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CHAPTERTWELVE
AMER
All I see is red, and before I know what’s happened, bones cracking greet my ears, and Emilio’s lifeless body slumps forward in the chair. I had heard enough of what he had to say about Mara-Lee. He’s lucky I chose to break his neck, killing him instantly, instead of what I wanted to do to him. Emilio should have suffered for what he had done to Mara-Lee and her family and what he did to me. I can’t believe that my own uncle betrayed me like he did. At this point, I disown him. Fuck him. I hope hell isn’t kind to him because he deserves everything that happens to him.
“What the fuck, Amer! Why did you kill him without explaining to us what you were thinking?” Danti asks as he tries to figure out what just happened. He stands there, looking at Emilio’s lifeless body, then up to me.
“It’s my right to have killed him for what he did to Mara-Lee and for betraying family. She was my woman years ago, and for the fact he took her away from me, I should bring him back from the dead and kill him again, repeatedly,” I seethe. I look around and see Mara-Lee frozen in place. “Call the doctor and let him know that he has another body to take care of. At least this time, it wasn’t messy,” I command them.
“I will,” Benito states, his lip curling in disgust as he stares at Emilio and pulls his phone out of his pocket.
“We aren’t finished with this in the least, but we’ve had enough bullshit for one day.” I rub my temples to ward off the headache that is brewing.
“I agree,” Danti states. “We will meet here tomorrow at ten to plan the funerals. Mother at least deserves one even though she wasn’t a mom in the least bit. Emilio can rot in hell, but we will decide everything tomorrow.”
I nod and turn to walk toward Mara-Lee. She needs to get the fuck out of this room. I put my arm around her shoulder and walk her out of the room. I take her straight into my room, closing the door behind us for privacy.
“Stellina, talk to me,” I say as I try to comfort her by cupping her face with my hand.
“It’s over?” She looks at me, shock trying to control her body.
“Yes, I told you I would kill anyone who has hurt you . . . even my own family.”
“Do you believe what he told you . . . the parts about me—”
“No, I don’t believe any of that. He took advantage of you and he paid the price.”
“Thank you.”
“No . . . don’t thank me. I need to thank you for trusting me that I would keep you safe.”
I hold her in my arms as she cries. As her body trembles, I wish there was more I could do to comfort her. I hold her close to my chest and rub her back. After a while, she calms down, and her tears dry up.
“Will you take me home, please?”
“Yeah, I will. You need to be around all those people who love and care for you.”
“Thank you.” She attempts to smile but it falls flat.
* * *
At the Fort, Mara-Lee went straight to her room, not wanting to discuss what had happened yet. Thankfully everyone gave her the space she needed for the time being, but I could tell they were worried about her. Mara-Lee told me that only Finley and Cedric know about what happened to her in the past, and she will tell them how that chapter of her life is closed for good with Emilio’s death.
Finally, after Mara-Lee showers and changes once again, does she let me pull her out of the room so she can be with the rest of those who love her.
“Mara-Lee! Welcome back. Did you have fun? How was your Christmas?” Finley asks. We step into the room I found Mara-Lee in that first time and again Christmas Eve.
“I did, thank you.” She grins, and this time it’s genuine.
“Good, you deserve happiness, Mara-Lee,” Finley states, taking in the embrace I have around Mara-Lee.
She smiles and nods as she realizes that she truly does, no matter what has happened to her in the past.
We sit down on the couch in the living room. I don’t leave her side, and she doesn’t leave mine. I’m hoping that I can spend the night with her . . . I’m not about to ask her to come back to my place. As much as I love my place, I realize that I’m going to have to find another house to live in if I want Mara-Lee to live with me. She’ll never be able to forget what she saw today. I wish I could. I force myself to focus on the now, focus on Mara-Lee.
I stay with her and see how she relaxes with her family as they talk and spend time catching up on what went on while she was away. This is her family, even though they aren’t blood relatives, they treat her as such, and they saved her. They saved her when I couldn’t. They’ve been here for her when I didn’t even know she was alive. Now, she has all these people in her life that love her and care for her.
Mara-Lee might be mad at me once again, but I’m going to work on a plan to reunite her with her brother. Even though she already has a lot of people in her life, a big brother is someone that you need in your corner sometimes. Eventually, she should have everyone where they belong in her life again.
Losing Mara-Lee taught me that life can’t always be full of bright, sunny days, but this year has shown me that a lot can change in a blink of an eye. I hope this upswing continues into the new year. An idea comes to mind.
I know how I’m going to get Mallik back into Mara-Lee’s life.
