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I continue to burn the blade until every millimeter of it glows red from the flame. I shut the lighter and set it aside, then peer into the mirror over the sink.
"Your happiness is my quest, Olivia. Your sorrows are what I aim to demolish forever. And your pain—" I meet her gaze in the mirror "—I can only hope to experience so I may understand how it feels to be in your skin."
I raise the still glowing blade.
Her gaze widens. "Massimo, no—"
And drag the tip from the side of my eyebrow down to the center of my cheek.
"Massimo!" She shoves off the counter and leaps across the short distance to me. "What the hell?" she yells.
Pain rips through my face, up my temples, and explodes behind my eyes. I gasp. My eyes water. I lower the knife to the counter and carefully place it there.
"Why did you do that? Why, why, why?" Tears pour down her cheeks. "Massimo, your face, your poor face."
I wrap my hand around her waist and draw her to stand in front of me.
"Look," I gesture to the mirror.
"No, Massimo, no," she sobs.
"Look, Via." I pinch her chin, so she has no choice but to glance forward. Her gaze meets mine in the mirror.
"Now we match."
"Massimo." She bites down on her lower lip, and fuck, it’s like there’s a direct connection between that action of hers and my cock, which thickens further.
"Why?" she bursts out. "Why would you do that?"
"Now I know how it feels," I say simply.
She turns and throws her arms around my waist. She presses her face into my neck and cries even harder.
"You need to put ice on it. And antiseptic. And get a doctor to see to it," she says between her tears.
"I need you, Via."
She glances up. "You have me, Massimo. Remember when you said that when I hurt myself, I hurt you? Now, I understand what you mean by that. I understand why you said I was a part of you because you are a part of me, too.”
My heart seems to swell in my chest. My entire body feels like a thousand little fires have engulfed it.
“I love you, you crazy, foolish, obnoxious alphahole.” She swallows. “I have loved you from the moment I saw you in that bar. I love you more than I love myself, more than my career."
I quirk my lips. "If all it took was for me to hurt myself to hear you say that, I—"
She places her hand on my lips. "Don’t. Please, don’t say anything more. I’ve been stupid, Massimo. And selfish, and—"
"You deserve it all, Via. You deserve to achieve your dreams. You deserve to be celebrated as a woman. You deserve for your talent to be recognized by the world. And I’ll be the one cheering you on from the head of the crowd."
"I don’t deserve you," she whispers.
"That’s true." I smirk. "But you have me anyway."
She slaps my shoulder, then peers into my face. "Please, can we take care of your face now?"
EPILOGUE
Massimo
