Page 91 of Humility

“Getting back to you is all I ever thought about, but I lost hope. It seemed like nothing I ever did would be enough. I’ve done so many things I’m not proud of and need to make up for, and I hate that I hurt you. There is so much I still need to explain, like the other women you saw….” I placed a finger on his lips to stop him from saying more before tracing the angles of his face.

I leaned in and kissed him softly, trying to express what this meant to me. If I was going to move on, I couldn’t wallow in the memories of the pain. It only drummed up anger and frustration. I didn’t want to feel those things anymore. I just wanted to start on a clean slate from this moment on.

“Don’t. I don’t want to know why. The why isn’t going to change what happened and I honestly can’t think about it or the anger and sadness consumes me. If we want a future, we must move forward. If I think about those women or the loneliness anymore, I will never forgive you, and I want this to work. I want for all of us to work.” His eyes filled with tears, and he turned his head. He blinked them away, but I saw the raw emotion he rarely showed. My heart was once more tumbling downhill without a safety net, and it was probably stupid, but I was going to let it roll.

I tapped the bottle. “Why the name?”

A shy smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “Because I wished for a way to be with you again, and I figured I would need a little magic to make it happen. The Genie’s Jinn was my ticket home to you.”

I couldn’t find the right words to express the churning of emotions in my chest. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled him down on the couch and poured everything in my heart into the kiss.

Chapter Forty-One

DARIO

I glanced over at Jasmine as she stared out the truck window, her hands in her lap, hidden behind the center console. I badly wanted her to move so I could hold them.

“I know the perfect store,” I said, and she turned to look at me. It was unbelievable that after everything, she was here. “You didn’t catch what I said, did you?”

Jasmine blushed, her eyes dipping down. “No, I’m sorry, I was thinking about…well, everything. It seems crazy.”

Smiling, I held out my hand. “I was just doing the same thing.” She placed her hand in mine, and I hung on tight. “I just said I know the perfect store for you to find a dress.”

“Why is it that doesn’t surprise me?”

Smirking, I tore my eyes away from her face and focused on the road before we ended up in a ditch. “Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

“You always seem to make a point of knowing every store, restaurant, and great place to see the sights. Like that night we snuck out to have dinner with Angelo and wanted to get dessert, but everything was closed. Or Angelo and I thought everything was closed, but you knew one place that would be open.”

“I can’t believe you still remember that.”

“Of course I do. I remember every moment we spent together.” I brought her hand to my mouth and kissed her knuckles. “Where are we going?”

“A place on the outskirts of the city, the locals call it Trendelburg Tower because there is an old silo in the middle of the square of shops.” There was also an old oak tree with benches and flowers that I knew Jasmine would love. “We can have lunch before heading back.”

“I’d love that.”

My phone rang as we cut off the highway for the back road I preferred to take to the market. The number was unknown, so I hit ignore. If it was important, they could leave a message. There were only three numbers I answered: Angelo, Enzo, and Nicolas. The one fantastic thing about being cut off from the rest of the families was the lack of drama. There was never a shortage of bullshit to deal with back home, and I’d never been very good at ass-kissing.

I glanced over at Jasmine. “Whoever it is can leave a message. I have more important things to do.”

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“Yes, I did. I’ve spent enough time handling things I didn’t want to. Spending time with you is where I want to be and what I want to be doing.” Jasmine smiled wide, and my body warmed from head to toe.

It was busy for a Tuesday afternoon, and I had to drive around the side streets until I found a spot to park. It would be a bit of a walk, but I didn’t mind. Every second I spent with Jasmine alone was a win.

Getting out, I walked around and checked the street for danger before opening her door. Despite the bright sun and colorful flowers, I searched every shadow and corner. I’d learned the hard way that danger lurked in the most beautiful locations.

Jasmine hopped out and stood beside me so I could shut the door and lock it.

“Is your shoulder bothering you,” she asked.

“It’s a little stiff but healing quickly. You don’t need to worry about my ability to protect you.”

Jasmine’s brow pinched as she stared at me. “Dario, I don’t care about you guarding me. I’m worried about you.” She laid her hand on my shoulder. “You were stabbed.”

I placed my hand over hers. “I’ve also been shot twice, but the pain from all of that together pales in comparison to leaving you behind. Trust me when I tell you that I’m perfectly fine.”