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He lights up his cigar and draws in a breath.
“Go to her family Gabriel. It’s the only way you’ll know for sure. Calm yourself and go see her family. That’s the best advice I can give you. There’s no point sitting here and talking shit on whether it’s her or not.”
I bite the inside of my lip and nod.
Blowing out a ragged breath I get up, deciding the answer really is to go see her family.
“Thanks bro.” I glance at the bedroom door, thinking of Mimi. “You’re a better man than me.”
He shakes his head. “We’re the same kind of men, brother. You’ve just had your heart crushed and there was fuck all you could do. Makes people behave in different ways. Go … see if it’s her.”
I nod, appreciating his encouragement.
* * *
I can tellanyone now that it’s hard to walk up the path leading to the Revello’s drive and try to remain calm.
The angst that builds within me is like a war raging inside.
It’s a reminder of something I failed and worse, the life I knew my girl was going into.
I may have stayed the fuck away like I was warned but that didn’t stop me from doing what I could to see what info I could find about De Lucca’s place in Italy. What I did find was hardly worth anything to give me comfort.
He was listed as married to her, all a nice façade and that’s it, nothing more, which only left me to my deepest fears. Antonio De Lucca was a man who did not treat women well.
Married twice before Charlotte and both women were killed.
Bullet to the head.
Bullet to the chest.
I heard one said the wrong thing and lost him a business deal. I don’t know what happened to the other except that she was found in a church dead on Easter morning.
The man took wives as trophies and never married for love. Charlotte was taken for the debt payment. Whatever it was, was still bad and should have never happened to my girl.
I get to the door and ring the bell. In my head I’m thinking of all the scenarios that could play out here.
I dare not actually think what I want most though… that it’s her. I’m erring on the side of disappointment because that’s better than hoping and feeling disappointed after when I learn it’s not her.
Footsteps echo on the other side of the door. The lock clicks and then the door opens.
Cordelia stands before me with a wide eyed expression on her face, her thin gaunt face, and I notice her hair. It’s the kind you’d say something about - just acknowledge you noticed it. If this were years ago and she was playing nice on the rare occasion that she was nice and not trying to steal me away from Charlotte, I’d tell her, her hair looks nice.
However, today is today, and the look in her wide-eyed expression tells me something like it did that day ten years ago.
I look at her and I just know.
I just know the woman I saw last night was Charlotte.
Her lips part to say something but I’m already moving past her and going up the stairs.
Charlotte’s room was down the hall and the last one.
I almost fall over my feet as adrenaline takes over. I push forward and see the door open.
When I get to the entrance I stop short when I see the beautiful young woman standing by the long mirror holding a book.
Just like last night, long dark brown hair flows down her back. Those high cheek bones get me the same way they got me the first time I ever saw her. And those eyes. Warm like autumn and against her dark brown velvet hair they look striking.
