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Flavio didn’t answer. Dominic didn’t question him further.

****

Mira listened to him shower. He had returned only ten minutes after she hurled the must hurtful accusations at him. And the worst of it was he denied nothing. She glanced over to the food he had brought up. A plate stacked with leftovers from the wedding, including cakes and pies. She cut her gaze away. Her heart ached. It was a physical pain that left her weak and disoriented. When he walked out of the shower, he seemed surprised to see her sitting up.

He had changed clothes. Was he leaving? Good. Go. She didn’t need him.Still her heart raced at warp speed over the thought of being left alone.

“I won’t be gone long,” he said as if reading her thoughts. “One meeting and I’ll be here, with you.”

She eased the covers aside, and stood with her hands clenched into fists. “Go. Go and never come back!”

A slow smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “You’re feeling better. Giving me orders.”

She charged at him, flew across the room. He watched her and caught her arms by the wrists. She struggled to break loose, but he held her with little effort, staring down at her. Finally she gave up the struggle and she was able to snatch her wrists free. She glared. Standing on her own two feet she swayed a bit but the nausea passed.

“Lie down. Eat. Gather your strength, and then we will talk.”

She opened her mouth to insult him again, but the soft look of love and concern stalled her thoughts. Defeated, she heaved a sigh. Her gaze again switched to the tray of food. Her stomach clenched with hunger, and her mouth watered. He started to button his shirt, but he didn’t take his eyes off her. Even when she looked away, she felt the heat in his stare. He had no intentions of letting her go, and it dawned on her she had nothing to go to. Her condo in New York was one she shared with Fabiana. To return there alone would be devastating. And Italy had not yet become home. Odd as it sounded this room, his bed, all of it felt like home. Her gaze lifted and she took a step back, but his touch to the side of her face stopped her retreat.

“You are feeling better. Aren’t you? Shall we talk now?”

She nodded.

“I love you,” he said. She shook her head in disbelief, but the words didn’t come. He smiled and kissed her gently on the lips. “I never lied to you about my feelings.”

“Why… why did you use us? Bring us here?”

He sighed. “I was weak. I didn’t want to let you go. I should have in Bellagio, but I couldn’t.”

“I was weak too. I knew what you were, what you did. Fabiana and I both knew. I shouldn’t have trusted this thing with us. I just… I couldn’t help it.”

“We are the same. Weak. Lovers. Friends?” He nodded.

She went over to him stiffly and his arms opened naturally to welcome her. She held to him. Despite it all, she loved him, needed him. His embrace felt as if she was cradled in his arms. It covered her with warmth and security. She would believe the lies if she could just hold on to this feeling. Finally, since the nightmare began, she felt as if she could breathe. They didn’t speak. There were no words. She just needed to feel that what they shared wasn’t going to evaporate, too.

He stroked her back.

She rubbed the side of her face against his chest.

He kissed the top of her head and held her.

“Please forgive me, Bella. Can you try?”

She nodded that she would. Her head went back, and she managed to look him in the eye.

He kissed her brow. “Flavio will be here to see after you. I promise not to be long. I swear it. And then I will take you from here.”

“She’s dead… Don’t leave me. I can’t… I can’t be alone right now.”

He lifted her in his arms, and she held to his neck. He walked away from the bed to the large sofa chair and lowered into it awkwardly while holding her. Mira curled up on his lap. She buried her face in his neck and inhaled the strong woodsy cologne on his skin and felt safe in his strong arms. She’d never been so afraid of herself and someone else in her life. When she was with him, she was weak. She should blame him, try to escape him, but now all she wanted was for him to remain with her. “I don’t know if I can ever leave this room, without you, I can’t take it. Life without her, I can’t. I’m not strong enough.”

He didn’t answer. They sat in silence for a long comfortable time. He just held her and protected her. Soon the drugs in her system made the lethargy return. Her head felt heavy. She felt as if she was weightless and knew he was returning her to bed.

“Don’t…. go. No more. Don’t do it.”

“Rest. I’m not what you think I am. I promise to come back.”

“Don’t!” she grabbed his arm and clawed at him trying to hook her hand around his neck to bring him down in bed with her. “Don’t! They’ll kill you too. That’s what they want right? To kill us all? Right? It’s how it works.”