Page 103

“I need more of this good stuff,” she mumbles, reaching for the morphine drip and hitting the button a few times.

I don’t think she realizes it only gives a set dose at a time, but I don’t stop her. I watch, letting her click away until her breathing evens out and her body goes slack, lost in whatever drugged-up haze the hospital’s pumping into her.

I exhale, running a hand through my hair. She’s safe—for now. But this isn’t over, not by a long shot.

I need to call dad, he has to know more since he was running shit back then. But after everything that’s happened, I have no idea how to bring this shit up to him. Liv’s tangled up in all kinds of secrets, and I’m trying to figure out what’s real and what’s being fed to me like poison.

But whether Liv likes it or not, she will be my wife.

46

Alessio

It’s been a few days since Liv came home from the hospital. She was adamant about not coming back with me, but I convinced her to stay until she’s fully healed. She’s been more on edge, taking her aggression out on me, but she got hurt because of me, and I’m trying to help her as much as I can.

Mom called this morning. They just returned from their summer in Italy, and she wants to meet Liv. The second I mentioned something happened, she barely let me get a word in before shoving Dad on the phone. He’s big on not talking over the phone in case someone’s listening, so I agreed to meet him atDemoni’s.

We’re upstairs in my office, “Dad,” I start, pacing like a caged animal. “There’s something you need to know about Olivia.”

He watches me with those sharp eyes that mirror mine, the kind that see throughbullshit from miles away. “Go on,” he says, sitting on the leather couch in front of my desk. He’s too calm, and it makes me want to punch something.

I spill everything. About Ezra and Tito, the names Seb found, how Olivia’s mother might’ve been working with the cops, and how there’s a chance Liv’s been playing me this whole time. And then, I tell him what I did, how I took her from Chicago, then practically pushed her out of my life because I was too scared to ask her the truth.

When I’m done, he leans back, hands steepled in front of him. “You’re an idiot,” he says bluntly. “You always have been when it comes to women.”

“Thanks, Dad,” I mutter, running a hand through my hair. Not exactly what I wanted to hear right now.

“But I’d like to meet her.”

“Now?”

“No, next week,” he says dryly. Then he stands, “Bring her by for dinner tonight,” completely ignoring everything I said about her.

“I don’t know if she’s up for it. She’s still recovering.”

“Liv must be special if you went through all this trouble to save her in Chicago. Whatever her mom did, it isn’t on her. She shouldn’t be punished for her parents’ choices,” Dad says.

“I’ll let your mom know we’re expecting company tonight,” he adds before walking out.

He doesn’t seem to care about what her mom did, just that it has nothing to do with Liv. I’m glad he feels that way because I don’t want to have to choose. Ican’tlose Liv.

I know I fucked up by kicking her out, and I’ll make it up to her every single day. She deserves more than just an apology. She deserves proof. And I’ll give her that, no matter how long it takes.

When I get home, Liv’s exactly where I left her. In the living room, curled up on the couch, flipping through channels like it’s a full-time job.

“Didn’t realize TV was this fascinating,” I say, dropping my keys on the table.

She doesn’t even look at me. “It’s not. But it’s the only thing keeping me from stabbing you for bringing me here.”

I smirk, kicking off my shoes and sitting on the armrest beside her. “That’s the thanks I get for saving your ass?” I try to joke with her.

She finally looks up at me, her emeralds locking onto me. “You didn’tsaveme. Youdraggedme back hereagainst my will.”

“Semantics.”

She groans, shoving a pillow at my chest. “I don’t want to be here.”

“Thisisyour home, now.”