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“He couldn’t have told you that last night?” Rhia mutters, exasperated. “You know, before you accepted his proposal?”
“Would that have changed things?” Claudette asks, her gaze probing.
I puff air into my cheeks and let it out slowly. “There’s no point deliberating on this. I made my decision.”
“But you’re not married yet,” Rhia says. “You can change your mind any time.”
I think she wishes I would. And I can’t blame her. If I was her, I’d probably feel the same way.
“Try telling Tiero that. If it was up to him, we would have gotten married last night. He wants me to be Mrs. Gualtiero De Marco as soon as possible.”
“Good thing you laid out your conditions.” Rhi is still worried for me. And I understand. I’m worried for me too.
“You have to admit though, there’s something hot about a guy declaring you’re his, and woe to anyone who dares wrong you.” Claudette says, dreamily.
“Only if you feel the same way about him. Otherwise it’s creepy,” I reply, smirking.
“Seriously, though, El. Are you okay with what he’s been doing in Chicago?” Rhia’s face is serious.
I slump against the pillow on my bed. “Of course not. But he’s rid the world of some nasty people, and probably saved the lives of countless women and children. That’s a good thing, right?
“God, am I justifying his actions to make me feel better about it?” I rub my hand over my face.
After a long period of reflection, Claudette says, “You’re right. Tiero killing these people has made the world a safer place… at least for a little while.”
I let out a heavy sigh. “I can’t bear to think of him murdering people, even if they’re really bad. But does it change my feelings for him?”
Looking at my friends, I shake my head no.
“I contemplated long and hard in the bath last night what I should do,” I say, taking a sip of herbal tea. “When I agreed to give Tiero a second chance, I went with the flow and what felt right. I didn’t think too much about it… I couldn’t because there was no time.
“What happened yesterday shattered me. It made me question everything, and I realized what I need for my own peace of mind is a well thought-through decision.
“Aiden is the logical choice. There’s no question about it. And I love him. Everything is stacking up in his favor.”
Both Claudette’s and Rhia’s eyebrows shoot up, and they stare at the ring on my finger.
Undeterred, I continue. “But there’s something about Tiero. He calls to me on a deeper level… I can’t explain it. It’s always been there, right from the beginning. And whatever it is, it makes him irresistible despite my better judgement.”
I look at Rhia and then Claudette, lingering on her. “If your story about the distribution of light and dark between the three of us is true, then that might explain it. Tiero and I are on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Opposites attract and perhaps that gap magnetizes us to each other… so much so that a life without him is unimaginable.”
“Hmm,” Rhia taps her chin. “Sounds like an explanation. That’s if you need one for extraordinary chemistry.”
“That’s what I thought too, but just to be on the safe side, I tried Claudette’s approach.” I wink at her, and she smiles back, self-satisfied.
“Which is?” Rhia asks.
“Quiet your mind, ask for guidance, and trust what comes up.”
“And what happened?”
“I tried to quiet my rather loud mind… the emphasize is on try. Anyway, by the end, it was crystal clear that I need to see where things with Tiero will lead.
“Being with him feels right, even though I can’t see the trees for the forest… or is it the forest for the trees?” I shrug my shoulders. “You know what I mean.”
I stare at the ring on my finger. “My future hangs completely in the air. Other than me having a fiancé now and moving to his island, I have no idea what’s in store for me. It’s freaking scary. But then, when I’m with Tiero, all that disappears, and it’s just him and me.”
I take another sip of tea, thinking out loud some more.
