2. Elio

2

ELIO

I watch, stunned, as Piper storms away, her golden hair swaying with each furious step. Her cold greeting has taken me completely by surprise, leaving me grappling with a whirlwind of emotions.

I replay our brief encounter in my mind, trying to make sense of her hostility. Why is she so mad at me? I wasn't the one who disappeared without a word. How had I wronged her so deeply that she could barely stand to look at me?

For a long time after she left, I held a great deal of anger and resentment that I buried beneath my focus on the family business. But now, seeing her again, those aren't the feelings that come first and foremost in my chest. No, I feel longing, an ache to restore what we lost.

Nostalgia floods my senses as I drink in the sight of her. She's stunning, although there's a tiredness or wariness to her that has me wondering about her life. She'd always been willing to speak her mind, but the coolness, the vitriol of today, that's new and I can't deny that it stings.

As she disappears into the crowd, the longing tugs at my heart. Eight years have passed, yet the connection between us is still palpable, like an invisible thread that refuses to be severed. I desperately want to understand what happened, to find a way to make amends for whatever pain I caused her.

It's clear she doesn't want anything to do with me, but the questions swirl. I'm a man who likes answers. I stride down the sidewalk, Piper's stinging words echoing in my mind and igniting my determination to find out why. I can't stop the image of finally getting the life I'd desired, the one I'd mapped out for us, from blooming in full technicolor in my head. I can see her in my home. In my bed. In my life. Fuck. I can practically taste it.

There's just one problem. Not long after Piper left, my father arranged an alliance with the Rinella family, cemented by my marriage to Ava Rinella. At the time, she was barely ten years old, which is fucking creepy. But now, she's eighteen, and while my father is dead, I have honored all his alliances so far. I've been planning to go through with the marriage. I don't love Ava. Hell, I've never met her. But I'll treat her well. Occasionally, we'll fuck to produce an heir. It's not the life I'd imagined with Piper, but the love of my life disappeared. Until today.

A sense of unease settles in the pit of my stomach. The alliance with the Rinellas had been a carefully calculated move, one that would solidify our family's power. But now, with Piper back, the decision feels more like a shackle than an opportunity.

How can I marry Ava when Piper is here? If there is any chance of true happiness, she's it for me. I curse under my breath, remembering the way Piper looked at me with such disdain, and yet there'd been a moment when I thought I saw something more… like hope.

I know I'm risking fucking up business, but I have no choice. I have to find Piper and learn what happened all those years ago. And I can't let my impending marriage to Ava stand in my way.

I trail Piper at a discreet distance, my eyes never leaving her as she navigates the familiar streets. After a few blocks, she makes her way up the walk of a large two-story home. She's come up in the world, and I smile thinking of the success she has achieved.

She unlocks the door and enters the home. I hesitate for a moment, wondering if I'm really going to risk everything my father and I've worked for with the Rinella family. Of course, there is no real debate. It's selfish of me, but there's been only one real thing I've ever wanted in life, and that was Piper.

I move quietly, careful not to draw her attention as I peer through a window, watching her unpack a few boxes. Inwardly, I laugh at my actions. I'm like a fucking peeping Tom. A neighbor will likely call the police. What a story that would be. The police can't take down Elio D'Amato for corruption or murder, but he's jailed for trespassing and peeping on a woman.

The house is warm and inviting, a far cry from the modest home her family lived in when I knew her. I'm filled with a mixture of happiness and frustration—happiness that she has found a sense of stability, but frustration that our reunion had been so strained.

As I watch her set up what looks like a home office, a plan takes shape in my mind. I have to find out what happened all those years ago and then break down the wall she's built regarding me. I need to convince her that she and I are meant to be.

With a renewed sense of determination, I leave her property and head back to my car, my mind racing as I work out the best way to approach Piper. Back at my car, I find my men glaring at me.

"We can't protect you when you run off?—"

I wave their concern away. "I'm fine. Take me home."

When I arrive home, my sister, Lana, greets me with the same cold irritation I just experienced with Piper. "There you are. You're late. The Rinellas have been waiting for you."

Normally, I'd feel more chagrined by this, but I don't have any guilt or regret for being late.

"Matteo has been entertaining them in your absence," Lana continues, her sharp eyes studying me. "You'd do well not to keep them waiting any longer."

I want to remind her who is the boss in this family, but now isn't the time. Straightening my posture, I push the lingering thoughts of Piper to the back of my mind. This is no time for distractions. I must present a composed and charismatic front to the Rinellas. I have to maintain the delicate balance of power between our families.

With a deep breath, I stride into the living room, where I'm met by the expectant gazes of Ava and her family. Matteo, my cousin and most trusted lieutenant, stands nearby, a subtle nod of acknowledgment passing between us.

I plaster on a charming smile, greeting the Rinellas with the poise and confidence they expect. Ava's father, the formidable Vincenzo Rinella, a fellow boss in The Outfit, extends his hand, and I shake it firmly.

"I'm sorry I'm late." I turn to Ava. Admittedly, she's beautiful with thick raven hair and gray eyes. There's an innocence to her, likely due to her young age. But I also see a flicker in her eyes suggesting there's more spirit to her than she reveals. "Ava, it's lovely to meet you."

"You too, Mr. D'Amato."

"Please, call me Elio."

As the conversation flows, I navigate the social dynamics, carefully balancing the needs of our families and not betraying the conflict raging in my heart. Ava engages me in polite discourse, and I find myself impressed by her intelligence and poise. She'll make a good wife. And yet… I can't rid my mind of Piper. Her face, her voice, the raw emotion that had flickered in her eyes.

I steal a glance at Matteo, wondering if he senses the turmoil brewing beneath the surface. But he gives no outward sign of concern, his attention focused solely on the task at hand.

I curse my own weakness, my inability to compartmentalize the past and the present. I am the heir to the D'Amato legacy, and I cannot afford to be distracted, not when so much is at stake. I redirect my focus to the Rinellas, determined to make a lasting impression and solidify the alliance that will shape the future of our families. But fuck me, deep down, I want to end this engagement because I can't not seek out Piper and try to fix whatever broke between us.