Page 34 of Corso DeLuca

Jessie pivots and walks out of the room. The door remains open, but I hear the window into a future where we are together slam shut.

FIFTEEN

Jessie

My feet are moving with nowhere to run. In my head, thoughts are tossing me to and fro, an empty vessel lost at sea. Tears stream down my cheeks unincumbered. Gosh, how weak Corso must see me. Anyway, why and I thinking about him when the foundation of my beliefs are crumbling? Because deep down, I want to believe he has my best interest at heart. By telling him about Josie, have I inadvertently given him the ammunition to dismantle me?

I knew getting involved with Corso would upend my life, but this? Sleeping with him broke me open, remade me. But how can I trust his word, a savage mafioso, above my own sister?

Josie beware.

Josie’s alive.

Josie all but faked her death.

Nothing makes sense anymore. I’ve barely crossed one-fourth of the football field Corso considers a hallway before his heavy footfalls rattle the three towering glass mirrors that I think camouflage the exit. I want to escape this maddening revelation that’s cutting holes in my well-ordered life. But I can’t. My only choice is to stay and fight, but on which side?

Do I accept that my sister abandoned me to deal with our mother’s death alone? And for what? To be Mattia’s side piece and live the high-life on blood money?

The sense of betrayal threatens to bring me to my knees.

Or, should I trust the man who I’m falling for and believe that even if what he says is true, we can sort out the pieces, together?

Time to face at least one of my demons. Corso is there, his gaze soft with concern. Joseph maintains a watchful distance with an ever put-together Milana next to him. Using the back of my hands, I rub at my eyes, wiping the tears away. Knowing that Greg suspected my sister of colluding with the Esposito crime family, I have to reframe all of our interactions, seeing old images of us in a new light. Why was he with me for five years?

“Did Greg use me?”

“Let’s discuss this in private?”

“No, this happens now or not at all.”

“Jessie, you knew my brother before your career started. He wouldn’t do that to you.”

I’m not ready for the easy out. If my sister, the one person I have remaining in this world, left me for money, then Greg could have pumped me, literally, for information. “And you know this how?”

“Princess,” he murmurs. I balk at the empathy in his tone. I don’t want his understanding or his pity. This pain is what I want to flee.

“Stop calling me that. Just answer the question,” I plea, bordering on desperate.

Corso’s perspective gaze follows as more tears spill from my eyes.

“Come to me first.”

I shake my head, adamant to shoulder this weight alone. If Josie had anything to do with Greg’s death, how can I accept Corso’s compassion?

“Not going to happen.”

“Under normal circumstances, you being a defiant hellion would get me hard.”

My mouth drops open in absolute girly blush territory.

“That’s not sweet talk, Corso DeLuca. You’re embarrassing the hell out of me.”

He prowls closer, a big cat willing his little mouse to come out and play.

“My tough girl, no way. You like boyfriend Corso when you’re upset and hurting. Now, bring your ass here and let me hold you. Come on,” he prompts. “Horny Corso will behave. I promise.”

“I like horny Corso.”