Free Somebody's Angel (#5 in a Military Romance / BDSM Romance series) (Rescue Me) by Kallypso Masters Page B

looked down at her hands, twisting them in her lap, but didn’t meet his gaze. Shit. Something else was wrong. He waited until, in a small voice, she asked, “When did you break up with Melissa?”
    Marc’s heart pounded again with a vengeance. Would he ever be rid of Melissa and the memories of the past? He wished he could watch that vindictive bitch’s backside beat a hasty retreat for the last time. He’d never been more ashamed of anything in his life than his last two encounters with her. Marc didn’t want Angelina to know about that part of his past. But he had hurt her before by lying about how they’d met, almost losing her. Their time apart had made him miserable, even though they’d only known each other a few days at the time. He wouldn’t lie to her again even if he thought a lie would be better than the truth.
    He swallowed hard and cupped her chin until she met his gaze. “As I said before, anything I might have had with Melissa ended abruptly that September day. Unfortunately, that day also ended my relationship with Gino.” Something flashed in her eyes and then dimmed. Dio , he didn’t want to share this with her. He realized how important it was to have Angelina love and accept him, but how could she love the cad he’d been?
    He glanced down at the floor. “While that was the end of any emotional attachment, we had two physical encounters after that. I’m ashamed to say both included sex, not just play scenes.”
    When Angelina tried to get off his lap, he held her tight and forced her to meet his gaze. “Wait.” Her chin quivered in his fingers, breaking his heart. “Angelina, neither time meant anything to me, but…”
    His chest constricted. He fought to breathe. He needed to tell her but couldn’t find the words.
    Trapped.
    The walls began closing in on him.
    “No, Gino! Stop lying!”
    Needing some breathing room, he twisted until he could seat Angelina on the mattress beside him and stood up. “I’m going downstairs for a while.”
    Marc walked toward the door needing to get the fuck away from her. He couldn’t bear to see the disappointment, even revulsion, he was certain he would find in her eyes if he told her anything more. That time in his life wasn’t open for reexamination.
    “Marc!”
    “Don’t wait up. I may be late.” He let the door slam and decided to take the stairs to expend some energy.
    What was that bullshit Melissa said about him not being a D’Alessio? He’d come to Aspen this weekend to give Angelina a chance to meet his family, perhaps even to ask her to marry him. Was this his family? He was surprised how much it mattered that he be a D’Alessio in more than name. If he wasn’t, where did he belong?
    Marc needed to alleviate the crushing weight smothering him right now. He couldn’t face Angelina knowing the truth about his sleazy past. He’d revealed enough. There had been two more times with Melissa. She didn’t need the tawdry details.
    Downstairs in the lounge, he walked over to the bar and sat on one of the stools, ordering a bottle of his favorite pinot bianco. When Karen, the bartender, poured him a taste, he took the bottle and filled the glass. He knew it would be good. He needed to get numb, fast.
    “Where’s Angelina?”
    Marc looked up to find Damián taking a seat on the stool next to him, carrying an open bottle of Dos Equis with him.
    “Upstairs.” His buddy was alone, as well. Marc asked about Savi and Marisol, not that he’d expect to see the little girl here in the bar.
    “I think you wore Marisol out on the slopes today.” He could see the disappointment in Damián’s eyes and wished he’d been able to get his friend to try skiing. With his athletic build, he’d have managed fine, but it would have been easier if he’d just get the blade prosthesis Marc had seen other amputees use on the slopes rather than try to hide the fact he was missing his foot.
    Not that it was any of Marc’s business. He couldn’t even