“Of course. I’ll stick by you, even if we can’t be together as a couple.”
I couldn’t stand this. I slipped my arms around his waist and crushed him as tightly as I could. “Thank you! Thank you so much!”
He kissed me on top of the head. He hadn’t done that since before we started doing it with each other. How did that close affection get lost in so much sex? I really needed this.
He hugged me back and then straightened me up. He cupped my chin and kissed me on the lips. “I love you more than anything. Whatever you need, I’ll be there.”
CESARE
Iopened the front door of the Leone family estate and stepped outside as a long line of limos pulled into the driveway. The fourth one halted in front of the steps, and the chauffeur opened the passenger door to let my father and uncle out.
I went down to the ground and held out my arms to my father. “Papa!”
“Bambino!” He hugged me, kissed me on both cheeks, and then patted my face. “How’s the situation at Fort Knox?”
I laughed. “We’re going to war.”
He laughed too, and I went over to my uncle Antonio. He hugged me and kissed me too. “You introduce us to the consigliere, Cesare,” my father told me.
“Right this way.” I led them into Leo’s office, but when the usual formal greetings started, I slipped away.
I dashed upstairs to Gia’s room, tapped my knuckle on the door, and let myself in. She turned from the vanity mirror to face me. She wore a magnificent, shimmering gold-foil gown with her hair piled on top of her head in a tower of curls.
“You look stunning,” I murmured.
She dipped her eyes to my tux. “You don’t look too shabby yourself.”
I tried to smile, but my face didn’t work right. “I came to say goodbye.”
Her eyebrows rose in the middle. “Do you have to?”
“Yes, I do. The visitation period is over, and I have to go home to my family.”
She gulped and nodded down at her hands. “I guess I expected that.”
I stepped closer. “I’m going to the gala in convoy with you and Leo, but I’ll be riding with my family. My father and uncle are meeting the Italians with Leo. Then, after it’s over, I’m going home.”
“I wish you didn’t have to go.” Her voice cracked. “I understand why you have to. I just wish… I wish it could last forever.”
I stroked her cheek. I would have liked to kiss her and do a whole lot more to her, but now wasn’t the time. “We both know this isn’t going to end in us getting married.”
Tears welled up in her eyes. “I love you!”
“I love you too. I’ve always loved you, and I always will.”
“I’m sorry.” She looked down, and her tears overflowed. “I wish it could have been different.”
“I know you have feelings for Leo and Romeo. I understand why you would choose one of them over me.”
“I didn’t! I could never choose one of them over you! That’s why I could never choose you over one of them, either.” She shook her head fast. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just wish we could all just keep doing this forever. I never want it to change.”
“It has to.” I didn’t want to kiss her on the lips in case I smeared her lipstick, so I kissed her on the forehead. “I love you, but I have to go. I’ll see you at the gala.”
I put my arms around her, and she hugged me back. She rested her head on my shoulder sniffing for a minute, and when we separated, she fought to get herself under control. “Okay. I’ll see you later.”
I kissed her forehead one more time and left the room in turmoil. God, I loved her so fucking much! Why did I have to leave? Why couldn’t all of this go on forever? Why did someone have to marry her at all?
I shook those thoughts out of my head and went back down to Leo’s office. He was just coming out of it with my father and uncle.