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“Off you go, then. If anything happens to me, Eva dies, too. Remember that.”
His deep laugh follows me as I approach the front door. I have to do this to save Luca. I glance behind me, and Dante is watching from the living room.
I pull open the door and gasp, taking in the broken man before me. His unbuttoned white shirt is smothered in blood, his eyes are bloodshot. I lean forward and swipe a stray tear from his cheek.
“Luca,” I whisper.
“Mom’s gone, Rosa.”
I wrap my arms around him. Screw Dante, he won’t see in the hallway, anyway. I’m devastated for Luca. I know how much he loves his mom and the lengths he will go to protect his family. I fight back my own tears, threatening to explode. This proves just how dangerous Dante is. No matter how much I want to tell Luca the truth, I can’t.
There is no way out.
“I’m so sorry, Luca.” My fiancé murdered his mom. Because of me.
His brows furrow. “We need to go, Rosa. Grab your bags.”
He reaches his fingers to lace through mine, but I pull my hand back.
“Rosa?”
“I can’t.” I suck in a breath, ready to perform like my life depends on it.
“Tonight proves exactly why we can’t leave. It was yourmom, Luca. What if it’s Darcy next? We will never forgive ourselves. So I will be marrying Dante tomorrow—“
“No—“
I hold up my finger to cut him off, fighting every urge to break down.
“This stops, now. Before anyone else gets hurt. Where are we going, Luca? Jetting off into the sun and leaving everyone else here to deal with our mess? That isn’t you. You fight. Well, right now, I need you to do just that. Just not for me anymore.” My voice breaks, and I try to pull myself together. I don’t have any fight left in me.
His jaw clenches as he searches my face. “I’m not leaving without you, Rosa. It’s not happening.”
I grab his hands, holding them in mine.
“You have to.” My stomach rolls, knowing I’m holding back the truth from him. “You need to go out there, get your revenge. Maria, Romano, all of them, need to pay. You are going to come to my wedding tomorrow—“
His head comes up. “No.”
“You said you would always do anything for me, right?”
“Not this,” he whispers.
“Luca, look at me.” Warm tears roll down my face, I plead with him without saying the words. “Please, Luca.”
His hands rub up my arms, and I flinch when he reaches my tender biceps.
“If you can’t do this, we have no future. I need you to trust me for one last time to protect our family. Leave, go and be with your brother, with Frankie.”
I nod slowly, trying to get the message across. I drop his name in. If anyone can save us, it’s Frankie.
Dante will no doubt be listening to my every word, waiting to make that call.
“I can’t just leave you here, Rosa.” His nostrils flare.
I go up on my tiptoes, pressing a soft kiss to his stubble. I close my eyes, hating the final blow I am about to make. I will make this believable to Dante, I have to.
“I belong to Dante, Luca. I always have. I need you to witness our marriage, to prove to everyone we are over, that it never meant anything. You have to let me go.”
