She brushes past me toward the door, and while I know I should let her go, my hand catches her wrist, gentle but firm.
"Have you?”
She pulls away from my grip. "Yes.”
"I planned to come back for you.” Fuck. I can’t believe I just admitted that. But since I have, I might as well reveal it all. "I had everything arranged. But then I heard you were expecting. Never heard about the wedding or lucky guy, but… well, why come back to that?”
She blinks as if she doesn’t understand. "What?"
I lean into her, which is a mistake because she still smells like an exotic flower.
The scent sends a wave of memories and emotions through me. "I’m not to blame, so stop acting like I am, unless it’s your guilt that has you treating me like shit every Christmas.”
She shakes her head. "It doesn't change anything. I need to check on my kids.”
"Elena." I reach for her again, but she steps back.
"Our time together is in the past, Luca. It should stay there. We're different people now."
I hate that she can so easily dismiss what we had. I planned to offer her my heart, my soul, and I was nothing to her.
"What matters is that we've both moved on,” she finishes. “You’ll be back in Italy, and I’ll be here, and we’ll keep on with our lives.”
“Actually, I'm not just back for Christmas. I'm back for good.”
She pales at that. "What?"
"My father needs me here now. His condition…" I shake my head. "It's time I stepped up."
"I see.”
I think a doctor could tell her she had a terminal disease and she’d still be more upset by the news that I’m staying in New York.
It feels like a stab to my heart.
"This changes things.” It’s probably wishful thinking, but if I stay and can prove to her I’m not the asshole she thinks I am, maybe we could rebuild what we lost.
"It changes nothing.”
A part of me wonders why bother? Why would I still want this woman? Yet, looking into those green eyes that once stared up at me like the sun rose and set by me, I want what I lost.
"I guess I'll see you around," I finally say, then I leave the room.
My first instinct is to return to Italy. My sister is capable of helping my father.
Marco will help him too.
But after six years, I know there’s nowhere in the world I can go where I won’t be haunted by her.
My only choice is to stay and prove my innocence.
Will she want me then? Who knows?
Probably not.
But I’m fucking sick and tired of being blamed for something I didn’t do.
It’s time to stop running from her and my past.
