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“Selfish?”
“You’re talking about my family, about mybrothers. Do you think I could ever forgive myself if anything happened to them because of me? Would you really put me through that hell because of your ego?”
I choked on my own tongue when I heard her. Ego? My ego had nothing to do with it. It was something more powerful that drove me.
“It’s not about pride, Grazia.”
“Of course it is about pride! I know you, remember? Always the golden boy, the best, ahead of everyone. You will beDonsoon, Salvatore, we all know it. You will have the power, but you were promised a princess too. You just don’t want to letBabbohave the last word.”
“Are you serious, or are you trying to be funny, Grazi?”
“You’re too scared to look weak to let go of me.”
I looked up to the sky, feeling at the end of my fucking tether. “Jesus Christ, this woman is insane.”
Her soft hand smashed against my chest, but I felt nothing.
“Don’t call me insane.” She snapped.
“Then don’t talk like a crazy person.” I barked back. “You think I want you so I can prove something? You think I’d put up with your tantrums, sneak around like a fucking teenager to see you, for the fun of it?”
“Thenwhy?” Oh, now she was just poking the tiger.
And then it hit me. She was doing it on purpose, trying to make me break that stupid barrier she put between us, so I filled my lungs with air and screamed the words in her face. “Because I fucking love you!”
Her palm connected to my face at lightning speed. I didn’t even blink.
“I love you too!” Her voice broke in the night darkness. “You weren’t supposed to say it. You promised.” She forced me to make that promise after I bought our apartment. It was Grazia’s way to try and protect her heart, like there was any of it left that wasn’t mine yet.
“You’re going to have to forgive me this time,Tesoro.”
“We should leave or something. Anyone could see us here.”
After the show we just did, I’d be surprised if no one did already.
“Get in the car then.” She slid in the passenger’s seat while I jumped behind the wheel.
“Where do you want to take me?”
“Our spot.”
Grazia didn’t say anything, but her entire body shook because of a shiver.Our spot. It was a virgin shore outside of the city, one of the few patches of land that didn’t became a restaurant or the backyard of some hotel. Some asshole investor had tried to buy it from the city last year and turn it into a money-making place, but I put my foot down. Between his offer and my bribe, the mayor made the right choice.
I drove to the end of the path that was leading to a cliff that Grazia loved. It had a nice view over the sea – not that it was much to see in the middle of the night – and it was sheltered by lemon trees. I used to take her here for picnics, but it must have been at least a year since we last came together to look at the sea. I was pleasantly surprised to see nothing has changed.
Grazia threw her sandals on the back seat and jumped out of the car.
“Careful,Tesoro. You might cut your feet.”
“I’ll watch my step, don’t worry.”
She walked around through the grass for a few minutes, before going to sit next to the old lemon tree that was growing almost at the edge of the cliff.
“Look,” she pointed to the tree, “our initials are still here.”
I’d carved them with my pocket knife a long time ago. If I remembered correctly, it was right after Guido’s wedding. Grazia was the maid of honor – she was so stunning that day, all I could think about was how my heart would take it when she’d be the one in the white dress.
“Yeah, I see.”
