“He didn’t ki—”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “But he tried. I won’t lie to you. It wasn’t hard for him to find the man who raped me—my blood covered him. And when he did, he was ready to end his life.” Tears rained down her face, streaking her ivory skin. They weren’t tears for herself; they were tears for Rafe.
Guilt slammed Fallon in the gut for ever feeling jealous of her. Tilly loved Rafe—they were bonded by more than time and family. They were bonded by blood. “I screamed,” she whispered. “I was horrified. He was going to kill him, and nothing I did could stop him.”
“What did stop him?”
“I don’t know. Maybe some part of him knew where the line was and he stopped when he began to tiptoe along it. I don’t really know. But he spent our senior year in juvenile detention because of it. Got out, and joined the army.
“His love runs strong and deep, Fallon. So does his anger. But they go hand in hand. The only thing that triggers his hatred is his love. He’s a passionate man. He’s a loyal man. A protective man. He doesn’t give his love out easily. But when he does, it’s intense.”
She’d seen the depth of his protectiveness, the intensity of his anger. His rough, intimidating, masculine demeanor was structured by love.
“So yeah,” Tilly continued. “He leads with his fists. But he’s a good man, Fallon. He feels the need to protect everyone, to bear the weight and harbor the guilt.
“He’s a Murano. He’ll love you so fiercely that you’ll question every other love you’ve felt before him, and no other love will ever compare after him. I promise you. You’re a lucky woman to have him, Fallon. Family is everything to these men. Fists and all.”
Fallon sighed heavily, needing to cry or laugh or curse—something. She was so confused. “It’s all so new. I’m not sure I want . . . I don’t know . . . I don’t have him.”
“You do, honey. And I’ll admit I was a little surprised, because just a few weeks ago he was sporting a broken heart and a bad attitude. When Marco told me Rafe was bringing a woman to dinner, I was worried I’d be leading with my fists.”
Fallon smirked knowingly. “No worries. I gave that woman a piece of my mind last weekend.”
“See, I knew I liked you. It’s nice havin’ another woman around.”
Fallon shrugged. “Men are easy. And the way I see it, you have these men wrapped around your finger.”
She giggled sweetly. “Not for long.”
Fallon cocked her head to the side and raised her eyebrows.
“Can I tell you a secret?”
“I don’t know . . .” Fallon said, slightly uncomfortable. Secrets weren’t quite Fallon’s thing.
“I haven’t told anyone this, but if I don’t I’ll go crazy,” she whispered, ever so slightly approaching squeal level, but coming from Tilly, it didn’t make Fallon cringe like it usually did.
Fallon smiled, this time amused. “Okay, my lips are sealed.”
An enthusiastic grin curved over Tilly’s pregnancy-flushed glow. “I’m having a girl!” she whisper-yelled. “I found out a few weeks ago. The guys swear up and down it’s a boy, and I want to tell them so bad! But even if I did, they wouldn’t believe it until they saw her. I can’t wait to see the look on Luca’s face when he holds his baby girl for the first time.”
Fallon’s eyes swelled with the image. She’d known Luca only a few hours, but the love he had for his wife and for his unborn child was breathtaking. Tilly was the lucky one.
“Your secret’s safe with me.” Then Fallon did something that surprised herself. She leaned over and pulled Tilly into a hug. The cloth camping chairs they were sitting in leaned off-balance as they maneuvered their weight to the side to reach each other and embrace. It was heart consuming, a simple gesture that meant more than any words possibly could. “She is going to be one lucky little girl,” Fallon assured her.
Tilly laughed. “Can you imagine? This little girl is going to have it rough with these men. I’ve seen the way they love the women in their lives. I can’t even begin to fathom the love they’ll feel for her.”
A tear skidded down Fallon’s cheek. She hadn’t cried in years.
• • •
“Hey, babe.”
Walking into his old bedroom, Rafe pulled his shirt off over his head and stepped out of his jeans. He felt like shit for ignoring Fallon for the last hour while he and his brothers talked with Leo, but he was glad he did. And he hoped like hell Leo would take their advice.