Page 19 of Stained Honor

Before Carlo can answer, Maxim’s voice cuts in from across the room.

“Carlo’s been forcing the poor kid to watch videos of you from sunrise to bedtime every damn day. Trust me, not only does he remember you, he’s probably sick of your face by now.”

Carlo growls, but Maxim only shrugs before throwing himself onto the couch and taking a bite out of the apple in his hand.

I squeeze Carlo’s arm gratefully before my attention shifts toward Brando, who’s watching me with narrowed eyes from across the room. The second he notices me staring, he walks over and pulls me into a hug.

“Is it fucked up that I almost feel sorry for the asshole who did this to you?” he mutters near my ear. “God help that bastard.”

“He’s still alive?” I ask when I pull away.

Carlo slides a hand over the curve of my lower back and smirks. “Not even close to dying yet, baby.”

Something about the cruel satisfaction in his voice makes me laugh softly, and for the first time since seeing that monster again, the fear loosens its grip on my chest.

I kneel beside Gabriel and kiss the top of his head again before glancing back at Carlo.

“But didn’t you say the danger still wasn’t over?”

Carlo rests a hand on Brando’s shoulder. “Brando fixed the problem.”

I place a few of Gabriel’s toys in front of him before standing again. “How?”

Carlo takes my hand and guides me onto the loveseat while Brando drops into the armchair beside us and answers for himself.

“I made a deal with him. In exchange for Rafael’s phone, the one with your message on it, and for keeping his mouth shut, I promised we’d never go after him or his family again.”

Maxim sprawls deeper into the couch and translates lazily, “Long story short, we made peace with him.”

My mouth falls open.

Carlo gave up a grudge he’d carried for years? The revenge that had mattered so much to him?

When I look at him, there isn’t even the slightest trace of anger in his expression. If anything, he looks completely satisfied with the deal he made.

I swallow hard before asking quietly, “Tony’s word actually means something?”

Carlo closes his eyes briefly. “He’s a Bruni. His word holds.”

Without thinking, I lean forward and kiss him deeply.

What I feel in that moment is too big for words. Bigger than words themselves. Every time I think I finally understand Carlo, every time I think I’ve reached the limits of how much he loves me, he proves me wrong again.

He shows me that just like there’s no limit to the brutality he’s capable of toward the people he hates, there’s also no limit to the love he feels for me.

***

I walk through the long hallways of the old mansion toward the indoor pool Carlo had added to the house years ago at my request. He’s already in the water wearing nothing but a pair of black swim shorts, moving through the pool in smooth, powerful strokes. His massive arms rise from the water and slice back through the surface like blades while his muscular body glides forward effortlessly.

The second he reaches the edge and lifts his head from the water, he catches me standing there staring at him, completely shamelessly admiring his perfect body. A crooked grin spreads across his face before he winks and motions for me to come in.

Smiling to myself, I start taking off my clothes. And I know the only reason he’s acting like such a gentleman is because I’m pregnant, because a few months ago he would’ve just dragged me into the water himself without warning. Since nobody ever comes in here, I strip off my panties and bra too before leaning toward him.

Carlo’s already waiting for me in the deeper part of the pool with both arms stretched toward me.

The second I jump in, he catches me carefully and pulls me against his body like I’m something fragile. Even though the water’s warm, I still cling to him until my body adjusts to the temperature, and he slowly spins us in lazy circles through the water.

Still wrapped around him, I murmur softly, “Carlo… did something happen?”