A man without love is no man at all.
Cara Rossi is left devastated by the things Gian Guzzi didn’t say. She also can’t forget all the things he did say. She needs to focus on moving on from him, not falling right back into his bed once more. Then again, reality has a way of ruining those plans with far more beautiful, unexpected things. Even if it means Cara is forced to question everything, from her morals to her reputation. All to be one woman to one man.
A woman without respect is a dirty word.
Duty. Legacy. Love.
Always in that order.
Or … that’s how it should be.
But life is messy, when entangled with love.
Rules don’t apply.
At the third floor, one used mainly in the courthouse for private consultations before appearances, the only other person got off the elevator. In their haste, they bumped into the one person coming on.
Cara Rossi.
She didn’t see him right away, as she was too busy glaring at the asshole over her shoulder who hadn’t even bothered to apologize for running into her. But when she did see him, the door was starting to close, she was already on the elevator, and Gian was frozen in place.
Cara seemed to be in the same state.
“Gian,” she said.
That was it.
That was all she said.
Just his name.
And good God, how he missed that sound coming out of her mouth.
The elevator moved up, closer to his floor.
Gian didn’t know why, as he knew better than to corner Cara, but the part of him that hadn’t seen her in three months, the piece of him that had been lost and torn and so fucking useless, made him move. He pulled the emergency switch, and the elevator jerked to a halt. A red light came on, illuminating the space. A bell-like sound dinged through the speakers.
He was well aware of the camera just above his head, but since he didn’t plan on doing anything that would get them in shit, he ignored it for the moment.
Cara shifted in her heels, the black dress she wore showed off all kinds of leg and skin, but was still long enough to be appropriate. “This is a courthouse, Gian, not your personal place of business or something. You can’t just shut off an elevator.”
“I just did,” he said quietly.
“And someone will start it back up if you don’t push the switch again.”
“So be it, but it gives me a minute.”
“To do what?” she asked.
Gian wasn’t sure how to answer that, so he went with the blunt truth that had been stabbing at him for months. “To just look at you, say hello, anything, Cara.”
“And if I’m not interested in any of that?”
“Then say so.”
Cara only stared at him, pain reflecting in her blue eyes. It killed him that he had been the one to do that to her—that his lies did this to them. He no longer wanted to excuse his actions, and he knew they couldn’t be explained away, but he still wanted her.
He loved her.
So badly.
“I did tell you,” Cara whispered, “three months ago when I left your penthouse. I told you then, Gian.”
“And I’ve left you alone, haven’t I?”
“Yes, but—”
“You should know that I think about you all the fucking time, Cara, even when I know it’s the last thing I should be doing. I miss you, constantly. I’m alone all the time, too, even when I’m not, and it’s not even your fault. I know I did this. I fucked up, I know. I’m sorry, mon ange. I would do it a thousand ways differently, if I could, now.”
“Except you can’t,” Cara said, a fire returning to her eyes and a heat in her tone. “You lied and lied and lied more, Gian.”
“I didn’t tell you the whole story, but I didn’t purposely keep it from you.”
“It, you say. It. Come on, say what it is.”
Cara Rossi.
She didn’t see him right away, as she was too busy glaring at the asshole over her shoulder who hadn’t even bothered to apologize for running into her. But when she did see him, the door was starting to close, she was already on the elevator, and Gian was frozen in place.
Cara seemed to be in the same state.
“Gian,” she said.
That was it.
That was all she said.
Just his name.
And good God, how he missed that sound coming out of her mouth.
The elevator moved up, closer to his floor.
Gian didn’t know why, as he knew better than to corner Cara, but the part of him that hadn’t seen her in three months, the piece of him that had been lost and torn and so fucking useless, made him move. He pulled the emergency switch, and the elevator jerked to a halt. A red light came on, illuminating the space. A bell-like sound dinged through the speakers.
He was well aware of the camera just above his head, but since he didn’t plan on doing anything that would get them in shit, he ignored it for the moment.
Cara shifted in her heels, the black dress she wore showed off all kinds of leg and skin, but was still long enough to be appropriate. “This is a courthouse, Gian, not your personal place of business or something. You can’t just shut off an elevator.”
“I just did,” he said quietly.
“And someone will start it back up if you don’t push the switch again.”
“So be it, but it gives me a minute.”
“To do what?” she asked.
Gian wasn’t sure how to answer that, so he went with the blunt truth that had been stabbing at him for months. “To just look at you, say hello, anything, Cara.”
“And if I’m not interested in any of that?”
“Then say so.”
Cara only stared at him, pain reflecting in her blue eyes. It killed him that he had been the one to do that to her—that his lies did this to them. He no longer wanted to excuse his actions, and he knew they couldn’t be explained away, but he still wanted her.
He loved her.
So badly.
“I did tell you,” Cara whispered, “three months ago when I left your penthouse. I told you then, Gian.”
“And I’ve left you alone, haven’t I?”
“Yes, but—”
“You should know that I think about you all the fucking time, Cara, even when I know it’s the last thing I should be doing. I miss you, constantly. I’m alone all the time, too, even when I’m not, and it’s not even your fault. I know I did this. I fucked up, I know. I’m sorry, mon ange. I would do it a thousand ways differently, if I could, now.”
“Except you can’t,” Cara said, a fire returning to her eyes and a heat in her tone. “You lied and lied and lied more, Gian.”
“I didn’t tell you the whole story, but I didn’t purposely keep it from you.”
“It, you say. It. Come on, say what it is.”
He’s the kind of man that makes it hard to say no.
Gian Guzzi’s problems are piling up fast. A murdered grandfather, an unpredictable mafia, and a new boss that threatens both his family’s legacy and his life. As a Cosa Nostra underboss, Gian has a duty. First to la famiglia, and only then to himself. In the midst of the violent uncertainty that has become unrelenting in his days, Cara Rossi should only be a distraction for him to enjoy.
She’s a happiness that he was never allowed to choose before.
His lies.
This life.
Their love.
It all unravels eventually.
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