“Gianna?” I ask, approaching her. She startles and quickly drops her gaze. “Hey. I’m not going to get you in trouble. What are you doing here?”
“I needed some space,” she admits as I sit down beside her. “My aunt is driving me crazy. She keeps going on and on about you and how terrible you are. But you were the first person to ever give me a day out by myself.”
“How did you get here?”
“I snuck out. I took the train to New York and came here. I didn’t know where else to go.”
“Enzo won’t be happy.”
“I know. But I need something of my own.”
I place my hand over hers. “I get it. I completely get it.”
She offers me a small smile and pats my hand. “Thank you. You’re the only one who does. I don’t know how you stand my brother. He’s always been good to me but he’s so controlling. And so is my aunt. I don’t know what to do.”
“Enzo is controlling. But… I think it comes from a place of love,” I realize right as I say it. “And I’ve never had anyone fight for me the way Enzo has who wasn’t just my dad or brother. And honestly, my dad and brother haven’t always fought for me as hard as I think they should have. But Enzo has.”
“You love him,” she states, looking right into my eyes. I startle, pulling away.
“I’m not sure about that.”
“I can see it on your face. You love my brother. And I’m glad. He needs someone in his life. After our parents died, he was so alone. I was too young to understand it. I want that for him and I want that for you. I think we all just want to be free.”
“I think you’re right. I want to be free.” But can I find it with Enzo? It’s in this moment that I realize I want to return to him. I want to talk with him. I want to kiss him again. I want to make a life with him.
When my father came to get me, I could have returned with him. I could have left Enzo behind like I had wanted to do when I first married him. But when my dad tried making me leave, I realized I didn’t want to leave Enzo. I still don’t.
I just don’t know how to make my dad see reason.
“You should probably go home,” I say. “Unless you want to live with Enzo and I.”
“Enzo would never allow it. He wants me in Connecticut where I’ll be safer.”
“Well, if you ever need a place away from your aunt, you can always come stay with us.”
She looks into the distance as the sun shines down on her, giving her a glow. “I hope I find my own place someday.”
“I hope so too.”
“I think I’m going to stay here a little longer.”
I leave Gianna alone, since I can tell it’s what she needs and I return home to Enzo… only to find the front door wide open.
My gut tells me something is wrong.
Stepping inside, the first thing I see is blood on the white marble floor. Maybe it’s leftover blood from when Enzo beat my father’s face. But I’m not sure.
Slowly, I make my way through the house only to find it empty. Enzo is nowhere to be seen. No one else is here.
With shaky fingers, I call Maksim. “Something has happened. Enzo isn’t here. The house is empty and there’s blood. I need help.”
Maksim sighs on the other end. “Kira.”
“I don’t like your tone of voice.” It’s his ‘I have something bad to tell you’ voice.
“Listen.”
My heart rate spikes. “What do you mean ‘listen?’ What’s happened?”
