Book 2✔️ Between The Mafias

10. The one with the Italian friendship

I woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. Though I didn't think it was, cause I was still in it when I woke up. I lost my baby, Max left, and I was stuck at Leonardo's since it was still dangerous for me to go back to my dad's.

My mind went back to Leonardo. He came home last night with bruised knuckles. He didn't tell me why and I was afraid to ask, so I stayed silent. But when morning came, my curiosity got the best of me.

"What happened to your knuckles?" I asked in the middle of breakfast. I was trying to have a conversation with him, I convinced myself while I wondered if Max had anything to do with it.

"I didn't punch Max. If that's what you're asking."

"I didn't. I... he's with Anischska,"

"He's not, Emilie. Look, I know it may seem that I hated Max. But you know our history."

I  actually did. Max lost his fiance and Leonardo lost his sister. But I didn't want to know about Max's current love life. He had left me at the hospital.

"Max is still working on Anischska's family. She's still in danger. He loved you. The man let me punched him. Twice. He didn't even fight back. He felt guilty."

"Right, but I'm sure he'd be furious once he knew about our kiss."

"Really, Emilie? Tell me, did it mean anything to you? Cause I'm not getting anything from you. I knew our kiss meant nothing to you, tell me I'm wrong."

I looked at him and sighed. "I was lonely, and you're a great kisser. Still, it was wrong of me to kiss you back."

"Then why don't you tell him? Talk to him. He has been trying to call you. At least give him an excuse to shoot me."

Finally, the man made me smile. I knew they liked to shoot at each other. I still didn't get why since they used to work together. Despite losing his sister and a fiance for Max, I had a feeling they still had unresolved issues.

"Right, and why do you still have a vengeance with Max? Don't give advice when you haven't talked properly to Max about what happened between the two of you."

He was quiet for a while before he nodded. "How about I promise to talk with Max if you do, too."

"Pinkie promise?" I couldn't help but tease him.

Hey. Maybe I'm feeling better after all.

Leonardo gave me his signature and smirked as he moved his hand towards me and shoved his pinkie finger at me. We both laughed when I gave him mine. I knew things between us were slowly getting better.

After dinner, I did call Max. I hadn't read any of his texts and had been ignoring his voice messages. I didn't dare open them, afraid that I'd lost the courage to confess.

"Emilie, what happened? Are you okay? Did Leonardo fuck up? Where are you?"

"Max, I'm okay. I just finished dinner with Leo and now I'm back in his guest bedroom. Leonardo and I talked and um..."

"Emilie, I need to..."

"No, please, let me finish what I'm trying to say."

"Right, okay,"

"I...I shouldn't have accused you of having anything with Anischska. Not when...not when Leonardo and I kissed. I'm sorry, but I just need you to know. I don't expect you to forgive me. I don't expect you to still want me."

"Why?" Max finally asked after a long silence.

"Because I was lonely. Because I missed you. Please don't shoot him. He did initiate it, but I did kiss him back, and it was wrong of me to do it. But it was done. Now, you can move on with Anischska."