Finn moves to my side, and I see Liam and Vito. Liam is wearing a "get a room" kind of smile, and Vito's face is just straight and unreadable as always.
"Order has been restored and everything has gone back to how it was," Vito says, sliding his hands into his pockets. "It'sgotten even better," Liam chimes in. Vito glances at him before his eyes return to us.
"We wanted to ask what you both want to do now," Vito asks, and for a moment, Vito and Liam look like parents asking their kids what they want. I glance at Finn. We've had this discussion before today, and I guess this is the perfect moment to talk about it.
"We need time," I answer, and Finn's hand slides into mine. Vito's eyes drop to our hand, his jaw twitches, but he doesn't say anything. Finn locks our hands together properly, and his touch sets butterflies in my stomach.
"We don't know whether we'll return to the family or not, but for now, we just want to spend time together outside of the family's business," Finn adds. "I think we deserve that much."
Finn mentioned to me that he's had this discussion with Liam before, but I haven't with Vito, and I wonder if he'll agree. He can be very stubborn, and from the beginning, he never approved of my relationship with Finn. Vito is quiet, too quiet, staring between Finn and me.
"Can you say something already?" I say to Vito, having had it with his mind games.
He sighs and nods. "Fine. You have my blessing," he answers, and I smile at him.
"Thank you, Vito," I say. Although we aren't the typical brother and sister, I know he cares for me in his own way.
"I agree, too," Liam says, and Finn's lips tug into a soft smile. "When you choose to return, there's always a place waiting for you." My heart leaps with joy. I never thought a day like this would come. I imagined something like this happening in my head.
"But..." Vito begins, and I feel my chest drop to my stomach. What more does he have to say? Is he going to change his mind? He better not, or I will...
"You can't leave until you both get married," he concludes, and I look to Finn, my brows raised.
"Marriage?" I turn back to Vito.
Liam chimes in. "Yes, that's right. Your marriage will be the cement that holds the peace just agreed to together," Liam says, running his fingers through his hair. "It will show everyone that this is real."
Marriage. I haven't really thought about it, but now that it's being mentioned, the thought of it makes my stomach flip. I'll be getting married to Finn. Finn Costello. My eyes flick to him, and he smiles, like he's thinking the exact same thing as me.
Finn and I say at the same time, "We agree."
CHAPTER 36
Finn
The sun filtersthrough the glass window, and I shield my eyes from it, turning to my side. With my eyes closed, I reach for Gianna, my hand instinctively seeking her warmth beneath the sheet, but the bed is empty. My eyes slowly open. Where is she?
A soft groan escapes me as I yawn, digging my calf into the bed as I sit up, reluctant to abandon the comfort of sleep. I rub my eyes, pushing away any remnant of a dream I can't quite remember. Another yawn slips out as my eyes flick to the digital clock on the nightstand.
7:00 A.M.
Why is she up so early? I peel the blanket off my legs and get out of bed, stretching my hands overhead until I hear the satisfying pop of my shoulder. I roll my neck, feeling the muscles loosen. I've never felt better. No more aching bones or bruised lips.
All my bones are fully healed, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like myself again. It's been two weeks since the meeting day. Since we escaped everything, the blood and politics. Gianna and I meant it when we said we wanted nothing to do with the family, at least for now.
I walk towards the window, barefoot on the wooden floors, my gaze on the view outside from the floor-to-ceiling window. The clouds are bright and clear, moving slowly in the blue sky. I rest my hand on the cold glass and close my eyes, and take a deep breath. Things are peaceful now, which scares me just a little.
Peace is unfamiliar. Unnatural. And a small part of me still waits for the chaos to return, like a shadow that's just out of sight. I shake the thought out of my head and head to the bathroom.
I twist the door knob and step under the stream of warm water. The heat instantly loosens my muscles. My skin tingles as the water flows down my shoulders and back, washing away the remnants of sleep. I lean my head forward and let the water soak my hair, closing my eyes under the steam, tuning everything out.
I reach for the bottle of Gianna's shampoo, wanting to smell like her. I lather it into my hair, the familiar floral scent wrapping around me. Lavender, citrus, and something warm that I can't quite place. Just thinking of her brings a smile to my face.
After a few minutes, I step out of the shower, steam curling around my shoulders. I reach for a towel and wrap it around my waist, letting another rest over my head as I dry my hair. My feet move slowly across the tile floor.
My eyes drop to the scars on my skin; they're faded, but not invisible. A pale line stretches across the side of my chest, just above my waist. I drop the towel and trace my hand over the scar, the skin cooler and smoother there. I remember the sharp sting, the taste of blood in my mouth, the pounding of my heart as I fought to stay awake.
I take a deep breath and shake my head, trying to pull my head out of the past.
