My hands moved to my stomach. No matter what happened I would be tied to this family thanks to the little life inside of me. More and more, I grew curious about what his life would become but the vision was never quite clear.
“Which brings me back to the point I was trying to make before Isandro came over. You mean a lot to my family. Carmen obviously loves you. You’ve offered her a friendship I haven’t seen her form with anyone other than Gio.” Emilio didn’t sound pleased about that fact.
“Can I just say something?” I interrupted him. “I’m sorry if I caused arguments between you both. I didn’t mean to cause trouble.” That hadn’t been my intention. I was just grateful to have someone on my side when I felt close to losing my mind.
Emilio waved me off. “If it wasn’t over you it would have been over something else. We always find something to disagree over. Carmen is…” He searched for the word. “Wilful. That being said, we spoke, and although it might cause some tensions to begin with, we wanted to let you know that if things are difficult at home then you’ll always have a place with us.”
“I’m sorry?” I wasn’t sure I had understood him.
“You don’t have to stay somewhere you feel unwelcome, Mia. If things with Luc are making it difficult to be at home, then maybe it would be time for a fresh start. I’m certain Carmen could find you a job to keep you busy.”
A painful lump formed in my throat and Emilio’s figure grew blurry through tears. “Thank you,” I choked out. The Diazes had been nothing but kind from the moment I’d been introduced to them, but I’d always believed that it was down to Luc.
“Should I tell her you’ll be moving? She’s already making plans for you.”
“Honestly, you’re an idiot.” The sound of Dante’s voice caught my attention. “Move,” he hissed, shoving Luc out the door.
Moving would be one way to avoid my issues, but the moment I’d gone back with Dante I knew I couldn’t run anymore. I’d need to face everything head on. We’d been skirting around each other. I’d been avoiding telling him the truth because of all the feelings that were attached, but that couldn’t be a hurdle any longer. Whether or not Luc wanted me and our baby, he needed to know the truth so he could decide what he wanted to do with his life.
“I should probably speak to him first,” I said, nodding my head to the door where both men had disappeared. “We still have some unfinished business.”
Emilio hummed. “Let them sort out whatever they need to. Until then, come enjoy the rest of the party.”
Chapter Twenty Three
Dante
“What the hell happened to you?” I asked when Luc walked up to the bar. The smile on my face dropped as I took in the red marks around his neck, barely hidden by his shirt.
“None of your business,” he spat, leaning against the bar and trying to catch the bartender’s eye.
“I think it is my business if someone’s trying to start shit with you,” I reminded him. What affected Luc affected me. If someone had taken issue with him then I’d need to be on alert.
He let out a frustrated sigh. “I told Carmen some home truths and Emilio got involved.”
“What?” I couldn’t believe my ears. Charlie and Emilio had shared a close bond and the Diaz family were the ones we saw most after he passed. Carmen wouldn’t allow us to sit and stew in grief, calling multiple times a week and sending food to Luc’s house despite the fact we knew she hadn’t cooked it herself and that we had Lydia.
“She needed to be told, Dante,” Luc said, turning to face me. “I’m sick of people taking Mia’s side after what she did to me.”
“Honestly, you’re an idiot.” I grabbed his arm. Lydia was right; Luc was going to burn every bridge that he had if he kept going like this. “Move,” I hissed, pulling him away from the bar and shoving him out the door. “What did you plan to do? Drink yourself into oblivion and ruin the christening?”
“If it made me feel better, then why not?”
“Because you have an image to maintain, and not just for the family but for Mia.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t give a damn what she thinks.”
“Don’t you?” I asked. “You turned up at the hospital. Something’s going on up there.” I jabbed my index finger roughly into his temple. “The both of you need to sit down and talk things through properly and decide what you’re going to do. You’re going to have a kid in this world in a few months.”
“She was going to leave!”
“But she didn’t! She came back with me. She wanted to speak to you. She tried before you decided to go in like the asshole you are. Even after everything you said, she’s still here, Luc. Waiting for you to turn up at the hospital. Using me as a messenger because she’s wondering if you’re going to lose your shit again. You want answers, fucking get them. What are you scared of?” Since the hospital visit, I’d tried to corner Luc, but he’d become an expert in evasion.
“She destroyed me!” he yelled, spittle flying with the rage. “She left without a word after everything I’d done for her. Everything we’d been through! How am I meant to trust her again?”
“Because she had to! She didn’t have a choice!” My words hung in the air and I desperately wanted to pull them back in, but it was too late.
“What do you know?” Luc asked, taking a step toward me so that we were toe to toe.
