to get rid of the condom. I crawled into bed and pulled the covers up around my body. Enzo joined me seconds later, silent as he tucked his big body behind mine and laced his arm around my waist.
“Thank you.” He kissed the nape of my neck and heavy silence filled the room.
Thank you.
Those words would forever haunt me.
I’d given Enzo a gift.
Something precious and coveted.
And he was grateful, I didn’t doubt that, but that’s all it was.
All it would ever be.
But right now, I was happy to let the lie continue.
I fell asleep wrapped in Enzo’s arms believing he would never let me go.
The next morning, I was awake first. I slipped out of bed and went to make coffee. After the intensity of last night, I needed some space.
I checked the hall, hardly surprised to find Maurice standing there. “Coffee?” I asked him, opening my door wide.
“I’ll take one to go,” he said around a thin smile.
“Suit yourself. Give me a minute.” I made his coffee in a reusable cup and took it back into the hall.
“Thank you, Miss—” I shot him a hard look and he chuckled. “Nora.”
“Better.” The corner of my mouth tipped. “If you want another, you know where I am.”
Maurice nodded and I went back inside. The apartment was still quiet, so I made myself a coffee and got a couple of biscuits from the tin and made myself comfortable on the couch.
My body ached in the best possible way, but I tried not to relive last night. Instead, I scrolled through my phone. I had a couple of texts from Lucii, inviting me to a party on the weekend. She’d asked Nate and thought I should invite Luca.
Ugh.
I texted her back that I would let her know my plans. I liked Lucii a lot, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to make a thing out of going out with her, Nate, and Luca.
Draining my coffee, I went to make a fresh mug. I felt Enzo before I saw him.
“Morning,” he said.
Turning slowly, I smiled. “Hey. There’s fresh coffee or I have some juice in the refrigerator.”
“Thanks.” He went over and opened it, and I couldn’t resist watching his ass in the snug gray sweatpants.
I got Enzo a glass and he poured himself some juice. “Listen, about last night—”
“Relax,” I said, hating how awkward things already felt between us, “we don’t have to do this.”
“We don’t?” He frowned.
“No. I know what last night was and it’s fine.”
“It is?”
“Yeah.” I smiled again. “Do you want some breakfast? I was going to make pancakes.”
“I could eat.”
“Okay. I have class at ten, so I’ll need to leave in like forty minutes.”
“Shit, yeah. Maybe I should—”
“Stay. Eat. Something tells me you need it.” My eyes dropped to his ridiculously shredded stomach, and it grumbled again.
“I am pretty hungry.” His eyes flared, sending a bolt of heat through me. I inhaled a sharp breath.
“Do you miss it?” I asked, as I gathered all the ingredients.
“What’s that?”
“School?”
“Nah, I never wanted to enroll at MU, but Uncle Toni thought it would be a good idea.”
“So that’s it? You’ll just… work for your uncle now?” I peeked over at him, surprised to find him smirking at me.
“Yeah, I’ll work for him.”
“But Nicco and Matteo want something different?”
“Nicco won’t leave Arianne’s side. Especially not after what down with Fascini—”
Everything stopped as I was hit with an overwhelming wave of fear.
“Nora?”
“I’m fine.” I brushed him off, forcing myself to take a deep breath. The nightmares had stopped a few weeks ago, but there were still moments when I was back there, tied to that chair with a gun pointed at my head.
“You sure you’re—”
“Fine.” My lips pursed. “I’m fine.”
“You know I’ll never forgive myself for what happened back then.”
My brows furrowed. “It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t make Scott Fascini drug and kidnap me.”
“I’m not only talking about that, Gattina.” Something flashed in Enzo’s eyes, but I didn’t dare to latch onto it. He was feeling guilty, responsible… it didn’t change anything.
“Feel free to use the shower while I make breakfast.”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” His eyes narrowed.
“What? No! I just thought—”
“Relax, Gattina.” He stalked toward me and I jerked back.
“I should get moving if I want to make it to class on time.”
Enzo stopped dead, letting out a steady breath. “I guess a quick shower couldn’t hurt.” He spun on his heel and took off down the hall, and I released the breath I’d been holding.