Page 127 of Forgotten Comeback

“Romeo Parisi’s dad,” he clarifies.

My eyes become the size of saucers as I stammer, “You’re Romeo’s brother? As in Romeo Parisi, the boss of Jersey?”

“Half-brother,” he corrects me. “Our mom was Antonio’s goomah,”

“What does that word mean?Goomah?”

“Mama was Antonio’s mistress, and we were the hush-hush bastards.” The words rush from his mouth in an acidic burst.

My head falls next to his as I take in this revelation.

“I’m used to keeping secrets; sometimes, you may have to pry information out of me with a crowbar,” Gavin warns me.

“You don’t say.” I squeeze his hand.

“In the psych ward, labels got slapped onto my file. ‘Uncooperative.’ ‘Violent.’ ‘Psychopath.’”

“Gavin, you know a label doesn’t scare me,” I remind him gently.

“Sometimes I have big emotions I don’t know how to handle; over-the-top reactions that might scare you,” he warns me.

“Like you storming out after Fabio threatened me?” I tread lightly.

“That wasn’t over the top.” His tone darkens. “If anything, that was understated.”

“Gavin,” I say gently. “What did you do?”

He shakes his head. “Some things about my business you don’t need to know,” he continues, laying out a case against us. “I don’t know how to be a boyfriend. I’ll probably fuck up a lot.”

“Yeah, probably,” I tell him, nudging him with my shoulder.

His mood remains somber as he continues, “If you ever land back in the psych ward, I can’t promise you that I won’t lose my mind and bust you out.”

I pause for a beat, considering his words. Not knowing how to answer, I parrot what he told me. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

“Now that all that’s on the table, you still want a relationship with me? Here’s your out if you need it.” His gaze remains on our connected hands, emotion radiating off his body in violent waves.

“Gavin, look at me.” I cup his cheeks in my hands, his hesitant eyes meeting mine.

Rings of gold around molten steel and vulnerability.

It’s the first time I’ve seen beneath this man’s easygoing mask, and it knocks down a few of the bricks I’ve mortared around my heart. “Fuck your out. But going forward, you don’t get to ghost me and expect a second chance. Are we clear?”

His handsome face flickers with emotion. “As a bell.”

I gently press my lips to his before asking, “What happens now with you and the Parisi family?”

He blows out a long breath. “I don’t know. Right now, I just want to focus on winning the championship and my girl. Everything else, my brothers can figure out.”

“In private, do you want me to call you Gavin or your real name?” I wonder.

“Gavin,” he says decisively. “Rocco died years ago.”

“Alright then, Gavin, let’s go home.” My hand gives his another squeeze. “I need sleep, and then tomorrow morning, we’re going furniture shopping like a normal couple.”

An amused grin stretches across his face. “Baby, we’ll never be a normal couple.”

I grab him by the shirt, pulling him close. “Promise?”