CHAPTER 37: Giovanni's POV
Her breathing evened out against my chest, light and steady, but I could still feel the faint tremors in her body. Even in sleep, she wasn’t at peace. My hand remained at her waist, thumb brushing over her ribs without thought, my mind replaying the look in her eyes before she’d broken down.
Something about what she’d said, my father was a terrible man, didn’t feel like a casual confession. It was too raw. And the way she’d come to me tonight, not out of pride but desperation, it told me there was more.
Abuse.
I’d seen the signs before, too many times. The way she tensed at certain tones of voice. The way she tried to mask fear with sarcasm. The way she fought to keep control over small things like where she went and who she saw because once upon a time, som
