Tangled In Strings

Chapter Twenty-Four

He steps closer, out of breath. "I know all of this because I care. I care more than anyone else in this fucking world, and I'm not ashamed to say it bluntly for you. I care for you. I care for this baby, even if you don't want to."

I visibly shrink, turning my face from him when he grabs my cheeks with both hands, refusing to let him see what his words are doing to me.

"Even though I know you want to be a mother," he whispers, inches away from my face. "I know you want it, just as bad as I do. Maybe even more."

"Giovanni, stop," I breathe, eyes squeezing closed.

"I won't," he responds. "I won't. I refuse to let you think that you are alone in this world. Or that I don't care enough to risk it all."

Risk? My eyes lift with reluctance to his.

"What?"

He stares at me so long, my heart threatens to break through my chest.

"I can't do this anymore, stay away from you. I thought I could do it—"

"Are you crazy?" I breathe, paling.

"Maybe," he admits, "Maybe. Yes."

"Giovanni, no."

He closes his eyes, now tilting away from me as I'm suddenly full of desperation. I clasp his face, caressing his smooth, perfect features.

"I love you. I love you for everything you just said. I love that you refuse to hold back for my sake." He shakes his head, already knowing what I'm going to say. "But, the price of what you'd lose would be too great. You'd be losing everything, when there's a chance that if we stick this out longer, we'll find a solution and everything will go back to normal. We hate being apart, I know that, and I know I scared you yesterday, but I will not let you destroy yourself like this. Your family is going through enough with Tony's sentence. I can get through this, I promise."

"I know you can," he breathes, opening his eyes slowly. "I don't know that I can."

I smile, despite the pain, stretching onto my toes, wrapping myself around him. My arms squeeze his shoulders, my nose nuzzling his warm throat. His hands move over my back, until he's clasping the nape of my neck. We both inhale, just holding our breaths, too overwhelmed to release them.

...

I walk into the apartment, finding the nurse standing in the living room, one hand on her hip, one hand holding a phone to her ear. The moment she sees me in the doorway, disheveled and all, she sighs, hanging up.

"I've been trying to get ahold of you."

My eyes widen with fear, darting toward the bedroom door. "What's happened? Is he okay?"

I drop my purse, and begin to hurry down the steps, en route.

"Miss Bardot, he's not in there."

I freeze, turning to her. "Where is he?"

"He went to the firm. I told him he was too sick to go, but he's stubborn. He slipped out while I was making his meal."

Immensely relieved it's not something worse; I cover my face, trying to slow my heartbeat. I nod to her. "I'll bring him back. You may go home, Lucy. We'll be fine until the night shift arrives."

She swallows. "I'm sorry. I really did try to convince him."

I shake my head, hands on my hips. "He's had things his way his entire life. He won't listen to anyone."

"He listens to you," she murmurs, before she embarks on the search for her things.

...

"You are in so much trouble," I say as soon as I turn the corner into my office, finding Norman sitting on the loveseat, watching the television on the wall. There is a book in his lap, and I'm amazed to see he's gotten himself into a suit. He's still wearing his coat, and I instantly notice perspiration on his face.