Page 100 of When She Unravels
They soak the dusty earth and reach all the way down to the place where my soul has been hiding.
One day, we may have a flower yet.
CHAPTER30
DAMIANO
She pressesher face into my chest, and I cup the back of her head with my palm. In the bathroom mirror behind her, my reflection stares back at me. It simmers with heartbreak and rage.
I can’t erase the image of her shaking on the floor of her room.
When I found her like that, I thought it was because she saw me shoot a hole in a man’s hand. I hated myself for putting her through that. I’ve lost control around her more times than I can count. It’s like she turns the dial up on all my feelings until they burst. It’s terrifying how alive she makes me feel.
I rake my fingers through her hair and pull her closer. There’s a dull pain in my chest. The back of my throat stings. I want to burn everyone who’s hurt her to the ground, starting with her husband.
If he’s alive, he won’t stay that way for long.
My blood turns ice cold. Just when I’m about to lose myself in fantasies of violence, she slides her hands around my waist and presses her lips to mine.
Everything melts away. I fist her hair and dip my tongue into her mouth. She makes a gentle sound in response, a little moan so sweet it hurts. The need to protect her is so overwhelming in this moment. It feels like I’m falling into an abyss. I’m not a romantic. I refuse to believe in love. In my experience, it’s toxic and makes people do stupid, unforgivable things.
But no matter how I search, I can’t find another word to describe what I’m feeling.
Cazzo.I’ve gone so soft for this woman I’m surprised I’m still able to stand.
She wraps her legs around my waist, and my thoughts turn to baser things. Blood rushes to my groin. I tug on her bottom lip with my teeth. I want to fuck her so badly.
She seems to get the same idea. Her fingers pull down my zipper, and she takes me into her trembling palm.
Why is she trembling?
I pull away and see that her eyes are glassy and wet. “Vale, you’re upset.”
She doesn’t answer. She just starts stroking me. It should be enough confirmation she wants this. It would be in any other situation, but not this time. I stop her. It physically hurts, but I stop her. “Not now.”
She sighs and drops her forehead to rest against my chest. Then when I’m about to ask her if she’s okay, she starts to cry.
Yeah, this is going to have to wait. I tuck myself back in, lift her from the vanity, and bring her back out to my bedroom to place her down on the bed.
She downs the glass of water I give her, which I take as a good sign, and eventually, she goes quiet. I can tell she’s processing something, so I give her time. Ras is probably downstairs wondering what the hell I’m doing up here. He can wait for a bit longer.
She places the empty glass on the nightstand. “You shooting Nelo is a problem, isn’t it?”
“I’ll need to call Sal to try to smooth it out. Whether I’m able to or not is another question.”
“What does it mean for your plan with my father?”
“We need to move quickly.” I’ve lost the luxury of taking my time with this. Sal will be on high alert as soon as Nelo gets into his ear about what happened. He might get curious about the woman I have with me, and if he discovers it’s Valentina Garzolo, he’ll know I’m aware of what he’s done. He won’t wait for me to make my move before he sends his army here to eliminate me. He values the money I make him, but not enough to risk me starting an uprising that can only end in his death.
Valentina nods and wipes her cheeks dry. When she looks at me, there’s unmistakable conviction in her eyes. “I’ll tell you everything I know. It’s not much.”
Hope floods me. “It might be everything we need.”
She looks less convinced, but she gives me a soft smile. “Let me clean up a bit first.”
“Go. I need to check on Ras,” I say, as we rise off the bed. When she starts toward the door, I curl my hand around her wrist. “I want you in my bed.”
Her skin pebbles with goosebumps. “Do you?”
