Page 122 of Humility

I shook my head. “Never mind. We’re borrowing his jet.” Grabbing my duffel, I marched out into the hall. No more lies or games—it was time to push all my chips to the center of the table.

Chapter Fifty-Three

JASMINE

I sat in the car and stared up at the mansion I had lived in my entire life, and it felt different. It was still home, but something was missing. I felt the same way after Mama passed. Rooms felt colder, and leaving and coming home, knowing she was no longer there to greet me, was a twist of the knife in my heart. I hadn’t spent a single day with Angelo, Dario, and Enzo in this place, yet my heart hurt the same.

“Do you want me to go in with you?”

I turned my head to look at Ciro. His expression had been worried the entire trip home. He’d insisted that we stop at a couple of our old haunts and pick up my favorite things. I knew he felt terrible for outing Angelo and the guys. As much of an ass as Ciro could be, he would never want to hurt me, but I was happy he said something. If I’d found out after I married Angelo, I would never be able to forgive any of them, and what kind of a future would we have had?

“No, I’ll be fine, Ciro. Let me know when you want to start wedding planning. I’m really excited for you.”

He grabbed my hand before I could reach for the door. “Are you sure you don’t want to go back and talk to Angelo? I…shit, he looked devastated. I never….”

Leaning across the seat, I hugged my best friend. “Don’t blame yourself, you did nothing wrong. Fate pushed us back together, but he wasn’t upfront with me, and we have nothing if we don’t have trust, honesty, and respect.” Pulling back, I smiled at him. “It’s good to see your face. I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you, too, and don’t you ever take off like that again. You gave me a fucking ulcer with worry, and I hated myself for being such an ass. I swear you did it because you knew not being able to reach you would be the worst possible torture.”

“Oh, that was definitely it.”

“Be-otch,” he said, rolling his eyes at me before bringing my hand to his lips for a kiss. “Never change. I love you, Jazzy.”

“I love you, too.” The front door opened, and Papa stood in the doorway, the light illuminating him, and the corner of my mouth tugged up. “I guess it’s time to face the music.”

Stepping out into the night, I took a deep breath of the salty air and could just make out the sound of the sea. I’d missed that. I didn’t even reach the bottom step before Papa jogged down the steps and gripped me in a hug.

“My daughter, look at you. It feels like forever. I’ve missed you. I’m so sorry,” Papa rambled as he hugged me tighter. The scent of his cologne mixed with the light hint of his favorite cigar filled my senses.

“I missed you too, Papa.”

“Come inside. We need to speak.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we walked into the house. The guards standing around nodded as we walked past, and I sighed with relief not to see the four women who used to follow me around. They were nice enough, but I didn’t want that.

We stepped into Papa’s office, and as soon as the door was closed, he pulled me back into a hug. I could only comprehend at this moment how much my leaving had hurt him, and my gut churned with guilt.

“Would you like a glass of wine,” he asked, pulling away and heading to his desk.

“Yes, please.”

I sat on the couch where, not long ago, I’d received the news that made me decide to leave. Why did it feel like a whole other life?

“Here you go.”

I took the offered glass as my Papa sat down beside me. “I’m so sorry. I…I promised your mother I wouldn’t force you into an arranged marriage, and I sadly almost did it twice.”

“Twice? Who was the other?” I already knew it was Lucas, or at least that was what Angelo said, but Papa had never mentioned it until now.

He looked embarrassed as he stared into his glass of wine. “Lucas.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what I was thinking. He seemed changed, and Giovanni made a compelling case, but he is as evil today as he was as a boy.”

So that was one truth from Angelo. It would’ve been another wound to my soul if I’d given over my virginity to someone who had lied and then thrown us away. The later betrayal was bad enough, but to be duped at the start….

“You know I love Ciro, but just not to marry him, right?”

“I do. Ciro came to me and told me why you left.” He shook his head. “I had no idea. I should’ve guessed. Ciro spent more time here than at home, but I never put it together. I was more worried he would do something inappropriate with my teenage daughter.” He rubbed his eyes. “Your mother would be furious with me. When I close my eyes at night, I hear her telling me off.”

I smiled. “Papa, can I ask you why you never dated or remarried? You are still a young man and a catch for any woman. Why do you choose to live alone?”

He looked around the room, and the corner of his mouth pulled up. “Because your mother was the love of my life. It always felt like our souls were connected, and I had no interest in anyone else after she passed away. I still feel her with me sometimes.”