Page 145 of When She Tempts (The Fallen)
I don’t know much about love, but given my recent experiences, it seems like a pretty shaky foundation for something that’s supposed to last a lifetime. Giorgio walked away from me once. How do I know he won’t do it again? How can I marry someone I don’t trust?
“If he loved me, he wouldn’t have treated me like he did.”
Vale sighs. “Love is complicated. I mean, your brother tied me up in the basement and—” She coughs. “Well, no need to get into the details, but needless to say, it wasn’t the kind of thing you’d expect at the beginning of a typical courtship.”
“How did you move past it?”
“I… Well, it took me a while. When I watched you two interact and saw how much he loves you, I understood why he got so upset when he thought I may have been involved in your kidnapping. He didn’t trust me. I didn’t trust him either. But even after all that, we both felt a connection we couldn’t ignore. So we opened up to each other and rebuilt that trust.” She lifts her feet up to the edge of the chair and wraps her arms around her knees. “Do you feel a connection to Giorgio?”
Picking at my nails, I struggle with my answer. I want to say no, but then I’d be lying. Whatever I felt the first time I saw him is still there underneath the layers of hurt, rejection, and heartbreak. “Yeah. We spent a lot of time together when we were in his castello.”
Vale gives me a sad smile. “Do you want to tell me about what happened there?”
I fold my lips over my teeth. Sigh.
And then I do. I tell her everything.
When I’m done, Vale hands me a tissue and takes one for herself, dabbing it under her eyes. “Wow. That’s a lot, Mari. A whirlwind. It sounds like he tried really hard not to succumb to his feelings for you.”
I blow my nose and toss the tissue into the trashcan. “He did.”
“Why do you think that is?”
“He told me it was because he couldn’t risk breaking Dem’s trust. Otherwise, he’d never get Dem to agree to give him Sal.” I huff out a breath. “He said other things too.”
“Like what?” Vale asks.
“I think he never felt like he was a worthy match for me. He was sure Dem would never allow us to be together, that he’d want to marry me off to someone with a more powerful name.”
Vale tsks at that. “Your brother is not marrying you off to anyone against your will, of that you can be sure. He’d never do that to you, and if he lost his mind and tried, I promise you I’d set him straight.”
I give Vale a grateful look and reach over to squeeze her hand. The marriage Vale’s parents forced her into was a living nightmare, and I know she wouldn’t let anyone put me in a situation like that.
She squeezes back. “Well, I guess Giorgio’s changed his mind, huh?”
“Looks like it.”
“Based on what you told me about him, I think he’s been very afraid.”
My brows shoot up. “Giorgio? Afraid?”
“Yes. I think it was easier for him to push you away than to embrace the strong feelings he has for you and risk not being able to keep you because of things outside of his control. Do you see how that would really hurt him?”
I gnaw on my lip. Giorgio is a control freak, that much I know. “So this was his way to stay in control of the situation?”
She nods. “And when he found out you were going to get married to someone else, and that he was on the brink of losing you, he finally realized that he couldn’t live with that outcome. He took a leap into the unknown. Look at what’s happened since he went after you. Dem found out about you two, Giorgio lost his chance to kill Sal, and he messed everything up even more with you. He unleashed chaos on his life. He must be feeling extremely uncomfortable right now.”
“As he should,” I grumble, but her words settle over my skin like a cool breeze.
She’s right. Giorgio put everything on the line to keep me. It might be the first time in his life that he’s done anything like it.
“He’s been leaving you letters,” Vale says carefully.
This snaps me out of my thoughts. “Where?”
“Just outside the door.”
“How many?”
