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Istumble away from the warehouse, head throbbing, mind reeling. Devastated. Fury and despair battle for control over my emotions, wearing me down in an instant. Bone deep exhaustion settles over me.
Spotting Roman’s car, I let myself into the back seat. Gun pointed at his driver, a man I’ve seen once or twice, and tell him to take me home. Not to Roman’s house, to my parents’ home.
“Straight away, Mrs. De Luca,” he says, shifting into gear.
I cringe. Bile rises in the back of my throat. It’s all a lie. All of it.
My father used me as his pawn my whole life. Stupidly, I thought that changed when Roman and I married. I thought Imeantsomething to Roman. I thought I was special because for once in my life, someone really saw me for who I am.
But no. I simply became his tool for revenge. He doesn’t care about me at all. If he did, he wouldn’t have been able to treat me like this. To lie to me every step of the way.
I can’t believe this is happening. But I need to come to terms with it, because the truth is: Our marriage is a sham.
Roman doesn’t love me.
I’m the biggest fool for ever thinking that he did. Or that he could.
“We’re here, ma’am.” The driver startles me out of my spiraling thoughts. He holds my door open, and I glance around. Sure enough, we’re in my parents’ driveway. Only then does it occur to me that I should have gone to Ravenna’s house, where I wouldn’t have to confront my father. Perhaps subconsciously, I want to get this part over and done with. I need to face the man responsible for handing me over to Roman De Luca.
I step out of the car, gun in hand, and smooth the front of my dress. As I enter the house, I catch a glimpse of myself in the foyer mirror.
Hell, I look like death warmed over. Dried blood plasters my frizzy hair to one side of my face, and the other is discolored from bruising, thanks to Nik’s eagerness to hit. My lip is cracked and bleeding. Somewhere along the way I lost my shoes.
Considering everything that’s happened in the past few hours, I’m surprised that I don’t look worse.
For a few heartbeats, I stare at my reflection and a chill races down my spine. I don’t recognize this woman. She has cold, empty eyes and a gun in her hand. She scares me.
“Sophia?”
I turn my head, to find my father gaping at me in horror.
“Sophia, what happened?” When he tries to come near me, I point Roman’s gun at him. He halts in his tracks.
“Roman happened,” I tell him. “Well, technically, Nik happened first, then Roman. So I’m going to make this very clear. I’m not returning to Roman. I never want to see him again. If you so much as allow him to step foot in this house, so help me God, I’ll shoot you.”
Papa slowly nods. “You’re safe here. I promise.”
“Good.” I storm past him, up the stairs to my old bedroom, and lock the door.
Once inside the familiar space, my world tilts. Everything comes crashing down around me as the consequences fully sink in. And ithurts. It hurts so much. The pain is agonizing, crushing.
Roman betrayed me.
My future is gone. Wiped away in the span of several seconds.
With no one to pay for tuition, my college dream is dead.
Most of all, my heart aches for Roman. Ilovedhim. Truly and completely, with all my heart, and he destroyed that love with his lies.
Unable to hold together my broken pieces, I sink to the floor, bury my tender face in my hands, and let it all out. All the pain, all the heartache, all the anger.
Until there’s nothing left to cry over. I’m empty.
* * *
“Sophia, open the door.” It’s Ravenna’s voice this time. She knocks again. “Open up. This is your last chance. I’m serious. Okay, that’s it.”
A key rattles in the lock and my bedroom door creaks open. Ravenna, Arianna, Ginevra, and Mama all rush into my room where they find me curled up on the floor.
