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“You took the wrong daughter. Eva is much more of an asset to me. I can marry her off because she’s pure. A true princess.”
I tighten my grip on the phone, gritting my teeth so hard I’m surprised they don’t crack.
“Wrong answer, Marco. You’ve just agreed to your own death. That was your last chance to stand down, and you’ve fucked it up. You piece of shit.”
I cut the call, slamming it down on the dining table. Who talks about their daughter like that?
She means more to me than she does to her own father. Now I’m just spurred on more to kill him. Not just for myself, but to get him out of Rosa’s life. She deserves better.
The orange sunrise blasts through the double doors into the kitchen. I swipe up the coffees and race up the stairs. My blood might be boiling, but I won’t let her down.
I stop before I get to the glass door and watch her. She sits on the balcony in just her black satin robe, her tanned slim legs kicked up on the small table in the center. She’s looking up at the sky, a completely new woman in comparison to the one who entered here.
Her eyes light up as she turns to me, her wide smile making my heart flutter in my chest. I bite back a grin and head to my girl.
Back to our happy spot, our escape from reality every morning. My home is suddenly starting to feel like less of a shell.“Here you go.” I carefully hand her the steaming cup.
She tucks her hair behind her ear. “Hmm, Thank you.”
Taking a seat next to her, I light up my cigarette, looking out over the garden as the sky turns a beautiful shade of red.
“What took you so long?”she asks, looking over the rim of the dark mug.
I have a choice. The call with Marco confirmed my suspicions. Holding her here is doing nothing for my cause. Now, I’m keeping her for my own selfish reasons. I won’t be that man, not to her.
She deserves to choose her own path now.
I clear my throat around the knot that suddenly forms. “I spoke to your father.”
I watch as she swallows, bowing her head.
“And what did he say?”The fear in her voice makes me sick, murderous even.
I set down my cup and lean on my knees to look closely at her. “Rosa, he’s not coming for you.”
She sighs, taking a sip of her drink. “Let me guess, the ‘junkie daughter’ isn’t worthy of his resources,” she laughs, but it doesn’t disguise her hurt.
“Something like that.”I run my fingers through my hair. I wish I could tell her differently. That he loves her and would burn the world down to save her.
But he isn’t that man.
We sit in silence, my head and my heart battling. I can keep her safe here, even from her own family. It’s selfish, but I want her to stay. She is my reason for looking forward to coming home. Without her, this house is empty.
I take another drag, letting the chemicals burn their way down.“Rosa—”
“Hmm?”She doesn’t look up. Her sorrowful eyes stare into the darkness of her coffee.
“—it means you’re free to go. I don’t need to force you to be here anymore. Marco isn’t backing down.”Tamping out the ember in the ashtray feels like a judge’s gavel striking a decision on our future.
Her eyes water and she nods.“I understand. You want me to leave.”
My chest tightens. “What? No. I don’t want you to leave. I’m giving you a choice. I can’t force you to be here with me. It is up to you now. You can stay. I will keep you safe in our little haven while you recover, and it’s still dangerous out there. Your father is making many enemies. If I got to you, anyone could.”
Her big brown eyes finally turn up to meet mine. “So, you’re just keeping me here to keep me safe?”
“Rosa, I promised I wouldn’t abandon you. I meant it. I want you here.”I want her here more than anything.
I know what it’s like to be tossed aside. I was that kid.
