Bosco let me go, but he didn’t look happy about it. He slid his hands into his pockets as he stared at me, holding my gaze as the doors slowly closed and hid him from view.
The elevator descended to the lobby, and I kept picturing Bosco’s face in my mind. Handsome, apologetic, and full of angst. I could tell he wanted to yank me back into the penthouse and not let me go until he’d earned my forgiveness.
That was how I was sure he knew he was wrong for what he did.
I got into the back seat of the car, and his men dropped me off at work. I hardly ever drove my car anymore, only when I went to visit my family because it would be hostile to show up with a dozen armed guards on their property.
I arrived at the shop and got to work, doing my best not to think about all the drama going on in my life. My father and boyfriend were more aware of the situation than me—the person connecting them together.
I felt so stupid.
This entire time, Bosco had known my father hated him. And my father knew about Bosco too. Even Griffin was aware of everything, and he never once mentioned it to me. Did Vanessa know as well?
Who could I trust?
Around lunchtime, I got a special visitor.
My mom.
“Carmen.” Mom appeared at the counter, sneaking up on me slightly. She smiled at me like she wasn’t angry, just happy to see her daughter.
My heart nearly jumped out of my chest, especially because I knew exactly why she was there. The storm that had hit our family was spinning at full force, and there was no way to escape. Even when I stood in the eye, I could feel the wind swirl around me. “Hey, Mama.” I finally found a smile when I recovered from the shock. “Sorry, you snuck up on me.”
“I walked straight at you,” she said. “You were even looking at me.”
“Sorry…my mind was elsewhere.”
Her smile started to fall. “Your father told me what happened, Carmen…” She rested her arms on the counter as she looked at me, her fingers interlocked together. “He’s still fairly angry about it. I’ve been trying to talk him down. I think I’ll need a few more days to make a dent in his armor.”
“Well, thanks for trying.”
“Is this the same man you mentioned a few months ago?”
I nodded.
“The one who isn’t right for you but you can’t stay away from?”
“Yeah.”
“Why do you think he’s not right for you?”
“In the beginning, I thought he was too dangerous. But now I know he’s completely harmless to me. When I realized he was a good man, I knew Father would be my next obstacle. After talking with him…it doesn’t seem likely there will be any success.”
My mom tucked her brown hair behind her ear, her mocha eyes glowing beautifully. I inherited all my good looks from her, only getting my father’s eyes and subtle hints of his Barsetti blood. My skin wasn’t as dark as Vanessa’s because I took after my mother so much. “This is the man you want to spend the rest of your life with?”
Bosco told me he would give me whatever I wanted. Because of that, there was no doubt in my mind. He loved me enough to sacrifice everything, to walk away from all that he’d built just to have me. If that wasn’t love, I didn’t know what was. “Yes.” The idea of finding someone new and forcing myself to love him the way I loved Bosco sounded unappetizing. “He’s the one.”
“You’re sure?” Mom asked.
I nodded. “Absolutely.”
She rested her hand on mine and gave me a gentle pat. “Then I accept him, Carmen. In time, I’m sure I’ll like him. But since I haven’t even met him, that’s kinda hard for me to do right this second.”
That was surprisingly kind, even though my mom had always done everything for me. “Thank you.”
“Your father told me Bosco is one of the biggest crime lords in the city. He’s a bit arrogant. He set his eyes on you then never stopped pursuing you. Your father said you tried to break things off with him, but Bosco wouldn’t let you.”
“Yes…not his finest qualities.” I didn’t want to lie to my parents about my past with Bosco. I wasn’t ashamed of it because we grew into something more. That felt so long ago that it didn’t seem relevant anymore. “But that’s not who he is anymore. He’s…extremely kind. All he cares about is protecting me. He would die before he let anything happen to me. So instead of focusing on those moments, focus on that.”
My mother nodded, giving a slight smile. “I believe you, Carmen. I’ll keep an open mind…and I’ll try to convince your father he should do the same. The only reason it’s difficult for him is because he’s spent his entire life protecting you, and he can’t stop that impulse. He feels like he needs to save you…even though you don’t need saving. He loves you so much that he’s always imagined some Prince Charming riding in on a white horse. Your prince comes from a good family, he’s rich, and he’s squeaky clean. Since this doesn’t match your father’s expectations, he’s disappointed—not because he’s not getting what he wants, but because you aren’t getting what he wants.”