“Ssh, I know.” She smiled, pressing a finger to my lips, her touch burning me inside out. “I meant an emotional punching bag. I’ll be all of those for you because I love you. I love you so fucking much, Enzo, and I wouldn’t be the girl I am if I never told you that.”
“I—”
“You have a lot to think on,” she cut me off. “But know if you go near another girl again, I won’t be held responsible for my actions.” Her brow lifted, and laughter rumbled in my chest.
Fuck, this girl.
She was everything.
Every-fucking-thing.
“I love you, Enzo.” She gently pulled her finger away, replacing it with her soft lips. “But I won’t spend my life chasing you. This is it… your last chance. The question is are you brave enough to take a leap of faith?”
Chapter 32
Nora
Four days after I’d stormed into L’Anello’s and found Enzo with some whore draped all over him, I still hadn’t heard from him.
I’d left him that night with nothing more than a soft kiss and an ultimatum.
A small part of me—the hopeless romantic, the girl who wanted her very own love story—had thought he would chase me down the second I left and declare his endless love for me. But of course, he hadn’t. Because this wasn’t a fairy tale and Enzo wasn’t your average guy.
So I waited.
I didn’t let it distract me from pressing forward with my life though. I resumed classes, saw my friends, and threw myself back into life before Enzo Marchetti.
As the days went by, so too did the quiet hope that he would eventually show. But I didn’t let it crush me this time, I couldn’t.
I’d bared my soul to Enzo, confessed every single thing he made me feel. What he chose to do with it… well, that was on him.
I walked the short distance to the main campus parking lot. Nicco and Ari were picking me up as they wanted to show me my new apartment. It was almost ready, and I was looking forward to a fresh start.
They’d both been so supportive. Giving me space when I needed it and keeping me company when I didn’t want to be alone. I owed them big time. Only yesterday, they had both accompanied me to visit Maurice’s grave. I’d sat at his headstone, in my boo bees t-shirt, talking nonsense, just like old times.
The other five security guards had also been killed at the hands of Vinnie, but I didn’t know them, not the way I’d known my personal bodyguard.
When I arrived at the parking lot, there was no sign of Nicco’s car though. He usually rode his motorbike, but that wasn’t practical when you were chauffeuring around your wife and her best friend, so he’d caved and bought a brand new car.
A couple of seconds later, Matteo’s truck appeared.
“This is a surprise,” I said as he climbed out. “Why aren’t you in class?”
“Secret mafia stuff.” He winked.
“Haha, very funny.” He liked to give me shit about my strange fascination with the Family. But it wasn’t every day you got to meet and hang out with real life mafiosi.
“Nicco and Ari got held up. But I was in the area, so I said I’d swing by and give you a ride.”
“Well, thank you.” I beamed at him, accepting his help into the truck.
Matteo got in and fired up the ignition, the engine rumbling to life. “All set?” he asked and there was something in his eyes.
“What are you up to?” I asked, thinly.
“Who, me? Nothing. Not a damn thing.” An amused smirk tipped the corner of his mouth.
It was a look I knew well.
A look that told me Matteo was up to something.
We didn’t make it to Nicco and Arianne’s apartment. Instead, he pulled up in front of the apartment he shared with Enzo.
“Erm, Matteo, what are we doing here?” My heart picked up speed.
“It’s just a pit stop. I need to grab some things.”
“Some things?” My brow lifted.
“Yeah, come on, I don’t bite. And Enzo is out.”
“Oh.” I hadn’t even noticed his car wasn’t in the parking lot.
“I can stay here—”
“Don’t be silly. It’s my apartment too. Besides, I need you to come and help me with this.”
His façade was a lot more convincing than it had been back at MU.
“Fine.” I let out a soft sigh. “But I’m not lifting anything heavy.”
“Deal.”
Matteo came around and got the door. He was such a romantic at heart, so different to his cousin.