CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - ROSE

I woke up to the sounds of Camillo speaking beautiful Italian in my ear, but as I collected myself, I realized he wasn’t in bed. My body ached from last night. My shoulders and my ass screamed out for mercy as a smirk donned my face.

How powerful the air had been between the two of us.

But the increasingly gruff sound of his voice ripped me from my trance. He was speaking rapidly. Forcefully. Almost as if something was wrong. I reached for the nightstand where my purse and phone had been set, no doubt by Camillo after I’d fallen asleep last night. I checked my phone, making sure nothing was wrong with my family, but when I saw no one had called, I started wondering who he was talking to.

I pulled the covers up over my body while Camillo paced the floor, his body shrouded by the darkened corners of his room, even as the sun rose steadily over the mountaintops. I scooted myself back toward the headboard, afraid of the way his voice sounded urgent and angry.

I’d never seen Camillo upset before.

He was a big man, a powerful man. The tone of his voice dropped while the volume of it rose and, soon, his body stiffened as his words shifted from Italian to English.

And what he had to say brought terrified tears to my eyes.

“I will fucking kill you. Do you understand? You touch her and I will exterminate you and your entire fucking family from the face of this planet. That is my vow to you.”

I shook as I bunched the comforter up to my face. He hung up his cellphone and threw it across the room, causing it to shatter into pieces. I yelped against the headboard.

I’d never seen him lose his cool like that before. I always saw the anger behind his eyes, but I never once imagined him being someone who would act upon it. I saw recognition behind his eyes, almost like he hadn’t even realized he’d started speaking English.

His fiery eyes connected with mine as he drew in a few deep breaths through his nose, trying to calm himself down while his hands slowly unfurled from their fists.

“Who was that?” I asked lightly.

He shook his head and turned his back to me.

Suddenly, I felt a rush of tension cascade through the air, the type of tension that signaled to me that I needed to run. I knew this man was trouble. What the hell had I been thinking?

“I want to go home now,” I said as I slid from the bed.

“Please stay,” he said.

“No,” I said as I pulled my shirt over my head. “Take me home now, before I call someone to come get me.”

His silence spoke volumes, so I grabbed my purse and my phone. I scrolled through and pulled up Cassie’s phone number. I strode through his cabin, trying to find my way out. The hallways seemed endless as I hit dead end after dead end and, just before I made it to the kitchen, I felt Camillo’s hand hook into my arm.

“Please,” he said as he whipped me around. “Just stay a little while longer.”

“You’re hiding things and that doesn’t work for me. It’s not just us anymore, Camillo. This isn’t three years ago and you’re not some mysterious, dark prince who’s swept me off my feet. I have a family to protect and take care of.”

“And I don’t?” he asked.

“For a man who tells me he does, you sure aren’t being very forthcoming with your protection.”

I wrenched my hand from his grasp and took a step back from him. He lurched forward, grasping my arms as he led me over to the kitchen table. He sat me down, pulling up a chair before he sat and put his hands on my knees.

His fingertips massaged my skin, bleeding a warmth into my muscles that I wished would just go away.

“I have enemies, Rose,” he said. “Because of the life I used to live. I’m a very rich and very influential man and I thought my riches could hide me. But I’m realizing I was wrong about that.”

“The car you chased after yesterday,” I said.

He nodded.

I turned my eyes away from him as tears rose to them. I didn’t want him to see my weakness. I didn’t want him to see my fear. I didn’t want him to see the pain in my eyes as the fantasy I’d quickly built for myself came crashing down.

There was no way we could be together. Ever.

“They know about Ana,” he said.

“Excuse me?” I asked. “Who knows about Ana?”

“A rival family. One that’s chased after us for decades. That phone call was them, trying to use that knowledge against me. To try and draw me out.”

Nope. No, no, no. This had gone far enough. Now, he was talking about people threatening my daughter and I wasn’t going to stand for this.

Not one bit.

“Take me home. Now.”

“Rose, just listen.”

“I need to know they’re safe!” I shrieked.

I stood up from the chair and backed away from him. His eyes connected hard with me, his body slowly standing tall while the shadows of his home played off his burly features. His icy blue eyes and that beard that had tickled my skin all night. Those beautiful lips I’d probably never kiss again and those rough hands that pinned me down for his own taking.

How stupid I had been to think this could work.

“Let me grab my keys,” he said.

We got into his truck and sped back to my house. The roads were icy, and the snow was still coming down, but not once did Camillo let up. My head was swirling with a million thoughts as I tried calling Cassie again. Had someone come to the house? Did someone have my family? Why the hell was she not picking up her phone!?

“I’m so sorry, Rose,” Camillo said. “I’m sorry I got you tangled up in all this.”

“Tell that to Ana,” I said flatly.

All I wanted to do was get home and make sure Ana was okay. He didn’t even get the truck stopped in the driveway before I barreled into the house. I ran up the stairs, taking them two by two while my purse and my phone tumbled down the stairs.

The moment I skidded into Ana’s room and saw her sleeping soundly was the moment I collapsed into a fit of despair and sobbed.

Suddenly, I felt my body being lifted. I felt something strong and warm against my skin as I was carried out of my daughter’s room. I was being settled into my bed, my body being covered before a warm pair of lips descended onto my throbbing temple.

“Let me go check on everyone else,” Camillo said.

I cried while he checked on the rest of the family. Everyone was sound asleep, the boys in Kevin’s room and the nanny sleeping in Cassie’s. I curled into my pillow and soaked it with my tears. Tears of sorrow and anguish and fear. Tears of embarrassment and anger and weakness. How I lost myself in him again, I had no idea. But I knew I couldn’t do it again.

I couldn’t allow him to bring this sort of danger into our lives.

“Talk to me,” Camillo said as he sat down next to me. “Say something.”

“I can’t take living in fear like this,” I said.

“I will protect you,” he said. “All of you. Your family is my family now and no one is going to get away with hurting any of you.”

“You can’t guarantee that, Camillo,” I said. “You’re just one man.”

“No one would dare cross me,” he said as his voice darkened.

“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” I said, sighing.

I felt his arms yank me upright before he pulled me into his body. I could feel him trembling, his own fear taking over, even as he tried to comfort me. I tried pushing away from him. I tried getting away from the beautiful comfort I felt in the arms of this dangerous man. But the more I fought, the tighter he clung and, soon, I felt the whole of me giving way to him as my tears soaked his shirt.

“I will keep you safe,” he said as he pressed a kiss into my head. “That is my vow to you. I will keep you all safe.”