Page 81 of Humility

We lapsed into silence, and I wrapped my arm around her as the breeze picked up, and she shivered. I expected her to pull away, but she snuggled closer, and my heart swelled.

“I don’t think he’ll try to change you. Angelo has changed, too, and he loves your tenacity. You might be surprised.” She crossed her arms but didn’t say anything. “Why are you here? I know you’re engaged to Ciro,” I said, and her shocked eyes flicked up to mine. “News travels fast, and I still have friends I talk to regularly back home.”

That was a bit of a stretch. They wouldn’t call themselves my friends but people who owed me information. But that was beside the point.

“It was an arranged marriage. I didn’t agree to it. I love Ciro as a friend, but nothing more.”

“So you left?”

“I did. My papa thinks I need a man to take care of me, and I don’t think I need anyone,” she said, her voice was strong but sad.

“You never have, but I understand your father. We live in a different world than most. So, are they looking for you?”

She looked down at her hands. “Maybe. Most likely. I don’t know. I didn’t tell anyone I was leaving, so…I don’t know.”

Angelo was right about her not wanting to be found. I couldn’t help but also wonder if he was right that of all the places in the world to go, there wasn’t some push from a higher power to bring us back together. I really hated it when Angelo was right. He was utterly unbearable when he gloated.

“I want to say I’m sorry.” She lifted her head, and our eyes locked. “I’m sorry we left, and for you having to run, this is not how things were supposed to turn out.”

The breeze picked up, and Jasmine’s hair blew around her face. The long, wavy strands reminded me of waves. Could a soul be hypnotized by another?

From the day we met, she’d held my heart in the palm of her hand, and with each passing year, her hand closed a little more until I was firmly in her grasp. I would never love another.

“I know you didn’t have a choice but to go, Dario. I know how our world works.” She lifted a shoulder and let it fall. “It’s why I also knew I couldn’t have a life with you without Angelo. I did love him…grudgingly still do,” she grumbled. “Don’t tell him I said that.” I smirked. “But, he is just so damn…uh.”

“I know. He is the son of a Don, and arrogant, and an ass, and thinks he always knows best.”

“Exactly.”

“Maybe I didn’t have a choice about going, but I could’ve ignored Angelo’s order to cut off all contact. Just because he thought what he was doing was right didn’t mean I had to follow. But, I did what I was told because on some level I agreed with him, and I regret that.” I held her tighter.

“Did Angelo tell you about what happened after the two of you left?” Her voice was steady, but the sadness was back, and I kissed the top of her head. My heart ached over what happened. Not being there for her was bad enough, but the fact she couldn’t reach us and had to ask her father for help…we were lucky there wasn’t a hit on us before we stole the egg. I couldn’t even imagine what she felt or what that was like. All I wanted to do was pull her into my lap and hold onto her forever.

“Yeah, he did. He’s putting on a good act but tearing himself apart.”

“He could’ve fooled me.” She drew little circles on my leg with her finger, and I smiled as she made the infinity symbol.

“You must remember what he is like. Emotions are not his strong suit, and what he feels comes out all wrong,” I said, and she laughed.

“I don’t know if I want to stay here with him, Dario. He hurt me, he really hurt me, and let’s not even get started on his latest late-night escapades. I can’t believe he did that.” She leaned back a little, her eyes searching my face. “You didn’t want to. I remember begging you.”

I looked away as the complex emotions twisted together in my chest. “It wasn’t because I didn’t want to. Trust me, I wanted to. I’ve always wanted you.” Her hand touched my cheek, soft fingers brushing against my jaw, and I closed my eyes, soaking in the caress. “No matter what happened while we were apart, I never stopped loving you. Neither has Angelo, but that is for you and him to sort out.”

Jasmine’s hand fell from my face, and I looked at her.

“Do you know how painful it was to hear the guys laugh and talk about the two of you? How they would talk about how well you were doing and making a name for yourselves? Lets now forget all the women? And if it wasn’t the men, it was the women chattering. I couldn’t escape it. I saw the social media videos and beautiful princesses draped all over Angelo and knew what would happen later. It killed me. I can’t let him in like that again, Dario. If I do, then what? He will leave the next time his father calls, and I’ll…I just can’t.”

I tilted my head and examined her expression. “You don’t know?”

“Know what?”

“Angelo isn’t speaking to his father. They had a falling out a couple of years ago. We’ve been moving around ever since. This is the first place we settled down. Angelo has businesses of his own that he built from the ground up.” Her mouth fell open.

“Well…it’s about time he got out from under his father’s condescending narcissism. Angelo always deserved better and was never appreciated. It doesn’t change anything, though. How am I supposed to trust him?”

“It’s not just him that needs to build back your trust. Don’t let me or Enzo off the hook. There is always a choice and, orders or not, we could’ve said no.”

“And end up shot.” She scoffed.