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He pulled away a minute later and I almost tugged him back down, craving the distraction.

Instead, Theo picked me up, holding me gently as he carried me to our room. My tears had stopped, but my chest still hurt. I felt torn between anger and betrayal. My heart wanted to mourn my friend, but my mind wanted to label him a traitor.

“I’m not cut out for this life,” I whispered.

Theo’s body went rigid, his arms tightening around me. “Why?”

“Because what he did was inexcusable. He wasn’t setting you up because he felt what you were doing was wrong. It was selfish and dangerous, no matter how sad his life had been. Other people,innocentones, could’ve died. Unforgivable.”

“But?” He set me down on the bed before sitting on the edge.

“But he was my friend.” My eyes began to water as I realized I’d never bake with him again. No more hanging out while he was on babysitting duty. “I want to hate him, but I still feel the loss.”

“It’s understandable that you would.”

“It is?” Because of Ben’s betrayals, I felt as though my sadness was an insult to Theo and the Amato family.

“I told you before, my gattina, you’re who I need after something like that. Exactly as you are, unjaded and caring. I dreaded coming home because I knew you’d be hurt. But, selfish bastard that I am, I also couldn’t wait because I knew you’d make it better.”

Wanting to be closer, I straddled his thighs. I wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my head on his shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Dahlia,” Theo whispered against the top on my head, his hands rubbing my back. “Honestly, I was tempted to just beat the fucking shit out of him but leave him breathing so I didn’t have to hurt you.”

I sat up fast, almost catching his jaw with the top of my head. “No. I might be sad about losing my friend, but if the toss-up was that or you going back to prison? Or people being hurt in his orchestrated battle? This ending was the better option. I wish it was none of those and he hadn’t been behind all this. But he made his decision, and I can’t ignore that.”

Theo’s hold on my hips tightened. “I’m also sorry because I know at some point tonight, I’m going to roll over and wake you. When I do, I’m going to fuck you so hard, everything else will fade. If you don’t want it, say so. But Ben said some shit today that has me out of my head needing to be as deep in you as I can get,” he growled, rocking my hips against his growing hardness. “I need the reminder that you’re mine.”

My breathing quickened, and I was tempted to throw my clothes off.

Unfortunately, crying had left me exhausted with a major headache. Theo must’ve known, too, because he shifted me off him and stood before leaving the room. He returned a minute later with ice water and pain meds. “You want a bath?”

I shook my head as I chugged the water. Handing him back the empty cup, I flopped to the side. “I just want to sleep.”

Theo climbed into bed behind me, covering us and pulling me close. “I’ll stay until you fall asleep. If you wake up and I’m not here, I’ll be right in my office.”

“Love you, my Theo,” I whispered, turning off everything else in my head.

“Love you, too, my gattina.”

At least I have that.

Theo

“Fuck,” Luc muttered. “What the fuck?”

“I know.” Sitting in a chair near the open office door, I had the phone pressed to one ear and the other listening for Dahlia. She’d fallen asleep fast, but I doubted she’d stay that way.

Luc had listened mostly in silence as I’d filled him in on what had happened.

“I dug into everyone,” he said, as if I didn’t trust he’d done his job, “and he seemed cleanest of them all. No women. No drugs. No booze. He liked to fight, which was what made him good security. But, fuck, he was pretty much bottom of my list.”

“I hadn’t expected it, either.”

“How’d Dahlia handle it?”

“Rough,” I said honestly. “But better than I thought. She lost a friend, but she realizes the magnitude of what he’d tried to do. I’m not sure how she’ll be tomorrow once the shock wears off.”

“She’s got to be hurting. But she’s been through a lot of shit, and always comes out strong. Fuck, though.”