“I didn’t mean that. You’re here so we can get to know each other better and I can make a decision about who I’m going to marry. Now he’s here for the same reason. I would be letting my family down if I didn’t give him the same consideration.”
“He’s your enemy. He’s your family’s enemy. His family is out to ruin you. You know that, right?”
“His family might be, but I can’t believe that about him. He’s different.” I tugged his arm. “Come on. Let’s take a walk. It will help take your mind off it.”
He didn’t budge, not until he glanced over his shoulder. I didn’t have to turn around to know what Cesare was seeing back there. Nicky stood in the doorway. He shadowed me everywhere now.
Ever since Nicky came back from the hospital, he had been even more determined not to let anyone near me. He stood guard outside my bedroom door at night. I didn’t see when he slept or ate because he was always, always there, even when I didn’t want him to be.
I should have appreciated his actions. He never left me alone for a second because he wanted to make sure no one came near me the way Romeo did.
Nicky was just trying to protect me, but his constant vigilance made it impossible for me to sneak off with Cesare. We hadn’t done it since Nicky came back.
Cesare softened at the sight of Nicky. “All right. Fine. We can take a walk.”
We headed off on our usual route. Nicky shadowed our every move. Neither Cesare nor I had to turn around to hear Nicky’s footsteps about ten feet behind us.
The shadows enveloped us. This should be our cue to start making out and then maybe getting busy in the bushes, but neither of us made the move.
“You aren’t seriously thinking about Romeo Necci, are you?” he asked again.
“I’m definitely thinking about him. He’s interesting, and he knows a lot about almost everything. I’ve never met anyone like him. I’m starting to like him.”
“So does that mean I can go home now?” he demanded. “Are you finished with me?”
“Finished with you?” I wheeled around to stare at him. “What are you talking about?”
“You like him, so that means we’re all done. I can go back to Poughkeepsie or wherever. I don’t need to hang around watching you fall for another guy.”
I gasped and stopped dead in my tracks. “No! It isn’t like that.”
“So who are you going to marry—him or me?”
I shrugged and tried to start walking again, but he didn’t move. He stood rooted to the spot. “I don’t know, okay? I’m not ready to make a decision. I don’t even know Romeo very well.”
“You know enough. He’s been attacking your family for years.”
“His family has been. He hasn’t been involved in that.”
“What makes you so sure? Did you ask him?”
“Of course not! I could never ask him that.”
Cesare turned away and started walking by himself. He still held my hand, but he didn’t seem to be aware of me anymore.
Did everything just come to a crashing halt between me and Cesare? Did Romeo showing up here spoil everything? Maybe Cesare was right and I made a big mistake giving Romeo a chance.
We strolled under the trees. It got much darker, and Nicky didn’t come into the woods with us. He stayed on the grassy path, but he could still see and hear us.
Cesare let go of my hand, and we wandered for a while without speaking. There had to be a way to reconnect with Cesare. Would I have to send Romeo away to get back what Cesare and I had, or was it gone forever, never to return?
What if I married him and we never rekindled what started in these very woods? I couldn’t think of anything worse than that.
I glanced up at one of the guard towers, and before I could move, Cesare came up behind me from the shadows. He rushed me so fast I didn’t see him coming.
The next instant, he wrapped his arms around me from behind and clasped his arms around my stomach to pull me against him.
He pressed his mouth to my ear, and his hot breath seared my brain. “Would you like me to fuck you right here in front of Nicky? Would you like him to watch me fuck you right here? Would you like that? Would you like him to know what a filthy little animal you are for me?”