Page 38 of Paolo DeLuca
Chapter twenty-one
Paolofinallydraggedhimself into his condo an hour after checking in with Franco. The adrenaline from when he thought he would lose Lyric eventually petered out. He glanced down at himself—his hands and sleeves were covered in Cali’s blood. Paolo meant what he said to Cali when they parted ways all those years ago. When he plunged his knife into Cali’s heart and slit her throat, peace settled over him once she took her last breath. Cali was no longer a threat to his business or his love. There was no question about it, he absolutely loved Lyric. He wouldn’t have moved hell and highwater or put his club’s reputation on the line for anyone other than her.
He whole-heartedly believed that.
“Paolo.” Gino pulled him out of his musings. “Go wash up. You don’t want Lyric seeing you with all of that.” He pointed at the carnage all over him. Gino was right. Lyric didn’t need to see him covered in blood. He never hid what or who he was from her, but it didn’t mean she had to see it if he could prevent it.
Paolo faced Franco sitting at the kitchen island. More than likely, he’d been sitting there since he and Lyric had arrived.
“Where is she?” Paolo asked.
“In your bedroom sleeping last I checked.”
Paolo nodded but didn’t go toward his room to check for himself. Instead, he trudged into the guest bedroom, tugging at his clothing along the way.
The shower didn’t make him feel as revitalized as he’d hoped. Paolo was emotionally drained and tired. At the moment, he only wanted to wrap himself around Lyric and never come up for air.
“You want us to head out?” Dante asked, standing from his seat.
“Do one more sweep around the place, and then you can go,” he ordered, facing Gino, who was the last approaching the elevator. “Gino, I won’t be at the club for a few days. I want to spend some time with Lyric, but make sure her tuition is paid in full.”
Gino’s eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded, then stepped onto the lift with Dante and Franco.
Lyric would give him a tongue lashing once she found out he went against her wishes and paid her tuition anyway. But he wanted her not to want for anything. To not worry about where her next source of income would come. And he certainly didn’t want her paying for that crappy-ass studio apartment or living there. Paolo didn’t wait for the doors to close before he went to the person who now became his reason for being. Despite his last name, he’d do everything in his power to shield her from the bad. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her.
Paolo quietly opened his bedroom door. A sliver of light poured into the room, landing on his sleeping angel. He loved her. And he knew he did because he’d never felt the pull toward anyone like he did Lyric.
She was his. His to keep. His to protect from the dangers of his family and his business. And he was Lyric Mason’s for as long as she would have him.
He was resolute in what he did to Cali and what he would do for Lyric. Paolo quickly realized the answer was ‘anything’. If she had him, he would ask her to marry him. But that conversation was for another time. Right now, all he wanted to do was hold her in his arms. Paolo slid under the covers beside her, wrapped her in his arms, and kissed ilsuo cuore batteva, his heartbeat, and closed his eyes.
