The Boss & The Belle

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Waking up the next morning, I am on my side, facing the balcony. I look behind me and see Massimo still laying there. He's on his back with one arm behind his head and the other hand on this stomach and he's shirtless. And beautiful. I slowly slip out of bed and grab my sweater off the chair and step out onto the balcony. It's still dark but the sun is starting to rise. After a couple of minutes, he walks up beside me and leans on the balcony wall next to me. "How are you feeling?" he asks. "I don't know." I tell him. We stand and look at the sunrise together and, without looking at him, I ask "Why were you out there?" He takes a second before answering. "I like to sit on the patio when I come home to relax before bed. The quiet helps me relax. When I saw you, being that close to the ledge, I knew what you were thinking." he tells me. "You shouldn't have stopped me." I whisper. "Why is that?" he asks. I look down at my hands and softly say "Do you know what it feels like to know you were a mistake? To know you aren't wanted?" I ask. He moves closer and says "You are not a mistake nor will you ever be. And you are wanted." he tells me. I shake my head and say "No one is going to want me Massimo. My father was right. I'm damaged goods. I always dreamed of falling in love and getting married. I wanted to have a family." I tell him. "And you don't think you will ever have that?" he asks. "No one is going to want me Massimo." I say softly. "That is not true." he tells me and I shake my head and move back to the bed.

He follows me to the bed and I move up beside the headboard and he moves to sit beside me. He takes my hand and plays with my fingers while I just watch his hands with mine. "Make a deal with me baby girl." he says. "What?" I ask. "Make a deal with me." he says. "What kind of deal?" I ask. "You spend time with me. Give me one year. If in one year, I can't convince you that you are wanted and that you can have all of those things, then you can pick anywhere in the world to live and I will pay to get you set up there. But if I am able to convince you, then you have to marry me and have a family with me." he tells me. I look at him shocked. "You don't mean that." I say. "You remember what I told you that my mother used to say about the sunshine?" he asks and I nod my head yes. "Sei il sole più bello." he says before bringing my hand to his lips and kissing my knuckles. "Why one year?" I ask. "Because I don't want to you feel like there is any pressure. I want you to be able to take your time. What you went through was not something I want to take lightly." he tells me. I look at him and he looks at me. "Can I think about it?" I ask. "Of course baby girl. Take all the time you need." he tells me and I keep looking down at his hand holding mine. "I want to see you happy." he tells me softly. "What about you?" I ask. "What about me?" he asks back. "You can have anyone you want. Why would you waste your time on me?" I ask. He looks at me again before placing a hand on my cheek. "My time is not being wasted. I want you." he tells me. I lay my head on his shoulder and say "Okay." He kisses my knuckles again and says "Sei la mia bambina."

A little later, we are sitting on the patio, eating breakfast and I am just looking out at the ocean when Nico comes walking out. He kisses the top of my head before sitting and taking a plate for himself. "Are you okay Toni?" Nico asks. "I think so." I tell him as I look from him to Massimo. After we eat, I say "Is it okay if I walk down to the beach?" I ask and Massimo nods and Nico speaks up. "I will go with you." he says and I nod. We stand to head to the steps leading down to the beach and Massimo grabs my hand as I go to walk past him. I stop and look at him and he stands. Leaning down, he kisses my cheek and says "See you shortly baby girl." I nod and Nico and I head down the steps to the beach. Once we are walking on the sand he asks "How are you?" I stop and look out at the water and say "I don't know really." I tell him. "Mas has been staying close." he tells me. "He has. We watched the sunrise together a couple of mornings." I tell him. "I know." he tells me. "I walked out to the cliffs last night. I kept hearing daddy telling me that I was damaged and an embarrassment. I tried to walk off the cliff." I say softly. "Antonia..." he starts and I stop him. "Massimo stopped me. He wouldn't let me go." I tell him. "I am grateful he was there." he tells me. "I look at him and say "He carried me to my bed. Slept next to me all night." I look back out at the water and say "He held me while I cried. It's like he knows when I need to held and when I need space." I tell him. "He's worried about you too." he tells me. "I know. He...he asked me to make a deal with him." I tell him. "What kind of deal?" he asks as we start walking again. "He wants me to give him a year to prove that I am wanted. That he wants me." I tell him and he stops walking. I stop and look at him and he asks "What are the perimeters of the deal?" he asks. "If he can't prove to me that I'm wanted, I can pick anywhere in the world that I want and he will pay for me to get set up there." I tell him. "What if he can?" he asks. "Then I have to agree to marry him and have a family with him." I tell him. "What do you think?" he asks. "That he can have literally any woman he wants. Why in the hell would he settle for me?" I ask. "I guess you will have to give him the year to show you." he tells me, smirking. "You're okay with this?" I ask. "I trust him. And you should too." he tells me and I just nod.

We walk back up the steps and to the patio and Massimo is still sitting there, on his phone. When we walk up, I stay back a little and Nico says something to Massimo but I can't hear him. Massimo stands and looks at me. He holds out his hand and I take it. He pulls me close and I snuggle into him. "One year, right?" I ask. He tilts my chin up and says "One year." I lay my head against his chest as his arms around me pull me closer and I say "Okay." He kisses the top of my head and says "You will not regret this." and all I can think is that I just hope he doesn't.

Sei il sole più bello=You are the most beautiful sunshine

Sei la mia bambina=You are mine baby girl