Page 115 of Diavolo

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Elyse forced herself tostay calm. "What do you mean—you were wrong about us?"

Alessandro's expression darkened slightly. "I may be your burden to carry, after all."

"No, no, baby," She protested as her eyes stung with regret. "I was being an asshole when I said that to you.You aren't a burden. Not at all. Not to me."

Alessandro murmured, "Then what am I to you?"

"You're—"

Elyse hesitated as she searched for the right words that could express the complexities of her feelings for this beautifully flawed and dangerous man. With an intent expression, Alessandro waited for Elyse to gather her thoughts.

"A part of me now," Elyse realized with a sudden sense of wonderment, "as much as I'm a part of you."

This coaxed a small smile from him. "That is how I view you as well."

"I shouldn't have taken out my frustrations on you. When I hurt you, it hurt me, too."

He kissed her gently. "I would rather that you wound me with truth than hide yourself from me with lies."

"I feel the same way," Elyse breathed softly as she kissed him back. "Before, you didn't feel entirely real. You were too perfect and polished. But now I'm beginning to see you more clearly. I see the good, the bad, I see my Alessio as well as Alessandro Vitale, and I'm in awe of you. I want you more than ever."

Alessandro released a groan of delight."Dio mi aiuti,Elyse, I..."

Whatever Alessandro was about to say became lost in the moment as he kissed her again and again, deeply, deeper, mindlessly, desperately, until she felt as though her heart might burst with a most frightening emotion.Te amo, te amo, te amo. I love you, I love you, I love you.The words thudded in time with her heartbeat, and the power they held flooded Elyse with a startling strength alongside a crippling fear. A strength to stand by her man. To love him. Passionately, wholly, and selflessly. And a fear of what might happen to them if her strength faltered. Of what might change between them if she ever revealed the obsessively endless depth of her feelings. So, as their lips parted from each other, Elyse simply said, "I'm yours, Alessio."

Alessandro smiled as though he simply couldn't help himself. His eyes grew soft and bright. "To call youmineis all I ever wanted."

She stared at him intently. "Now that we belong to each other, stop throwing yourself in harm's way. I'll never forgive you if you die on me."

"If the devil ever takes me," he murmured, "I will crawl out of hell and find my way back to you."

"Please don't tease me. I'm being serious. I can't shake the feeling that something bad will happen. Even if you and I somehow survive the next few years, we may still end up in hell.In this fucked up life of ours, to stay alive, it seems even good people are forced to make evil choices."

"You are not wrong to be afraid, but the world is infinite in color. Nothing is black and white. Good men can go hell, and evil men can go to heaven. When nothing is set in stone, there can be honor in the gray as well."

"I suppose that's all we can do," Elyse mused, "to strive for goodness in the face of evil. Especially when assholes try to kill us."

"And those fucking assholes will never stop trying." A grimace fell upon Alessandro's face as his eyes lingered on her scarred shoulder. "I meant what I said earlier. I have been more upset with myself than you. Maybe that is why your criticism struck me so hard. You ripped away the facade I created in my mind. I wanted to be invincible for you. But ego blinded my judgment. And my wife paid the price for my oversight."

She tried to comfort him, "Don't blame yourself. Cara is at fault, and Domenico was the one who put her up to it."

"No," he argued, "I must blame myself. My father always warned me. Acapois only as strong as his followers' perception of him. Everyone feared and respected Vincenzo Vitale. That is why Domenico never rebelled against him. That is why the Beltrán cartel and theStiddanever tried to cross him. I am not my father. Undoubtedly, they regard me as inferior."

Elyse eyed him with a knowing expression. "Is that what your little mantrum has been about?"

He frowned. "My little… mantrum?"

"You refused to speak to me all week."

"I just needed some time to process," grumbled Alessandro, "all the excitement."

Right.More like he was processing daddy issues. Elyse knew all about them. She gave him a trite smile and remarked, "Foryears, my father's mistakes have followed me like a curse. It seems your father's legacy is fucking with you in a similar way."

"His legacy can go to hell," he grunted.

Elyse observed her husband through thoughtful eyes. "The past will always define us, but a wise person once told me—what matters is how we intend to move forward."