“For what it’s worth,” he whispered into my ear. “I didn’t want this for him.”
I didn’t want to feel his heat.
His life.
His steady heartbeat.
I didn’t want the reminder that his brother—my husband was dead, and he was still very much alive.
Our eyes locked.
I hissed, “Leave.”
“No.”
Unable to hold back any longer, I spit fire, “It should have been you.” My voice cracked. “Do you hear me? It should have been you.”
“You’re right.” He tensed. “And you know I would have taken his place over and over again just to see you happy.”
“I can’t—” I sucked in a breath. “—I can’t breathe, I can’t—”
Romeo turned and pulled me into his chest. “Breathe, in and out, there you go, in and out, Red.”
Somehow the pressure against my chest gave me something to feel, to measure my breaths against; I clutched his hand and inhaled, exhaled.
That’s all that existed in that moment, sucking air in and letting it out until my body finally collapsed under the weight of grief. I fell to the ground, taking him with me. Slumping against Romeo’s chest, he wrapped his arms around me tight.
“What do you need?”
His question brought me back to another place and time when he had asked me that same thing. I peered up through my lashes. Water dripped from his sharp chin.
I counted the drops.
And then I said, “I want you to find whoever killed Tristian, and I want them to suffer. I want them to bleed and beg for mercy. I want you to torture them until they die from your hands. When you’re done, I want you to come find me and show me their blood on your hands.”
He was quiet for a second before he kissed my forehead. Letting his lips linger, he finally confirmed what I’d been waiting for since the moment I felt him.
Not hesitating, he stated, “Done.”
CHAPTER SIX
“I’m not afraid.” —Maleficent
Eden
Then: Three months later
He was punishing me.
Right there in front of all our family and friends.
He was proving just how much he could hurt me.
“Eden has always been the apple in everyone’s eyes,” Romeo declared into the microphone, standing front and center in the banquet room of our dinner rehearsal.
This wasn’t your average wedding rehearsal dinner by any means, not when I was marrying into the Sinacore family. Nothing they did was normal. This was just another event where they could flaunt their power and influence. Show how big their brass balls were with the names in attendance.
Rossi.
Nicolasi.
Campisi.
Martinez.
The Five Families.
Those were just to name a few present, and this was only the night before our wedding. Tomorrow it would be politicians, cops, detectives, officers, judges.
The list went on and on…
Not to mention, the press, which was itching to get the first picture of the Mr. and Mrs.
I waited, feeling as though I was on my knees begging for mercy. However, I wasn’t. I was sitting at the head table next to my soon-to-be husband, who held my hand tightly while we listened to his brother give a toast on our behalf. Silently, I prayed Romeo would grant me some leniency knowing, in my heart, he wouldn’t.
He never did.
Romeo continued on. Only I would notice that his smile was more cruel than congratulatory. “Eden has always been the type of woman that men gravitate toward. She walks into a room, and everyone turns to look at her, consumed with every last inch of her. She has the power to take your breath away without even trying. I can only hope that one day I will meet someone like her for myself. I want her to have your ability to make everyone love her, exactly like you do, Eden.”
I kept my eyes on his, pretending as if I didn’t want to scream, “You fucking asshole!” in this room full of people because if he really wanted me, he would have had me. Rejection pounded through me at his words.
I swear Romeo read my mind; his eyes suddenly connected with Tristian. “Growing up, my brother and I were both taught to go after what we want. For as long as I can remember, he’s loved you, Eden. He will be devoted to you, always putting you first no matter what. He was made to love you, Red, and you were born to love him.”
I squeezed Tristian’s hand tight. He lifted mine to his lips and pressed a soft kiss against my skin, mistaking the squeeze for love when it was hate, so much hatred for his brother.
His gaze came back to me, making sure I still had his attention; I refused to look away, lifting my chin in defiance as he continued to speak. “I’m looking at all of the beautiful women who came out to celebrate this union, and while he’s got the happily ever after, I’ve got my pick of the room.” He grinned. “You think you guys will do this again next week?”
Everyone laughed, except me. Feeling the sting of his words. He guzzled down more of his amber liquid.
Was he drunk?
“From the first time we saw each other, I knew you were destined to be someone special in my life, and now I know you’re the woman who’s going to keep my brother’s bed warm.”
Once again, everyone laughed at Romeo’s remarks. To an outsider looking in, he was the doting brother who was simply wishing us well. I knew better; he was throwing digs at me.
“I promise I’m almost done.” He winked at me. “In all seriousness, I used to tease Eden about being a tomboy. After all, she was raised with us, fought with us, cried with us—often. And as I stand here and make this toast, I’m having a hard time imagining her all grown up—I’ll always see the little girl with pigtails chasing after us. I’ll forever cherish that girl even though she’s grown into a young woman. What a hard truth to accept—that even though I don’t see it—because I don’t want to—Eden’s all grown up.”
I nearly jumped to my feet in outrage. Because that bastard knew. He knew his words hurt. I’d hit puberty late, hated that he called me little girl all the time, and now he was rubbing it in my face. All those private confessions where he told me I was perfect even though I had a flat chest and braces.
My first sloppy kiss was Romeo. At least he attempted it before I chickened out and nearly stabbed him.
It didn’t matter, because it was still a first. Right along with my first love, my first heartache.
And now he was deliberately hurting me, drawing a line in the sand, shoving any sort of love that was still left on my part off a cliff, and obliterating my heart in the process.
Raising his glass in the air, he added, “I will always hold a special place in my heart for…” Romeo paused for a second, and it felt like my heart did too.
Give me something. Please…
“…the love you and Tristian share.”
And my heart dropped to the floor.
He gave me nothing.
A single tear ran down my cheek, I tried to wipe it away before Romeo saw, but it was useless. Because Romeo Sinacore saw everything. His eyes flashed as he continued his toast.
“To my brother and his bride, congratulations. I wish you all the best and many years of happiness. Welcome to the family, Eden. Soon to be Mrs. Sinacore.”