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To force him to see me.
To make him show me his pain over killing Mom. He has to feel sorry for killing Mom. He can’t be human otherwise.
I beg him with my eyes to give me something.Anything.
I don’t want to do this.
I won’t do this if you just give me that.
Please.
But Dad’s lips stay closed, and his face is blank and cold.
With a growl of frustration, Salvatore produces a gun from inside his jacket, lifts his arm and takes aim at my stomach. “She’s probably already pregnant. Useless.”
The sky breaks open with an enormouscrack.
A force hits me so hard I’m knocked backwards. I look down, and blood is running down the front of my dress and staining the white tulle. The gun slips from my fingers and clatters on the tiles.
Dad stands there with his hands in his pockets, no expression on his face.
Nothing.
I stagger backwards, and my foot slides off the rim of the pool. Dad’s cold face is the last thing I see before the water swallows me up.
I’m going to die just like Mom did.
The water wraps around me, feeling like my mother’s arms.It’s over, baby. It’s all over.
I can feel her already. I can hear her.
Don’t cry. I’m here, don’t cry.
All the pain, all the heartache, spreads out through the water. I slip into the darkness, and let it take me.
Epilogue
Chiara
I’m blinded by chlorine and my midsection feels like I’m being crushed to death by an iron weight. I fumble for my belly and hold my hand up in front of my blurry eyes.
Wet and red.
Blood and pool water, that acrid, familiar scent. Someone has pulled me out and I can feel their hands on me.
Just push me back in. Let me die and be with my mother.
I’m shaken vigorously. “No, you don’t. Open your fucking eyes.”
I feel someone’s mouth against mine. My lungs forcefully expanding. Then the world goes black.
Cold.
Alone.
Then shocking white. Light pierces my eyes. Water erupts up my throat and I can’t breathe—can’t breathe—can’t breathe. Spots dance in my vision as I cough. Desperate, hacking coughs that feel like they will rip my lungs right out of my chest.
“Chiara? Chiara!”
I take rasping breaths, my eyes streaming. I can’t see. I don’t know where I am. My hands are gripping muscular shoulders as I fight to stay conscious.
Lips against my lips. A mouth that’s kissed mine so many times, always stealing my breath and my heart. Lips that demand I answer him.
“Chiara? Kiss me so I know you’re still breathing.”
