Page 71 of The Fractured

I shouldn’t have let him see my face…

“What a coincidence this is,” he crooned.

I hummed and looked at Lily. “Ready to go?” I took her hand and plastered an easy smile on my face, hoping to high fuck she would pick up that none of this was good.

“Yep.” She instantly stepped away with me. Hand firmly in mine as she offered Gabriele a sympathetic smile.

“Ciao, piccola cerva.” Gabriele placed a hand over his heart, feigning heartbreak.

I couldn’t give a shit. My heart was racing, but I was trying to act calm.

Once we cleared the book stall, I finally spoke. “Did you give him your name?”

“No. He never got to introductions. Just jumped right into flirting after I bought my books. What happened to the food?” There was a smile in her voice. One of disbelief until she saw whatever was written on my face as we maneuvered the crowds.

I had no fucking clue what happened to the hotdogs.

“Dean, what’s wrong? And can we slow down a little? I can’t keep up with you.” She laughed to ease the tension.

My steps slowed as we came to the adjacent street, and I glanced back to make sure we weren’t being followed. There was no sign of the triplets in the crowds nearby, but I kept walking anyway. “That was Gabriele Gimello.”

It dawned on her then, and the beautiful happiness that was on her face diminished. “Antonio’s—Antonio’s son?”

I pressed my lips together and nodded as I scanned the street and every face, car, and shop window. My hand was still wrapped firmly around hers. When we got to my car, I did more of the same searching.

“I don’t think he saw where we went…” She didn’t sound too sure.

I pulled a hand through my hair as I watched several people walk by. “I wish he never saw you.”

“Okay, but I’m not really of interest to him, right?”

I shook my head. “You don’t know what this guy is like—the things he’s done to people he’s met to please his sadistic curiosity—I shouldn’t have approached you. Him seeing you with me—Fuck—” I stopped myself and finally looked at her. “Maybe you should stay with your parents.”

I’ve lost my mind if that’s the only suggestion I’ve got.

Her eyes widened. “What? No—Dean… Take a breath.” She placed a hand on my chest. “Your heart is beating so fast.”

I closed my eyes and did as she said. One deep inhale followed by an exhale as our eyes met again. My heart was still pounding. I wasn’t used to feeling this much for someone.

“I don’t want to lose you again.” The words came out before I could really think them through. Logically, I knew she was safe with me. She also had a father who would put a stop to Gabriele pretty fast if something happened.

Lily took my face in her hands. “You’re not going to lose me… But to put you at ease, how about we stay in for the rest of the weekend? Like what we did at yours. We could watch movies, order food, and continue what we did today in the backseat.”

The last part made me huff a laugh. She was trying to be positive.

“And Monday?”

“We could have sex on Monday too,” she shrugged.

“Good to know, but not what I meant.” My hands slid up her forearms, from elbow to wrist, before I moved her hands from my face. I smoothed my thumb over her unmarred knuckles.

“You can’t protect me all the time,” she said softly. “Everything is okay.”

Chapter 26

Lily

Nothing was okay at all, but I wanted it to be. I thought saying it out loud to Dean, to reassure him, might change how I felt too, but it hadn’t. I only felt worse. My stomach was in knots, and my anxiety was doing a number on the slight ache forming in my temples.