Page 111 of The Empress

“This unit doesn’t have a lock?”

“No. I had extra security added.” He pauses for a moment. “I haven’t been here in years. It was too difficult.”

We both stand in front of the door, and I grip his hand tightly, nerves suddenly spinning wildly in my stomach.

What if I don’t recognize anything?

What if seeing all the belongings triggers memories better left buried?

“Ready?” Leo asks.

I shake my head and admit, “I’m scared.”

Lifting my hand, he presses a kiss to the back before linking our fingers. “I’m right here.”

I nod as I suck in a deep breath. “Okay. I’m ready.”

Leo grips the handle and pulls the roller door up before switching on the light.

My eyes jump wildly over a brown lounge suite, two lamps, a TV, a wall unit, and boxes marked living room and kitchen.

“There are three more units,” Leo tells me as I move close to the couches. I brush my fingers over the fabric, and a memory of me jumping on it flashes through my mind.

“My mom used to get angry when I jumped on the couch because she was scared I would fall and hurt myself,” I whisper.

“You never listened,” Leo murmurs. “How are you holding up?”

I glance at him. “I’m okay.”

“Are you really?”

I shrug, but when my chin begins to quiver, I turn my face away from him.

Leo’s arms wrap around me, and I bury my face against his chest. My words are muffled as I admit, “It’s overwhelming. I always knew my family was killed, but I never actually thought of them after I was adopted. How could I just forget about them?”

“You were very young,stellina mia.”

“I know.” I turn my head and glance over everything in the unit. “It’s so sad. In the photos, they look happy. I can see how much they loved me. I wish I could remember more than isolated moments.”

Leo presses a kiss to the top of my head and says, “I’ll just keep sharing my memories with you until they become yours.”

We spend the entire afternoon looking through all the units. Here and there, I get short memories back as Leo tells me more about my family.

By the time we leave the storage facility, I’m tired from trying so hard to recall my past.

I feel Leo constantly glancing at me while we're driving to his mother’s house, then he says, “You look tired,principessa. Should I call my mother and cancel dinner so you can rather go home and rest?”

I shake my head and place my hand on his thigh. “No, I haven’t seen my mom in a few days. I want to spend time with her.”

“Okay.” He grips my hand, giving it a squeeze.

A message pops up on the screen situated on the dashboard, and seeing it’s from Edoardo, I lean forward and tap it.

Edoardo: I have Kristen. The men are loading everything while the jet is being refueled.

I quickly pick up my handbag, from where it’s lying by my feet, and dig my phone out.

Seeing a text from Kristen, I quickly open it.