“Thank you.”
I wait until Vella has left before I ascend the stairs again and find my room. Unfortunately, it appears my things have been put in the same room as Enzo’s. I hadn’t realized we would share a room. I’m about to move my things into the next room down the hall when I notice the en suite door is open.
With my bag in hand, I decide to take a little peek, and my breath catches at the sight of a clawfoot tub in the far corner next to a bay window. The bottom half of the window is frosted with a floral design etched in the glass, and the top half is clear with a beautiful view of the sky through the trees outside.
I’ve always wanted to bathe in one of these with such a beautiful view. It seems a terrible thing to waste.
I can always move into the room next door after I take a bath.
Decision made, I drop my bag on the floor next to the bed and proceed to turn on the hot water. I run down to the kitchen and find a bottle of red wine in the chiller and a glass, then take them back with me upstairs. The water is nearly high enough,so I locate a bottle of bubble bath under the bathroom sink and pour in just enough to make the bathroom smell sweet. Once the bubbles have formed, I turn the water off and strip down before settling myself into the water.
The heat against my tight muscles feels glorious. I hadn’t realized how much tension I was holding on to until right this second. The jasmine scent of the bubble bath helps to relax me further, but I still pour myself a glass of wine and savor its sweet flavor on my tongue.
I lean my head back on the tub and let my mind wander aimlessly, running through everything I’ve just learned, questioning everything and what it all means moving forward.
Am I ready to be married? No. Can I accept the hand of the man whose father kidnapped my brother and stole so many years away from us? I’m not sure ifacceptis the right word, but I can go through with it if it means mending my family and keeping them safe.
My thoughts wander back to Enzo. The way he held onto me while my world was crumbling as they told me about my brother. It was almost as if he was afraid I was going to take off. The almost pained expression on his face when they told me about how Enzo had killed his own father.
The last thing he should ever feel is guilt. A young boy watched his mother die in front of him at the hands of a monster. My heart breaks at the thought of young Enzo being in so much agony. But he did the right thing.
He tortured Annanias. He deserved to die.
I can’t feel bad about his death. I don’t blame Enzo. In fact, if I’m honest, I’m grateful. But is it enough to be grateful to the man who killed your brother’s abuser? Can I buildlovefrom that? Can he?
No, Thea. This isn’t going to be a marriage filled with love. Don’t be foolish. This is a marriage of convenience, born out of a man’s responsibility to protect his family.
Sadness clouds my thoughts. Tears begin to fall, and soft sobs fill the air as I mourn. I mourn the loss of time missed with my brother. I mourn for the scared little boy who was convinced he was abandoned. I mourn for the child who lost both his parents to horrific deaths. And I mourn the love-filled marriage I always dreamed I’d have but never will.
Time rolls by. The sky turns from light to dark, and the water in the tub grows cold, but I don’t move. My thoughts are a jumbled mess of back and forth, anger and sadness. Guilt and remorse. Before I know it, the bottle of wine is empty, the bubbles have all disappeared, and my eyes have closed. I should get up.
Just a few more minutes. Then we can face the real world again.
For now, I’m going to lie here and let the quiet room and soft fragrant scent of jasmine carry me away just a little while longer.
26
ENZO
“Are you sure this plan of yours will work?” My uncle pulls my attention from Althea’s ass as she walks off with my aunt back to the conversation. I wait until they are well out of earshot before resuming my side of the conversation.
“It should satisfy Caspien. Once Althea shares my last name, he will have no choice but to align himself and his empire with ours. Not to do so would not only hurt Althea, but it would jeopardize his empire, and Caspien won’t allow that. He cares too much for both.”
“But what about his son?” Eliseo asks. “He’s going to demand some kind of restitution for all the years missed. Not to mention, the boy won’t remember his father or his family. It was too long ago.”
Nonno nods. “Althea and Caspien are close, like your mother and I were. I see the same love and admiration in Althea when she speaks of her family as Alessia had when she spoke of hers. She will help Caspien accept the marriage and the apology. After all, it wasn’t us who stole his son and hid him. Gianni wasn’t acting under the orders of the Don. He was a loose cannon.”
“And you think Althea will help him see all of that without repercussions to us?” Eliseo is still not convinced.
“She will. Althea, much like Enzo, understands that family comes first.” Nonno states with pride. “You chose well, son.”
“It wasn’t a matter of my choosing. Although, I won’t say she wouldn’t be my choice if the circumstances were different.”
Eliseo’s laughter fills the room. “You’re smitten with the girl. It’s written all over your face.”
“I don’t know how to respond to that.”
“You don’t have to,” Nonno says, smirking. “If it’s any consolation, I think she’s having the same struggle you are with it.”
