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It was only after all this and a very drunken night that we occasionally started sleeping together. Not love. Just sex.
So it was hard for me to believe that he would be here to take me away from a life I didn’t exactly choose, but if given the choice, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. I would do it all over in a heartbeat.
I watched Matt leave in silence, having no idea if or when he would be coming back. Each step he took further away from me fed the hollow in my chest, spreading through me like a deadly disease.
The disappointment that swirled in Matt’s eyes as he took that final look at me was enough to gut me.
Matt had been jealous before, but not to this extent. This was different. It was more than just jealousy.
He was right, though. I hadn’t found it in me to let Matt in. Not completely.
By now, it was clear to me that he could destroy me just like Eric had done, and I was afraid of exactly that. There was no amount of guns and ammo to fight that battle. I’d crumble back into that black hole. Only this time, there was no way out.
I cleared my throat, trying to fight back the tears that wanted to fall, before going back into Matt’s office.
Don Battaglia had said that Jackson could help us understand why his father was after me. My focus was on that statement right now, even if my heart had walked out of Dea Tacita with my husband.
“I need some answers,” I said, my voice steady and unwavering, a far cry from what was going on in my chest.
Liam and Max stood from the couch, ready to leave the office, but I needed them here. “No. Please stay.”
I wanted them to listen to everything and help me make sense of this puzzle when it came to it. Not to mention that, depending on the information Jackson had to give, Matt would listen to them.
Pacing in front of them, I tried to figure out where to start, but there was nothing eloquent running through my brain. All that came to mind was how hurt and betrayed Matt looked.
Before saying a single word, I marched towards the drink cart, poured a double of Macallan, hoping the awful taste would pull me together for just a few more minutes. In one go, I drained the tumbler before slamming it back onto the cart.
“The Yakuza? What in the everliving hell, Jackson? Why have I never heard of this?” I finally blurted, marching back towards the three men.
“It’s nice to see you too, Francesca.” He replied sarcastically. “You’ve never heard about it because it’s not something I’m proud of and blabber about at any given turn. I’m not part of the Yakuza, my father is. And I don’t like to be linked to that shit. Liam should know that. I had to get rid of the name and even all the smallest influence they might have had in my life if I even dreamed of having a normal job, never mind the one I actually have.” He answered, the last part coming out as a whisper.
“So, you’re not here to take me?”
“To take you? Why would I be here to take you? I didn’t even know you were here to start with! Why are you so far from Detroit, by the way?” He genuinely looked confused. It was clear that he wasn’t playing any games.
In response, I wiggled my hand in front of my face, showing him the shiny ring on my finger.
“I live here now. Matt is my husband.” I smiled as that last word left my mouth, but it faded just as fast.
“Oh… Fuck! That explains a lot.” Jackson replied, his hand touching his probably broken nose. “How pissed is he?”
“He’s not here. Does that answer your question?”
“I’m sorry.”
“What the hell happened between you two?”
Jackson sighed deeply before replaying the past, and by the look on his face, it was clear that it troubled him, too.
“From what I’ve recently had the chance to understand, I fucked up his life, and he wasn’t the one to blame, even though I thought otherwise at the time,” Jackson said, rubbing his thumb in his palm. “We were friends, I mean really good friends. He always knew everything about my father’s business and how much I hate it. I confided in him. Everything. I mean every damn thing. He knew what he was up to, where, and when. When all hell broke loose between my father and their grandfather,” he motioned to Liam, “they hit him so right on the spot, I thought Matt had fed all the information I had shared in confidence to the Mafia. My father was badly hurt in the process, and I thought Matt had betrayed me. I thought he wouldn’t make it. He was hanging on by a thread. And even though we never exactly saw eye-to-eye, he’s still my father.” He paused for a second before resuming, “I thought I had lost him. And I thought Matt was to blame.”
There was regret in his voice, shame even.
“I know it’s no excuse for the fucked up shit I did to him, but that’s what drove me to it. I smashed his car into a tree, planted a brick of cocaine under the driver’s seat, and called the police after that. I knew it was more than enough to cause quite a bit of damage, not to mention how hard it would hit Matt, given his brother’s situation. I wanted revenge and didn’t exactly care under what form it came.” He turned to Liam before continuing, “When your sister and your grandfather called me a couple of days ago, I didn’t want to hear a word they said. I was still filled with hatred and resentment, even after all this time, even though my father pulled through.”
“What? My sister and my grandfather called you?” Liam asked in utter perplexion.
“Yes. I’m here because they invited me here. I met with them yesterday, and your grandfather explained that Matt had nothing to do with any of it. He told me everything that happened and all the repercussions of my hasty and childish actions. Not my proudest moment for sure.”
