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“I love you, big brother.”
“I love you, Lina,” Jacob said and signed.
I hugged and kissed him again before drawing back.
Then Rocco shook Jacob’s hand, and they smiled at each other. It sent my heart dancing over the moon.
We returned to the car, and Rocco held my hand quietly as we left Yarwood Springs grounds.
“Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for Jacob. I…I always wanted him to have more freedom, and you gave it to him.” My voice caught, and my heart was too full under the weight of emotions of seeing my brother living better than ever.
“It’s what was right,” Rocco said softly.It’s what was right.He felt the same as I did on that one, and I was thankful. I didn’t feel so…alone.
My head lifted to him, and his eyes were on me, a somber expression on his face.
“You all right?” I took his hand in mine.
His eyes lowered to our joined hands, and he sighed long. “I will be after we talk.”
Ishifted my legs on the seat and fidgeted with my phone. My eyes flicked over to Rocco, taking business calls on the ride back to the loft. Since he mentioned we needed to talk, he didn’t hold my hand and averted his eyes when I tried to meet them. These were little things, but for a man who spoiled me with attention and affection, it left me cold. He still planned on a honeymoon, and that put me somewhat at ease. It meant whatever he wanted to talk about wasn’t as bad as I imagined.
Still, my mind raced with possibilities. Had Rocco learned of something else in Luca’s will? Or did I do something wrong, and he’s upset? My thoughts ravaged wild in my head, leaving an uneasy fear in my stomach.
Relief came when I spotted the turn for the airport, and we drove to the plane to board our flight back to New York City. However, Rocco spent most of the ride with Zane at the back ofthe plane. And even though the return flight was less than an hour, it felt longer alone. I tried to stay busy reading a book, but my focus wasn’t on it, and I gave up.
When we finally landed, we all exited to the waiting car on the tarmac. Still, Rocco remained preoccupied. He made calls, and I could only sit and wait. While the flight felt long, the drive back to the West Village loft was the opposite. It came to an end faster than I expected. After what seemed like minutes, we were already driving through Tribeca traffic, heading home. We reached the parking lot, and I took Rocco’s hand, closing my fingers tight around his.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“I’m…Let’s go inside.” He gave me a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, and my pulse sped up.
“Uhm…where do you want to talk?” I croaked.
“Let’s go to the bedroom.”
His invitations to bed were usually sensual and would bring on heat to my skin, but his tone was flat, and I merely nodded.
We went up the stairs to the primary bedroom. My hands moved over my arms to rub warmth into them, and I took a seat at the bottom edge of the bed.
He glimpsed me, then hesitated. “You should lay down.”
I raised a brow. “Why?”
“I’d prefer you’re comfortable with what we have to discuss.”
I bristled and peered at him through my lashes. “Why are you being so mysterious?”
His head tilted downward, and his hands went to his hips. “I don’t mean to be. I want to give this conversation the attention and time it deserves.”
I was too anxious to argue, and removed my shoes. Rocco put them on a shelf as I lay down. Then he sat on a chair facing me. He was silent for a minute, then let out a deep sigh, splayinghis hands on his thighs before he spoke. “I don’t know where to start.”
“Start with why you’re making me freak out,” I half-joked.
He flicked his eyes to me and exhaled. “Fair enough…Let me start from where it all started for me. It was a week before I met you. I’d gone to Westchester to visit my grandfather. We walked on the beach…he called it your beach.”
I propped myself up on my elbow. “It’s nice of you to set the scene, but just tell me what upset you.”
Rocco smiled wistfully. “I like how you prefer things direct. Cut to the chase: Grandpa told me about his past arranged marriage to your grandmother. How his father received a lucrative offer from Otto Esposito to marry his daughter, Aurora, instead. He refused, and received an ultimatum. He agree to the change or give up his inheritance and family. He chose Constance because he loved her.”