“That story about your first mark, was that a lie?” Hurt and anger travel from my heart to voice in an instant.
‘No, baby. That was not a lie.” He states simply.
“Then who was she?” Am I jealous of a dead girl? I don't think so.
“You,” is the only word he says.
“W-what?” I stutter as I race to remember all the minuscule details of proclamation.
“I have loved you since the day I saw you, Everly. Sitting on that blanket with Lucas, Ryon, and James. I watched you nearly everyday. I was obsessed with you. When the time came to finish my mission, I-I couldn’t do it.” His voice cracks in a regretful manner.
“But why me?” Curiosity drawing me from my hate.
“You are the heir to one of the largest mafias in the world. A monument for decades worth of a rivalry. To kill you would leave your family weak and vulnerable. It would give us the perfect opportunity to strike and finish this silent war between the families.” He offers as if he has been programmed to say it a thousand times, hindsight is that he probably has.
“Okay.” My voice is low and I attempt to wrap my mind around all of this new information.
“Listen, I need to tell you something…” he drags off hesitantly.
“The blade was laced. You were never supposed to die. I made sure to stab in a nonlethal area and hit the panic button on your watch. I made sure to stay nearby until they got to you. My father knew I couldn’t follow through, he planned to do worse. I had to stop him, so I sent my men to your office.” He speaks frantically, as if he's afraid he’ll never get another chance to tell me. Shock hits my core as I process all of the fabricated events that have wreaked havoc on my life.
“The office attack was you?” I ask in disbelief.
“Yes, my father was the only target. He needed to be stopped. The car chase was his doing. Retaliation for my coup. He doesn’t know that I know he was behind it either.” A realization shudders through me and I can’t fight the daunting question placating my mind.
“Do you-do you think..” I begin to question but he cuts me off as if he's read my mind.
“That this is his doing too? Yes.” My jaw hangs and my eyes go wide. Dominic is a monster. A real living and breathing monster. His disloyalty knows no bounds.
“What kind of father would do this to his own son?” I'm nearly nauseated in disbelief.
“The kind that wants to take away everything good in his son’s life and back him into a corner, in order to force his hand.” I nod my head at his words but realize he can’t see me.
“But none of this answers why you left.” I point out.
“To protect you.” He doesn’t hesitate to respond. The air is heavy from the lack of me speaking. In exchange, he fills it to clarify.
“You wanted something from me I couldn’t give yet and I needed you to hate me. Then you went off sacrificing yourself and I just couldn’t bear it. The idea that you felt my life was worth more than yours was unimaginable.” His pained tones squeeze my heart that makes me feel like it might explode. Guilt laced with acceptance of his position on the topic has me agreeable.
“What do I call you?” I beckon, feeling a bit awkward.
“Ghost, little siren. You can call me Ghost.” His new identity fills me with both excitement and content. For the future and for us.
“So what do we do moving forward?” I ponder with no clear path of escape in sight.
“We find a way out of here, kill my piece of shit father, and then we take it one day at a time.” Now that I can get on board with but as silence fills the air again, the weight of our present environment seems heavier.
“I don't know how much more I can take.” I say honestly.
“Just stay with me. No matter what.” Without a second thought, I would follow this man to the end of the earth and into the great beyond.
“Always.” He will always be a part of me as I will always be a part of him. We are inevitable.
Chapter Twenty Three
I’M not OKAY
Blake POV:
