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“Try his pockets,” I nod my head toward Fabian’s body.
“On the way here, I told Kendra to text Niko to track us, but…” She stops and looks at her friend and bursts into tears, “How could she do this to me?”
I think back to the day I took my first life, what my father told me about the man I shot. It was all lies, he’d been the monster all along. No wonder the girl was so fucked up.
“Get the keys, baby,” I whisper gently at her, needing to be free from these chains so I can hold her. She quickly snaps out of the thoughts in her head and rushes over to Fabian's body. Fumbling around in his pockets and gagging when she has to roll him over to try the back ones. “I’ve got them!” She races back to me, and after realizing she won’t reach, she runs over to where all the chairs are stacked by the bar.
Her hands tremble as they unlock the padlock on the chain, and she carefully unwraps it from around my wrists. As soon as I’m free, I snatch at her and hold her against me.
I kiss her lips and soothe her hair and appreciate every little breath she’s making.
“I killed him,” she sobs.
“You had to.” I squeeze her tight, despite the ache in my arms and the wounds on my skin.
“Kendra’s dead.” She grips back at me like she’ll never let go.
“Shhhh, I know.” I grab her head and force it onto my chest to shield her from the devastation surrounding us.
“All these years, I thought she was my friend and she was using me to hurt you.”
“None of that matters now, I’m going to take you home and take care of you,” I assure her, my body is battered and bruised but nothing is going to stop me from carrying my girl out of here and making sure she’s okay.
“No.” Her words hit with a cold sharp blow as she suddenly pulls herself away from me.
“Look around you, Raoul, all this is a result of the way we feel for each other.”
I do as she requests, taking in the space around us. Evelyn looks so out of place among the devastation. Her hands and clothes are covered with blood and she looks broken.
“That’s not true,” I yell, feeling her slipping away from me.
“I don’t want to be the cause of your hurt, Raoul. I don’t belong in your world.”
“Don’t say that. You are my fucking world.” I reach out for her but she backs further away from me.
“That’s not what scares me. I saw the look in your eyes when you thought he was going to hurt me, you were petrified, Raoul. And a Burlusconi can’t have a weakness.” She’s trying to be strong, but I can see her falling apart.
“You were prepared to give up your family for me,” she says like the idea suddenly shocks her.
“That man is not my family,” I fume, thinking of all the hurt my father caused.
“But Rhett is, Violetta, your mother, all those people depend on you, Raoul. Good men have dedicated themselves to your family, men like my father, and you can’t let them down.”
“No, I’ll find a way, we’ll make it work.” Desperation takes over, I don’t care if I have to beg, I can’t leave here without her. I grab at her arm and cling to it so she can’t get away from me.
“Let me go, Raoul.” She cradles my jaw in her sticky red palm. “Sacrifice me again, and be who you’re supposed to be, without having a weakness.”
“I can’t.” The tears fill my eyes when I think about letting her go. It can’t be done. Evelyn belongs with me. She always fucking has and I can’t imagine a life without her now.
“Marry Briella, and take control of your family. It’s the only way we’ll ever be safe.”
“How can I—”
“Raoul,” she interrupts. “Don’t make this harder on me. Let me go.” She’s pleading with me now.
“You’re breaking my heart,” I tell her, hating that she’s right. Me wanting to keep her is selfish.
“I think that’s what’s always been destined for us, Raoul,” she tells me, kissing my lips for what I know has to be the last time because when it comes to her, I’ll give her anything.
For her, I’ll always sacrifice.
