Dive In

Chapter 49

•Nolani•

"Is this a show for me or do you do this every time you get dressed?" Giovanni asks, his eyes singeing my skin with their heated stare.

I look up, our eyes meeting as my hands continue to massage lotion into my skin. "I always moisturize after a shower."

His eyes follow the path my hand takes across my breasts. "I'll make sure to never miss it from now on."

I give him a smile and he brushes a kiss across my lips and leaves the room. I flop back on the mattress and sigh, staring up at the ceiling. We showered together and I didn't think Giovanni could be more attractive but him completely bare under the spray of the shower, his tattoos and tan skin glistening under the light. The last time we were in the shower together he helped me get glass out of my hair, I didn't get to appreciate him like I did today. I think I'd prefer taking all my showers with him from now on. We didn't even have sex, he washed me off and I washed him off and I almost said it. Looking at him with that look in his amber eyes as I ran my soapy fingers across his chest— I almost told him, it was on the tip of my tongue. There's still something holding me back, this lingering spec of uncertainty that I just can't seem to get past. It's starting to drive me crazy. I'm worried he'll grow tired of waiting.

The door flies open and I jump to my feet.

"I said knock, Alessia!" Giovanni shouts from somewhere in the house.

Alessia slams the door and then bursts into tears. I quickly grab my robe and wrap it around my body before pulling her into a hug.

"I'm sorry for not knocking." She cries. "He told me to knock first but I—"

"It's fine, I have lingerie on. I've been photographed in less." I assure her. "Now tell me what's wrong?"

I've never seen her distraught like she is.

She pulls back, our eyes meeting."He won't talk to me now, he said we have to end things but I don't understand why."

It takes me a minute to realize he is her secret lover. If he's a made man like she says and he's close to Giovanni he may know about her impending engagement.

"I'm sorry." I say truthfully and I am.

I'm sorry she can't be with the man she loves, I'm sorry she has to marry a stranger, I'm sorry she's stuck in this world at no choice of her own because she was born in it. It makes me feel stupid, I'm with the man I love and I refuse to tell him how I feel while she'll never have the ability to be with the man she loves.

"Me too." She sniffles. "I think he broke it off because he knows I'm being pushed into an arranged marriage, as if I'll just go calmly. He should fight for me not push me away."

I frown. "Fighting could get him killed."

It could push him into Riots hands which is a terrifying thought that I don't speak out loud.

She nods. "You're right. I don't want him to die. I should've broken it off, I shouldn't have ever started it to begin with but I love him so much and I can't imagine not experiencing being loved by him. We're lucky we haven't been caught, I should probably agree with the breakup but it's hard, it's hard thinking I'll never kiss him again or feel his arms around me." She breaks down again and I just hold her and let her cry.  "Could you imagine never kissing Giovanni again?"

The thought fills my veins with ice. "No, I couldn't."

She pulls away again, wiping her face. "I'm sorry I'm soaking you in my tears and burdening you with my issues but you're the only one who knows about him I felt like I was going to go crazy if I didn't talk about it."