“Do you want me to tell your father?” her mom offered.
“Thanks Lucia, but no. I’ll tell him. I don’t want his wrath on you.”
“Mom, can’t you be happy for us?”
“I’m happy that you’ve found someone who loves you, but…”
“You wish it wasn’t me?” Dante finished.
“Please don’t put words in my mouth, Dante,” she snapped, and then sighed. “I’m sorry. This is going to upset Emiliano, so yes, I wish his upset could be avoided…At the end of the day, I love you both, you must know that. I know we haven’t been close, Dante. But I’d like to think that we became friends of sorts. I just don’t know how I feel about you both being together like this. I wish I did.”
It hurt Emelia that they didn’t have the support of her mother, but she should have expected it. She knew it was a difficult situation, and had hoped for support. All she could do now was hope that it would come in the end.
But first, she needed to call Diego. She needed to be the one to tell him before one of the others told him, or their mother told him for that matter.
Chapter Thirty
“Diego wasn’t happy, but he listened to what I said, and then told me he was going to get a flight out so we had someone in our corner.” Emelia sighed, and sagged into Dante’s embrace.
After the scene in the kitchen, they’d gone upstairs to Dante’s room so that he could dump his bags that he’d brought with him.
He’d cleared out the cabin of his personal belongings before he’d left for Denver and felt drained. He hadn’t just had to face Colin, who had made it a lot easier than he should have done for Dante to walk away, but he’d had to face Barbara before he’d left.
She’d cried, but hadn’t been surprised, so at least he left her on a good note as well, and only because he promised to keep in touch with her via email. He could do that for her.
“I’m afraid,” Emelia whispered against his chest. “Everyone is going to be so angry with us.”
He clasped her tightly against him. “Em, please don’t be afraid. At the end of the day, they’re our family, and will eventually get used to us being together.”
“I know. I guess I was hoping for sunshine and roses, you know?”
“I know.” He kissed the top of her head, and felt comfortable with her in his arms, even if they were in his father’s house.
“Will you tell me now how your meeting with the bishop went? I’ve been so worried, and tried to call you…”
Emelia looked at him for answers, and he realized by ignoring her calls, he’d really hurt her. “I’m sorry for not answering. I went to, but couldn’t in the end. I didn’t have any answers and I really needed a clear head to talk to the bishop.” He pressed her closer. “When I talk to you, my head is so filled with thoughts of our time together that I can’t think about anything else. You distract me, and I’m really sorry that I worried you because of that.”
Emelia kissed his chest. “I distract you, huh? I like that. I’ll need distracting later…we both will.”
“Um, that isn’t such a good idea under this roof.” There’s no way he could comfortably make love to Emelia while in his father’s house.
“You’re right,” Emelia moaned into his chest. “Seriously, though. I want to sleep in your arms tonight. We won’t get up to mischief under the covers, but I need your arms around me.”
“We can do that,” he agreed, against his better judgment. In truth, he wanted to feel her nude body against his again, but it wouldn’t be right where they were, so he changed the subject, “Back to the bishop.”
“Hmm.” Emelia sat up and straddled his lap.
His hands caressed her thighs while he watched how her dark locks fell around her shoulders. How the frown on her forehead and darkened eyes told him just how worried she was for them. But his Em was heart and soul beautiful, and he would love and cherish her for the rest of his life. He knew that without even having to think about it.
Clearing his throat, he quickly repeated his conversation with the bishop, which didn’t take too long. The part that he wasn’t sure about how he felt, he kept to himself: they could be married but not in the Catholic Church.
Every moment of his forty-one years had been spent as a Catholic. He’d devoted years to the church, first as a child when he attended Mass as an alter boy, and the last few years as a priest. How was he supposed to marry in any other church but a Catholic one? No matter what else he had given up, that was the one thing that hurt the most.
“What are you hiding?”
He hadn’t realized that Emelia watched him closely while he was lost in thought, but she had and she knew him better than anyone. At least, now that she knew how much he loved her.
He had to tell her, she wouldn’t be happy down the line when she found out that he’d kept it from her. “If the response from Rome regarding the dispensation is negative…I will still be able to marry you…”
“Seriously?”
He nodded as a profound sadness filled him. “Just not in the Catholic Church.”
She gasped. “Oh, no…Dante.” She moved closer. “I’m so,” she cupped his face, “sorry. With how much of your life has been spent devoted to the Catholic Church, I know that must hurt you. A lot.”
“It does…Em, I love you. You know this, but I’m not sure I’m going to be able to go through with a marriage—”
“Shush,” she covered his mouth with a hand, “Everything will work itself out. I know that you love me, just like you know how much I love you. We might not be able to marry because we both have the same man listed as our birth father.” His eyes snapped to hers, and she smiled softly. “I’m just trying to show you that there may be more obstacles with us making the love between us legal than not being able to marry in your church.”
“I do want you as my wife, Em. I need you to know that.” It was his turn to cup Emelia’s face in his hands and, with a gentle caress over her cheekbones, he brought her close to him for a sweet kiss.
“I do know that.” Emelia settled against his chest, and appeared to snuggle down to sleep when she whispered, “After everyone has been told about us, can we go to a hotel? I need to be as close to you as I can get.”
“What about Diego? Isn’t he arriving tomorrow?” Dante would give Emelia everything if he could. As much as he wanted to make love to Emelia again, he didn’t want to alienate his family more by leaving with her. The situation wasn’t ideal, but he was sure that they’d both be happier if their family spent time around them, while they were a couple.
“You don’t think it’s a good idea…you think too loudly sometimes.”
He moaned. “I’ll have to remember that in the future.”
“I think I probably spoke too soon because it wouldn’t be a good idea to disappear after we’ve told them. At least, I don’t think it would be. Ugh, just remind me that I agreed with you when everything goes to shit later.”
“Have faith, Em. I know what your mom said about Dad, but just have faith in him.”
He held Emelia while she fell asleep in his arms. His faith wasn’t as strong as he wanted Emelia to believe because he was worried. Whereas he hadn’t been around while Emelia was growing up, his dad had been there for both of them, so out of everyone it would be more awkward for him to accept than the others. And it did bother him. It bothered him a lot.
Chapter Thirty-One
With a stretch, Emelia came awake with a start. She lay still, wondering what disturbed her sleep…and then she heard it again. Shouting.
What?
She shot up on the bed and looked around in the dim light. Where was she?
Dante’s room.
But no Dante.
She scrambled from the bed, and checked the bathroom and realized that he wasn’t inside.
There was more shouting and then silence.
She knew it was coming from downstairs, and that the shouting had everything to do with Dante and her.
To shake the sleep from her system, she splashed her face with cold water and quickly dried. She slipped her feet back into her boots, which Dante had obviously left by his door and left the sanctuary of his room.
There was certainly a heated discussion going on downstairs. She could hear Dante, their father, her mother and Aiden. Her heart sank when she realized Dante was in with their family, but he was alone, or was he?
She heard Aiden shout, “Dad, give him a break.”
“Why?” her father asked, the fight seemingly to have disappeared from him.
Emelia, at that point, entered her father’s office, and met each gaze in turn, until she saw how much the conversation had obviously taken out of Dante, and went to him.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded and dragged his hands over his face. “Yeah.”
“You should have woken me up.”
He shook his head. “You were exhausted. I hoped that I could save you from being here during this…” He threw his arms around.
Emelia caught his hands and held tight. “I should have been here with you. This concerns me as well.”
“I’m sorry.” He tugged her closer and kissed her forehead.
Their fingers intertwined as she turned to face their family and, most especially, their father. When she met his gaze, she couldn’t control the tears that hovered on her lashes at the look of disappointment on his face.
“Emelia, I don’t know what to say,” he started. “I understand what you’re both saying to me, but I raised you both, and this,” he waved his hands in front of him, “is difficult to accept.”
Dante had obviously had his say, so now it was hers. It was her turn to defend her feelings for her man.
“I love him,” she whispered. “I’ve been in love with Dante since my twenty-first birthday. I’d known for three years that we weren’t related so falling in love with him wasn’t wrong.” She felt a tug on her hand and glanced at Dante.
“It’s okay, Em. I’ve already told them everything.” The look of concern on his face made her want to wrap around him, but she couldn’t.
Not yet.
“They haven’t heard the words out of my mouth.” She smiled and turned back to her father after a quick glance at Aiden, who appeared more amused than anything. “Dad, I know this is weird for you, but it isn’t for us. We never grew up together. We’re not siblings in any way…not even shared memories. We don’t want to lose any of you,” she cried softly, and let Dante pull her into his arms.
“You won’t lose us, honey. I know I’m struggling with this right now, but no one will be losing anyone.” Her father’s voice cracked and her heart ached for him. “Give me some time, and your mother.”
Emelia pulled away and looked at her father. “Okay. We can do that.”
“Emelia, it isn’t just the relationship you both have that is causing my distress right now. Dante should have come to me, not the church. I’m his father. He didn’t trust me.”
Dante sighed. “It wasn’t a matter of trust. How would you have reacted if I’d come to you and told you that I was in love with my sister, and not in a brotherly way? I was ashamed that I had the feelings that I did. They never really disappeared, and now they’re stronger than ever. But, at the time, I tried to forget…I spent years fighting my feelings, praying for absolution.”
He looked exhausted and Emelia longed for moments alone with him were she could hold him…instead, she squeezed his hand and lent him her strength. “My love for Emelia, in the eyes of the church is the ultimate sin. I’d have been cursed to burn in hell for my thoughts and feelings for her if anyone had found out.” He paused, the struggle going on inside him clear with the tormented look in his eyes.
“All that could have been avoided if you hadn’t kept the secret about her and Diego’s births,” he added.
Dante blew out a breath, as though he’d run out of steam, and there was nothing left to give. So she did what she’d wanted to do—wrapped her arms around him and stayed there.
“You haven’t said anything,” Dante stated the obvious to Aiden.
“I haven’t said anything because you were both saying enough for everyone,” Aiden drawled. “You’re my brother, and it’s a relief that I don’t have to tell anyone that I have a priest for a brother when they ask.” He smirked. “It kinda kills the vibe with the ladies.”
The room filled with silence, and then Dante burst into laughter, and so did she. Her head lifted from Dante’s chest and she didn’t miss the twitch of a smile on their father’s lips before he hid it behind a frown.
“That’s better.” Aiden grinned. “I’m good with it…in case you were wondering.” He stood and moved to the door. “I’m going to bed, and I’ll see you all in the morning.”
Aiden disappeared out of view and Dante announced, “Emelia is sleeping in my room tonight.”
Her mom gasped, and their father started to protest, “I said to give me time to get used to the idea of the two of you. I can’t have you both—”
“I said sleep, Dad,” Dante corrected. “I promise. I just need to hold her. To know that she’s really with me,” his voice broke as he finished talking to his father.
Emelia reached up and wiped at a stray tear that slipped down his face. “I want that as well.”
Dante nodded and met his father’s gaze over the top of her head.
She knew if the situation had been different, and either one of them had been there with a different partner, there would have been no question about them sleeping in separate rooms. It made her sad that they weren’t being made to feel like a couple by their family, although she understood the reasoning behind it, plus they’d just dropped it on them.
Their father looked as though he’d had enough, and her mom was there, holding his hand, offering comfort just like Emelia did for Dante.
It had been a difficult night, probably more so for Dante and their father, so with that in mind, she said, “We’ll see you in the morning. Diego will be here either tonight or tomorrow.”
Her mom smiled. “He’s coming to back you up, isn’t he?”
“Yeah. He’s only known since this evening, in case you were wondering.”
She smiled. “I know. Diego wouldn’t have been able to keep it to himself.”
She agreed, and with a tear-filled smile, she pulled Dante from the office, and upstairs to his room.
Glad that it was all out in the open, Emelia was exhausted, even though she hadn’t been awake that long when she’d heard the raised voices.
But it was over with, which was the main thing.
All she had to do for now was take care of Dante, who hadn’t said a word since she dragged him from the room.
Chapter Thirty-Two
When Dante, restless in his sleep, opened his eyes, the room was shrouded in darkness. The glare from the bedside clock, once he’d twisted his neck around, told him that it was forty-seven minutes past four. There was a slight early-morning chill in the room. It wasn’t bad because he knew that the heating was on, albeit low.
He brushed Emelia’s hair from his neck, and looked down at the woman snuggled against him. Emelia. His heart. His love.
He couldn’t remember much after the discussion with their family, but he did remember that Emelia had tugged him back to his room, and then pulled him down onto the bed. He’d pulled her into his arms and cuddled against her knowing that she was safe. That was the last thought he remembered, until now.
As he spooned against her back, he realized in shock that she was nude against his clothed body. Every inch of her smooth skin was available to his touch. Every delicious curve.
He’d promised his father that they’d just sleep, and everyone had known that he’d meant that they wouldn’t have sex under their roof.
He rolled over to his back and bit back a moan as his hardened flesh tented his sweats with how solid he was. With the stress of last night, he shouldn’t be so hard and eager to go now, but he found that
he was, and that he couldn’t control the urge for more.
The promise he’d made, he would keep, although he wished for once he’d kept his mouth closed because he couldn’t stop thinking about the woman he loved lying naked next to him. She was beautiful and her body had given him so much pleasure at his cabin that he’d thought he would combust.
And now, he throbbed so badly that he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep or step out of the room until his flesh had relaxed. He needed release.
Remember the promise…but, no one would know…he couldn’t…
One hand slipped over his groin with the intention of covering his erection so that it wasn’t quite so obvious, but he found himself wrapping a fist around it instead.
He released precum in his aroused state, which caused his legs to twitch and his breath to catch at the back of his throat…he released his flesh and tried to distract himself with other thoughts that didn’t involve the pleasure of the flesh. The church would work . . .
In all the years he’d been a priest, he’d followed the vow of celibacy, and hadn’t broken it until Emelia. He didn’t count the night of Ramon’s wedding, or his dreams, because it appeared he had no control over them. But he did kneel at the altar in his church and pray for forgiveness—absolution of his sins.
He was free now. He’d made the choice that he’d been considering since Thanksgiving. It hadn’t really been a huge choice to make once he realized there was no blood between them. The sad part was that it should have been a difficult decision, but in the end he discovered his love for Emelia outshined his love for God and the Catholic Church. None of the latter kept him warm at night. None of it gave him a companion to stand by his side for the rest of his life. No one gave him that other than Emelia. God and the church had saved him at a time when he needed saving and, for that, he would always be grateful.
He didn’t think that he’d ever be able to turn his back on the church completely, and in a new town, where no one knew his background, he’d still be able to attend and pray with Emelia by his side as well.
Love in Purgatory (De La Fuente #2) Page 16