We’re all done here.
Or so I think.
“Do you know what you just agreed to?” Sammie asks, her voice is smaller than I had ever heard before and even Alejandro seems to recognize the change as concern sweeps over his face, “The contract is for one year of marriage. If I don’t fall pregnant in the next twelve months then this marriage is null and I’m entitled to a full divorce from you.”
The color drains from his face, his eyes scanning over the contract as Sammie stands, moving away from him. Ilaria is at her side, their arms lacing together as they walk out knowing Francesco is behind them with Becca in his arms.
He won’t even let her walk alone.
“We won’t have trouble, right?” I’m checking in with him, wanting to go to Ilaria and figure out what just happened. Hoping that whatever it was fixed the issues that have been going on but a part of me feeling like things are about to get even crazier.
Alejandro nods his head at me, leaning back as he sighs, feet going to the table as he kicks his fathers head, the body falls to the floor with a wet splat that he doesn’t seem too concerned about.
“Sammie needs to come with me after your wedding. I won’t deny her the friends she has but we will need to go and be married in my home. My mother expects me to have my day in church. Give her this for me. If it leaves her finger after today the deal is off.”
He tosses me a black box that I open. Inside is a a princess cut emerald that is at least six carats, two teardrop cut garnets and one teardrop diamond comes off the side. It’s obviously something custom made, proof he has been planning this for a while.
I’m sure Sammie is going to be furious wearing it.
“I’ll be at your wedding as her date. I’ll see you soon, Dante.”
And now it’s time for me to leave and figure out what the hell just happened.
37ILARIA
Becca is with Francesco, tucked into his side after being covered in blood. She had been transported back to the car with her ex, remembering the grief of feeling someone else’s blood against hers.
Sammie is drinking, saying she is fine when clearly it’s not something she is fine with. Looking at the ring Alejandro had given her and prolonging putting it on.
The marriage contract had been her idea, she had no problem doing it but when her high school boyfriend killed his father and claimed her as his own. All the heartbreak he had caused washed over her and the decision got harder.
I hated him for her.
And yet I was the one who had done this.
It was me at the card tables. Me taking the money and putting everyone at risk. We had wanted to get revenge for the death of the boy Becca loved and now we were the ones paying for decisions men made again.
No matter how we tried to get even, it sees like they found another way to break us.
“Principessa.”
Dante is in the door, blurry from the tears that are in my eyes. I try to blink them away but he comes closer, pulling me against him as he kisses the cheeks that are wet with tears.
“I’m sorry. I just wanted to fix it. I wanted to-”
“Shhh, are you okay?” I nod my head at him, “It’s fine then. As long as you are safe, that matters most to me. You, Ilaria. You matter the most to me. You can always come to me with anything and I will help you.”
He sits with me on his lap, holding me close as the towel falls from my hair, wetting the shoulder of his suit jacket but he doesn’t care. Dante slides his hand into my wet locks, holding me against him as I cry. Not asking me why, seeming to understand I just need him to hold me together as I fall apart.
Needing him.
“I want to go home.”
He nods his head in understanding. Kissing my forehead, he lays me down on the bed as I sniffle.
“I’ll get everything together and call to get the jet ready.” he moves to the door, probably to tell everyone the party is over, stopping for a second as he looks at me, “Ilaria.” My eyes lift, meeting him, “I would have gone to war for your friend. Even if it was the wrong choice I would do that because you wanted it.”
And with that he walks out.
We land in Boston at 5AM local time. Everyone is headed to a safe-house until we hear from Alejandro and make sure that the Cartel isn’t going to be in upheaval with the transition to him in power.
The safe-house is in the same building as our condo and I feel better knowing my friends are all going to be close to me.
And I like knowing that I’ll be able to sleep in my bed tonight in my home.
Our condo.
Our home.
It’s insane to think how easily it came to be my home.
My head rests on Dante’s lap, his fingers running through my hair as the driver moves us through the shadows of the night. My stomach is twisting with worry that I’ve made all the wrong choices for my friends.
Sammie still hasn’t spoken but she let me have a drink with her on the flight and held my hand, which felt important.
