Page 89 of Crimson Fate
She takes a step forward, determination blazing in her gaze. “I’m going to see him.”
Marco steps in front of her, gently touching her shoulder. “Easy, Gia,” he murmurs. “There will be a time to see him.”
She reluctantly nods, biting her lower lip to keep herself composed.
The doctor informs us it’s best to let him rest for now before uncomfortably excusing himself.
“Come on, Gia,” Marco says softly, his voice full of empathy. “Let’s go outside for some fresh air.”
She looks up at Marco, her eyes filled with gratitude and trust. “Okay,” she whispers, her voice shaky.
As they head toward the exit, I can’t stop thinking that Gia deserves to know the truth about her father’s death, but now is not the time. Marco has taken on the responsibility of looking after Gia, and I believe he will.
I look around the room at the family my father created. Not just his offspring but the capos and soldiers and even the family Amelia married into. None of them hesitated to come to my aid when the woman I love was in danger. When one of us was injured, they turned out, waiting side by side for the news.
My father may have built this family, but I rule it now, and every one of these people showing up tonight proved to me that I don’t need a dinner or anything else to secure my role. I have their loyalty.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Two Weeks Later
Each window of the old house reflects a different memory. I take a deep breath, the crisp air biting at my lungs, trying to steady the tempest brewing inside me. My fingers trace the edges of the For Sale sign in the yard.
“Vincent?” Eva’s voice is soft and hesitant. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? You don’t have to do this.”
She steps closer, her concern wrapping around me like a blanket. “It’s just a house,” I say with a shrug.
“It’s not, though,” she reminds me. “There are a lot of great memories in this place.”
I sigh before turning and pulling Eva into my arms. She leans into me as a tender breeze presses lightly against our frames. “There are just as many memories I prefer to forget that happened in this place.”
Eva’s hands roam up my back, clutching at the fabric of my shirt. I can tell she’s worried I’m making a mistake. I don’t know how to make her see that this house on the shore was my father’s dream. I have everything I have ever dreamed of or wanted right here in my arms.
I hold her tighter, wanting to convey through my touch what I struggle to communicate. “Eva, sometimes you can’t rewrite history,” I whisper into her ear, my voice filled with regret and determination. “But I would much rather write our own future together than be stuck in the past.”
She pulls back slightly, her eyes searching mine for answers. “Vincent, I want to be with you, no matter what. You know that, right?”
A bittersweet smile tugs at the corners of my lips. “Of course I do. I know this life is not always easy, but every day I draw breath, I will work toward making your life wonderful.”
“Do you think the police are done asking questions about Anthony?” she asks, her head still buried in my chest.
I laugh. “You will learn quickly that the police are never done asking questions. It will be about something else if it’s not about Anthony.”
“Do you ever get tired of it?” she asks. “The constant fear and worry.”
“But I’m not afraid or worried. I know it’s hard for you to understand, but my entire life has been in a constant state of chaos and unknown. It’s hard for anything to rattle you when you are weaned on that.”
“I don’t know if I will ever be as calm as you are with all of this,” she admits.
“You don’t have to,” I assure her. “All you have to do is trust that I will stop at nothing to keep you safe.”
I slip my hand into Eva’s and pull her toward the front porch, sitting in a chair before pulling her onto my lap.
“It really is a beautiful place; it’s kind of a shame to sell it,” Eva says, looking out at the property.
“It’s beautiful, but if we want a place on the coast, I want to pick a place together. A place that is our dream and a part of our story,” I explain. “I’m ready to leave my father and all the lies he represented in the past.”
Eva shifts awkwardly on my lap, and by the way she avoids eye contact, I can tell she’s holding something back.