Page 94 of Saved By A God
Leaving the warehouse, I hurry back to my Mustang, wanting to get home to Rosie.
I hated leaving her so soon, and as long as Uncle Dario doesn’t kill the fuckers, he can have his way with them for the next week.
When I walk into my apartment and see Gianna sitting on the couch and watching TV, I ask, “Where’s Rosie?”
“She’s taking a nap upstairs.”
My sister climbs to her feet and switches off the TV. “She’s only been asleep for twenty minutes.”
I nod and give her a hug. “Thanks for staying with Rosie.”
“Duh. She’smybest friend.” Suddenly, Gianna scowls at me and crosses her arms over her chest. “By the way, this is bullshit. If it weren’t for you being such an overprotective dipshit, I wouldn’t leave her side. Everyone wants to see her, Enzo. We all need her.”
My temper flares as I lock eyes with her. “Watch your fucking tone, Gianna.”
She opens her mouth, but I don’t give her a chance to argue.
“I know you love her, but this isn’t about what you want. It’s not about what any of us want. Rosie comes first. Her needs. Her healing. Her space.” I lean closer, making sure she hears every word. “Not you. Not me. Not the fucking Cosa Nostra. She’s done sacrificing every-fucking-thing to make everyone else okay. Those days are over. Get it?”
Gianna’s face pales, and her arms fall to her sides. For a second, she looks less like the woman who just challenged me and more like my baby sister who knows damn well when she’s crossed a line.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I shouldn’t have said it like that.” Her eyes flick toward the stairs before coming back to me. “I just miss her. We all do. But you’re right. Rosie comes first.”
I force myself to breathe, then pull out my phone because clearly everyone needs the same damn reminder.
Enzo: No one comes over unless Rosie asks for you. She needs space, and I’m giving it to her. Her needs come first from now on. Not the family. Not business. Not anyone’s feelings. Let her heal.
When I put my phone away, Gianna steps closer and hugs me. “I’m really sorry.”
“It’s okay,” I murmur as I squeeze her tightly before letting go.
As she walks to the elevator, she says, “Call me if you or Rosie need anything.”
I nod and watch as she leaves.
Needing to check on Rosie, I head upstairs, and when I nudge the bedroom door open and find the bed empty, I dart inside.
A second later, my feet come to a dead stop when I see her in the walk-in closet with only a towel wrapped around her body.
Standing with her back to me, I see the top half of a dragon in red ink.
She has a tattoo?
For way too long, I stare at the ink before my mind catches up, and a frown shoots to my forehead.
There’s no fucking way.
Rosie starts to lower the towel, revealing more of the tattoo that’s been seared into my mind for years.
Suddenly, her head jerks, and when she notices me, the blood drains from her face. “Oh, God! I didn’t know you were back.” Quickly, she hauls the towel up and spins to face me, pressing her back against the closet wall, like that can hide what I’ve already seen. “Let me explain. Please!”
“Explain?” The single word sounds hoarse as wave after wave of shock hits me. I can’t get anything else out.
“I didn’t know it was you at Paradiso. I… I… I didn’t look at the guy’s details and only afterward found out we were paired. I used a fake name and…” she rushes a few steps closer before stopping and shaking her head. “Please, Enzo. I didn’t know. It was… just… God.”
“Paradiso,” I echo her, trying to process what I’m hearing.
The tattoo, the dark room, the wet patches I found on the pillow afterward, which told me the girl had been crying… it all hits me right in the gut, and for a second, I can’t get air into my lungs.
