48. Chapter Forty-Eight

I stare down at my phone, my thumb hovering over the call button. I've been doing this for—my eyes dart to the time—fifty-one minutes.

Part of me wants to call my father.

Part of me wants to forget him.

It's been a week since Enzo took me out to dinner. Since he first fucked me. Since everything changed between us. Somehow, in one single night, everything is different.

But I still want answers. Answers I know he won't give me, but my father can.

Yet, he won't. Refuses to. Outright lies to me about them.

I haven't spoken to him since that first time. He hasn't called me or texted me. I was worried he died. Enzo assured me he was alive, then looked at me with more pity than I'd like to admit.

Enzo cares about me. He may have taken me for payment, but he cares. He always has, and part of me believes he always will.

I used to think my father cared about me, and maybe he does in a strange way, but wouldn't he want to tell me the truth?

Why are you so sure Enzo isn't lying?

Why does this stupid little voice keep coming back? I hate doubting myself. Enzo isn't lying. What he said makes sense. My father knows something he isn't telling me. It just makes sense. Enzo wouldn't lie to me. He has no reason to. He gets nothing from it.

With a heavy sigh, I drop the phone to the bed and run my hands through my hair.

I need a shower. That's what I was going to do before my phone caught my attention and the idea of calling my father took over. Now I don't want to shower. I don't want to do anything but lie here. Why should I worry about him when he isn't worried about me?

Because it isn't about him. It's about what he needs to tell me.

I let out a heavy sigh that turns into a growl, slamming my fists on the mattress.

I force myself up, leaving my phone on the bed, but I don't head to the bathroom. I go out of my room, down the hall, past the stairs, and stop at Enzo's office. The door is wide open, but I raise my hand to knock. He looks up, smiling when he sees me. It has my whole body lighting up like fireworks. The way he looks at me…

"Are you busy?" I question.

"No." His tone tells me he is, and he's also frustrated about something, but I don't see any of it when I look in his eyes. He drops the pen in his hand, pushes his chair back, and pats his lap.

Enzo loves it when I sit on his lap. I love it too. It makes me feel safe. Protected.

"What are you doing?" I glance at the papers he was looking over. Not sure if I should or not, but he doesn't tell me not to.

"Looking over my father's finances."

"He can't do it himself?" I question, looking at him. I'd wondered about his father since I found out about him but had a feeling it was an off-limits topic.

He holds my gaze, shaking his head. "He's sick."

"That's what Marco said." He nods, like he'd forgotten I knew.

"It's causing me and my brothers more problems than it should."

"How?"

He kisses the back of my neck, slips his arms around my stomach, and hugs me to him. He's warm, and he smells so good. Being wrapped in Enzo's arms like this, him hugging me like I matter to him, it feels right.

"My family and three others follow a treaty. It keeps the peace between the families in the area. Has for years. It lays out what territory belongs to who, along with a list of rules, and as long as we all adhere to it, there are no problems. But one of the stipulations is the head of the family attends meetings, and father hasn't been to one in over a year."

"And the big bad mafia men don't care it's because he's sick?" I say, as I shift to see him better.

He huffs out a laugh. "They don't believe he's sick. They think we've done something to him to fuck with the treaty. That we're pulling the wool over their eyes to take over not only him, but them too."

"Why would they think that? Can't your father speak to them? Tell them he's sick?"

He takes a deep breath. "No, angel." He brushes some hair behind my ear. "He can't because he has Alzheimer's and doesn't know his own name most days, let alone who his sons are or any of the families in the area."

"Jesus," I breathe out. I catch the sadness in his eyes, and it breaks my heart. I've never seen him look so devastated. "I'm sorry. Is this why you got so upset when Marco mentioned it?"

He nods once. "It's hard to talk about."

I rest my palm on his cheek and look right into his eyes. "Thank you for telling me."

He blinks slowly, letting out another heavy breath. "We've been trying to figure out the best way to handle this, but it isn't easy. If they find out the state he's in, they'll take us over. He isn't of sound mind to give over the head of the family, so technically, we're open for the taking. There's not much time left until the next meeting, and he needs to be there, or we're fucked."

"So, what? He has to declare someone else takes over?"

"Something like that."

"What if he were to die?"

"That's covered in the treaty. My brothers and I would take over, but…"

He furrows his brow as he glances at the papers, blinking a few times.

"But what?"

He sighs, running a hand down his face. "Nothing. Rafael is coming home later."

"Oh…" I'm still not sure how to feel or what to think about this Rafael situation. Part of me is jealous and wants Enzo all to myself, but another part of me remembers how much fun it was at the club. Enzo said there aren't any emotions there and there isn't a relationship and never would be, but does that make this okay? The most I can come up with is yes, as long as I'm okay with it. But it's hard to think about someone else being a normal part of our marriage. A contract in place would help. We would have rules to follow.

"What's wrong?" Enzo asks.

"Nothing."

"It's not nothing, angel. Tell me."

"I'm just thinking about the Rafael situation."

"Because you're still unsure?" I nod. "Well, that's why I wanted us to have dinner together later."

"The three of us?" I raise a brow.

"Yes, the three of us. I thought we could discuss the possibilities of our future."

"You guys aren't going to have I missed you sex when he gets back, are you?"

Enzo frowns. "I missed you sex?"

"You know? Because he's been gone for so long." I shrug.

Enzo grips my chin and pulls me to him. His lips press against mine firmly. "I won't do anything you aren't comfortable with."

"Okay," I breathe. He kisses me again and again until my breath is gone. His phone rings and before he can make me feel weird by kicking me out, I get to my feet.

"See you at dinner?" I question, taking a slow step away from him.

"See you at dinner, angel."

He reaches for his phone as I head out of his office and back to my room.

Maybe it's best I wait to talk to my father, because there are other things I have to worry about right now. Like my future with my husband.