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He holds me tighter, pressing a kiss to the crook of my neck. “Gemma—”
“And I just kept thinking, I could have died and I would have died miserable.” I say, grasping his hands within my own and meeting his eyes. “I don’t want to live my life for other people, Liam. I want to live for me. I want to be happy, and lately, I’m not. I’ve been putting on a show, being the woman everyone else wants me to be, and I’m tired of it.” I inhale a deep breath, replenishing myself. “So I want you, and I’m not ashamed of it and I don’t want to hide it.”
“Then I’m yours, baby.” He smiles, a beautiful sight.
“But,” I add, “I love my family and I’m not willing to give them up.”
“Gemma,” he sighs. “What if they don’t accept this, us?” He gestures between the two of us.
“They have to.” I say, I am determined to make this work. I deserve my happiness and I refuse to cave for anyone any longer. “If they love me, and if you love me, then everyone can sit at the same table out of respect for me.”
The corners of Liam’s lips quirk. “I do, ya know, love you.”
I pause, in all of my rambling, that’s what he took away. He loves me.
I didn’t realize until now that we’d never actually said the words. His actions were enough. Trying to warn my family and taking care of me after Gian was shot. Listening to me talk about my family. Liam proved through his actions that he loved me, I never actually needed to hear the words.
But now that I have. “Say it again.” I tell him. I want to hear it again, on repeat if possible.
“Gemma.” He holds both my hands, and adjusts his body so he’s looking at me head on. “I love you.”
I feel the corners of my mouth tug up into a smile. “I love you, too.”
The men in my life, sans Liam, gather at the dining room table per my request. Annie joins us with baby Gabriella cooing on her lap, she’s also family so it felt right for her to be here.
I take a deep breath letting the oxygen fill my lungs, I steel my spine and prepare myself to face them.
Gio had a slight smile on his face, he is generally a happier person since Annie and the baby. He looked over at Gabriella, blowing her little kisses before kissing his wife. The three of them are perfect together, and the sight was no longer painful for me.
“What’s up, Gem?” My father asks, he was more restless lately. Since Gian was shot and Gio arrested he’s been more fearful, always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“I have been everything you’ve all needed of me lately.” I started, standing in front of them, tall and strong. “I helped when Gian was recovering, I took care of this house, I’m there for Annie and the baby. I work at the law office, I do everything that is asked of me. And I’ve been working on my foundation which opens in a few months and I really think it’s going to help a lot of women.” I took another deep breath. “I’m here for everyone, I help everyone. And now I would like to be happy.”
My father looked a little shocked. “I didn’t realize you weren’t happy.” He says softly, he may be telling the truth considering I haven’t voiced my discontent for almost 10 months now. Almost a year.
“I loved him. Liam. And I gave him up for you guys, for this family. Because that was what was needed of me, but I miss him ev
eryday. For a while I thought he was wrong for me, or I met him at the wrong time, but I don’t believe that anymore. There’s no wrong time to meet the right person, and I believe that he is my person. I’m not asking for permission, because I’ve already decided. I’m asking that you love me and support me. I’m asking that you don’t make me choose, because I’ve already chosen you and I’ll do it again but I’ll always feel like I’m missing something and I’ll never be happy.”
All three men in my family stare at me speechless.
“Well,” Annie broke the silence. “I vote for happiness, and if Liam makes you happy, then I vote for Liam.”
“Gemma.” My father rose when he said my name. “If your mother were here—”
“Papa,” I cut him off, waving my hand to silence him. “Don’t you dare say she would be disappointed.” I couldn’t handle hearing those words from him again, not after I gathered up all the strength I had to stand up for myself.
“No.” He looked at me solemnly. “I was going to say, if your mother was here this never would have happened, because she would have seen you weren’t happy, and I missed that.” He walked closer to me, taking my hands in his own. “I’m sorry, vita mia. I only worry, that’s why I’m so hard on you. I never meant to make you miserable. If Liam makes you happy, then don’t let me stand in the way.”
Tears well in my eyes at my father's words. He had always been my best friend, my true confidant. “I never wanted to disappoint you,” I whispered through tears.
“Oh, bambina, you could never disappoint me.” He kisses my forehead lightly.
“This is nice and all,” Gian says from his seat, arms crossed over his chest. Emotional displays mean nothing to him, he’s hardened. “But we’re forgetting his family is full of murderers. He tried to kill me.”
“He didn’t,” I corrected defensively. “He tried to stop it.”
“Whatever,” Gian dismissed. “It was still his family.”
