Page 50 of Enduring Caine
My head fell beside hers, so I could avoid her gaze.
If she knows, she’ll leave.
She let go of my hand and lifted my chin, her voice soft. “For the record, I also threatened to break Vincenzo’s nose while we were up here.”
“That’s my Samantha.” The churning in my stomach rose into my throat. Icouldtrust her. If I was to have the future I wanted with her, I had to learn how. “I was only ever on the fringes of his business.”
Her hands slid down my torso, lifting the hem of my shirt to circle my waist, and she pulled me tighter to her.
I stared down at her chest, at the white sweater she wore and the Foster Mutual logo on it. Her ex-husband’s family company. One more man from her past who wouldn’t leave us alone. “Collecting money and delivering messages, primarily. Most of the fights I got into were people who didn’t want to pay or who didn’t like the warnings or threats I delivered. I’d always had a way with words, so my fists rarely came into the equation.”
A week ago, I’d told her about Giovanni for the first time, forced into the conversation by Elliot Skinner. That day, she’d pulled away when she learned too much. But this time? She held on tighter and whispered, “I still love you.”
I scanned her face, searching for any doubt or second guesses. But they were absent. Honesty and trust were the way to her heart—she’d told me this from the early days of our relationship and it continued to amaze me how true it was. My bad arm inched out slowly, finding her waist, while the other combed through her glorious hair. “There was one man who’d always given us trouble. A jeweler who…”
Samantha’s head cocked when my words faded away, and her fingers traced up and down my back. No words. No interruptions. Just all the time in the world to tell her the truth.
“How did I get so lucky?”
“Lucky?” She raised a doubtful eyebrow at me. “I’m pretty sure this discussion started with how shitty our current situation is.”
I pressed a kiss to her temple. “At least I’m here with you.”
“Thereisthat.” Her fingers skirted the waistband of my pants and a pressure built deep inside me. A glint flashed in her eyes and her hands ran lower, over my backside. “Finish your story first.”
“You play dirty,” I said, rubbing my growing erection across her front.
“No dirtier than you.” She lifted her hands and cupped my face, an unwavering level of openness shining from her. “I’m not going anywhere. Just tell me.”
Good God, but I loved this woman. She’d been so uncertain about us since the start, but on New Year’s Eve, she gave in. Told me she loved me. The barriers were almost gone.
Why did I leave the engagement ring at home instead of bringing it to Napoli? Probably because I was not sure she’d come with me.
“Who’s the one staring and blinking now?” Her grip shifted back to my waist, ghosting gentle fingers across my skin.
I’d never even told Mario the full details, and he was the one who saved me. “Leonardo normally dealt with him—this was long before he was the head of security—but the man had fallen behind in his payments. Giovanni suspected it was intentional, so sent me to work some sort of magic. If I failed, Leonardo and Cristian were with me, as well as another man.”
She opened her mouth, as if to ask a question, but snapped it shut.Finish your story, she was clearly saying.
“I sat down with him, the other three watching over my shoulders. I made friendly, talked about his business, his clients, his family—all the standard things—making it clear that his agreement with Zio Gio was not just about himself, but about all the people who depended on him. He knew this, but I think he’d grown tired of Leo’s ways, and responded positively to me.”
Samantha’s brows drew down, head pulling back slightly in confusion.
“The jeweler said he’d pay everything, but needed a couple of days. Leonardo flew into a rage. Said it would be right then and there or he’d have to hand over diamonds as collateral.” I closed my eyes and inhaled her scent, calming my heart. “I argued with Leo, in front of everyone, and he backhanded me.”
“Leo did?”
I nodded. “Cristian slammed Leo up against the wall, telling him he was never to touch anyone with the Ferraro name. Threats were hurled, the volume rose, until the jeweler’s son rushed in with a walking cane. From the golden handle, I assume it was something they were designing for a customer.”
“He didn’t know what his father was doing?”
“No.” I looked at her, into a face which held more curiosity than accusation. “It’s always been a blur what happened. Cristian told me the man who was with us—Dario—pulled his gun as soon as the son came into the room. However, I’d charged ahead, thinking to take the cane away before someone got hurt. The son hit me, I stumbled back, went after him again, and Dario shot.”
“Shot you?”
“It was a small space. Apparently, it was a warning shot that deflected off some piece of machinery in the office and hit me.”
“Apparently?”