Page 48 of By Blade, I Love
It was up to me—and me alone.
I inhaled a slow breath as Leo continued to sob at my feet. I wasn’t sure what made me do it. If it was pity or a very distant love or familial obligation, but I granted mercy I didn’t think I possessed. “Alright.”
He immediately quieted before he leaned back and looked at me, his cheeks red and his eyes puffy from the emotional downpour.
“Follow orders, keep your head down, shut your goddamn mouth—and don’t get in my fucking way.”
14
FRANCESCA
Days passed, and nothing got done.
I still needed time to process the tumultuous loss of my father. The men seemed anxious to get to work, but no one dared to put pressure on me. It was hard to carry on as if nothing happened, to resume business as usual when the man in charge was buried in the ground.
I sat in the armchair in my father’s office and looked out the window behind his desk. I never sat in his chair. Not once while he was alive. I couldn’t imagine doing it while he was gone either.
Wolfe appeared in the doorway, and he stared at me for a moment before he took the seat across from me. “I was looking for you.”
“Here I am.”
He relaxed in the chair and examined me, but he didn’t say another word.
“I know we need to get to work, but I’m just not there.”
“It’s okay.”
“You should take over. That way, we can catch up.”
“I’m not the boss. You are.”
“I’m not even sure if I want to be in charge.”
He grinned. “But you are.”
“I—I don’t know…”
“This is what your dad wanted. And it’s what you want too.”
“I never said I wanted it.”
“You wanted to take back this vineyard yourself because you said it was yours. You stormed into this house and blew Warren’s head off because this place is yours. And there’s nothing wrong with wanting that. There’s nothing wrong with wanting power and money and respect. It’s fucking hot in my opinion.”
I looked out the window again.
But his stare was still on my face.
“I don’t know if I have what it takes.”
“You absolutely fucking do.”
My eyes moved back to his.
“I would tell you the truth if I didn’t believe that.”
“You would?” I asked.
“Always the truth and nothing but the truth, so help me god,” he said with a smirk. “As those Americans say.”
