Page 31 of Great White
“Look at how dangerous your love is. Is it really worth it? Losing everything? Even your life?”
“My mother used to say to me, what is life without love? My parents may have made many mistakes, but loving each other was not one of them.”
“You’re destined to walk the same path if you and Marco stay together.”
“I’m hoping we can do things differently. We are not our parents.”
“No, but Raffi is still Raffi. He resents you rebuilding the Deltoros, and he will use any excuse to destroy you.”
“I know this. So does Marco.”
“Then, why?” I stress. I still don’t understand. There are a million men out there Stefania can be with. Whom she can find happiness with. Why risk it with Marco?
“The heart chooses. I can’t tell you why.”
“That’s when you have to let your head lead. This life takes sacrifices. We both know that.”
“I have sacrificed enough for this life. I will not sacrifice my love.”
“Ugh.” I grip my hair. We are going nowhere but in circles.
“Do you really feel nothing for Tate?” Stefania asks.
“Tate? What does he have to do with anything?”
“I see the way you look at him. And the way he looks at you. He’s different. Maybe even special.”
“He’s special, all right,” I murmur dryly.
“You deny your feelings?”
“I don’t have feelings. I have desire. Those are two very different things.”
“Love often blooms from desire.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not going to do anything with him. Because my head is in charge.” I tap my temple. “And it’s telling me to stay away.”
Stefania regards me with sad, woeful eyes. She feels sorry for me. For the first time since I met her, she pities me. I resent her for it. I don’t need anyone’s pity. I know who I am and what I want.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“I worry for you. Your heart is too cold.”
“Yours should be colder.”
“I will not allow my enemies to steal my soul.”
“Just everything you worked so hard for and quite possibly your life.”
“We’ll see,Palomita.” She stands. “I may know love, but I am not righteous.” I watch her leave, unsure what she means. “I’m going home. But not alone.” The statement is cold and hard, and rubs me the wrong way.
Once she’s gone, I stand by the window overlooking the club. I spy Stefania strutting across the dance floor on her killer heels. She stops directly in front of Tate, grabs his face, whispers something, then kisses him. Right there for everyone to see. Something in my chest burns. A tiny ball of fire that grows hotter with every passing second. Annoyance grows to anger, anger grows to fury. When Tate grabs her waist and deepens the kiss, fury explodes into rage. It all stays contained, though, right inside my blazing chest. If she was trying to make a point, she was successful. But I find myself more irate with Tate than I do with Stefania. A warped sense of betrayal slithers up me like a snake, coiling tightly around my neck, making it difficult to breathe.
When Tate and Stefania break their scene-stealing kiss, she takes him by the hand and glances up toward the office window. She knows I’m watching. Hoping her little display affected something inside of me. Well, it did, you fucking bitch.
Stefania leads Tate out of the club. Disappearing under the catwalk and out the front door. He was all too happy to go with her, too.
I stand alone in my ivory tower. One of the few places I feel safe. All I can think about is what I said to Stefania earlier.The only thing love has ever done for me is hurt me.I was proven right once again, by the woman who calls me her friend, and the man who professes to have feelings for me.
