“I do,” she whispered.
“Out of all the Lucianos, Lucca picked him. There’s a reason he did that; you just have to be brave enough to find out what that reason is.”
Swallowing down the lump rising in her throat, Adalyn admitted the real reason she didn’t want to take him back. Every Made man always needed one thing. “I’m afraid … he’ll break me.”
Maria reached over, lifting her chin high with long, manicured fingernails. Enunciating each word that passed her lips with an intensity like no other, she told Adalyn, “Then. Don’t. Let. Him.”
Angel got back into his car after being turned down yet again. He had come every day, wishing she would give him one more chance, but she hadn’t. At least not yet.
Having nothing but time, he would come back every single day if he had to, to get her to trust him again. As far as he was concerned, their little game wasn’t over, and he had plans on winning.
His eyes went to the rearview mirror, seeing all the doors to the Escalade open and then everyone getting out—almost everyone. He held his breath as a ray of hope shined down upon him.
Come on, Adalyn. He squeezed his tatted knuckles around the steering wheel so hard it was beginning to imprint the leather.
Still holding his breath, he stared a hole into the mirror as he watched the doors open once more. But when they all got back inside and the doors closed behind them, the hope he had for her forgiving him today vanished.
Angel put his hand on the key that sat in the ignition, ready to turn it, when his eyes were drawn back to the rearview mirror.
A slow smile started to twist up his lips.
Having said her piece, Maria snapped her fingers, giving the others the go-ahead to file back into the car.
It was all up to her now.
Adalyn avoided the gazes of her friends and her brother, unable to look them in the eyes as they got in the car and shut the doors. When she heard the car start up again, she felt her heart starting to race and pound out of her chest. She found herself more torn than ever, the temptation stronger than ever. Still, she didn’t move to get out of the car.
I thought you wanted a man who was Made.
Those words swirled through her mind, reminding her that was exactly what she’d wanted and prayed for in a man, yet she was walking away from one. A real one.
Upset, she guessed a part of her had wanted him to apologize repeatedly and beg her to forgive him, but that wasn’t who Angel was. He had said the word “sorry” already, and he wasn’t going to ever beg. You either forgave him or you didn’t. And him coming here every morning was his way of proving to her that he had meant what he said. She could either take him for what he was, or she could continue to walk away, but the choice was hers.
She put her hand on the door handle and flung the door open, making a decision she could one day live to regret with only one thing for certain … It would be one hell of a ride.
Vincent wasn’t happy, calling out in his sharp voice, “What are yo—”
“Don’t you dare,” Maria cut him off. “I’m sure Lake will take him if you don’t want your sister to have him.”
His baby blues slightly flamed at her before he sat back, giving in.
Lake and Elle’s muffled clapping and cheering could be heard from inside the car as Adalyn closed the door behind her. Then she walked toward the black car, but when the driver’s side door was opened, revealing a smiling Angel, her feet picked up speed until she was running. Then she took a leap of faith and jumped into his arms.
It was the moment she had been waiting for when he circled his arms around her and held her to him.
For some odd reason, even though her blood bled for the Carusos and his Luciano, it just felt right.
A few tears slipped down her cheeks as she nestled into his neck. “If you leave me like that again, I’ll kill you.”
Angel laughed. “Is that a threat, sweetness?”
“No.” Kissing his neck, she smiled. “It’s a promise.”
After he placed her back on the ground, he used his thumb to wipe away the tears from her face before he grabbed her chin, tilting it up for him to stake his claim on her.
By the time he touched his lips to hers, her mouth was already open for him, but as much as she wanted to kiss him back, she didn’t. She wanted him to be the one to kiss her so she could see how much he actually wanted her.