for all eternity. I need to do this Sal. She needs it. She’s lost too much.”
“You love her,” Sal accused in shock.
I was about to respond when Layla collapsed on the sand. “Layla!” Running towards her, I fell to my knees as I gathered her into my arms. She was pale. Which had confused me as she stood under the warm sun for hours. Gathering her in my arms, I turned to find my family all staring at us. I knew what they were thinking. I couldn’t help it. How could one help how they felt? Holding her tight to me, I walked towards them, saying nothing.
There wasn’t anything to say.
Sal said it clearly.
He was right.
I was in love with Layla Capribella.
“Gio?” my mother whispered as I walked past.
“Leave me alone.”
Quickly heading for my bedroom, I kicked the doors closed then placed Layla on the bed. She was exhausted, worn out. She hadn’t eaten anything in days. I worried that she was slowly starving herself. Willing herself to die, and that was something I refused to allow.
She may think she is unable to handle what life threw at her, but she didn’t have me in her corner before. She did now, and I wasn’t going to let anything or anyone harm her ever again.
She needed, wanted a protector. Well, she had one now.
She was going to be my first thought in the morning and the last before I closed my eyes at night. She was going to want for nothing. I would see to her safety personally. Whatever she wanted, she would get. No more lies. No more deception. I was going to give her everything she was denied and then some. But first, I needed to get her to eat something. Anything.
Reaching over to my nightstand, I grabbed the small water bottle I always kept there. Removing the lid, I wrapped my hand carefully around her neck and placed the bottle to her lips. “PleaseCara. Drink for me.”
Lightly tipping the bottle, I watched as the water moistened her lips. Yet, she didn’t drink. She refused to even open her eyes.
“Per favore amore mio, bevi per me, solo un po’.”
“Lasciami solo, per favore. Lasciami morire.”
Grinning, I should have known. She was full of surprises. But I refused to grant her wish. There was no way on earth I would allow her to die. “I can’t do that, my love. Now, please drink.”
I felt like crying when she opened her mouth and took a small sip of water. Then she took another. Exhausted, she laid her head back down on the pillows. I said nothing as I placed the bottle of water back on the nightstand. Looking back at her, I took a deep breath as she slept once again.