Page 121 of The Mafia King's Reign
"I thought you were resting," I step closer.
"I couldn't sleep." Valentina's footsteps are soft on the hardwood. "Rosa told me you were in here."
I'm holding one of the old leather-bound albums, the one with photographs from before everything fell apart. Beforemy father became a monster and trained us to follow in his footsteps. Before my mother's light was extinguished. I close it carefully, but not before she sees what I was looking at.
She moves closer, stopping beside me. I take her hand and place a kiss on it before we start flipping through some of the pages.
"You were cute," she says. “So you’re saying I’m not cute anymore?”
“Definitely not,” she says making me laugh.
“You know, I was wondering, I think I recognize everyone in the photos but I’m not sure which one is Dante. Where umm, where was he?”
“Dante… is Shadow.”
“Really? He looked so much younger than you in the album I… I’m sorry I didn’t know.”
“Yeah, he didn’t get his height until much later than the rest of us.”
"Your mother seemed wonderful.”
"She was." I finally turn to look at her.
“She was so beautiful. Just like you.”
“Well, not like me I mean who are we kidding, your mother looks like she walks out of a beauty pageant and took that photo."
"And which pageant do you look like you walked out of?” I ask.
“Is there even a librarian in heels pageant I could pretend to win?”
I quickly get up, “You are stunning,amore mio,never forget that. “I’m glad you get to take over this library, make it yours.”Her gaze drifts across the room, a soft smile lifting her lips. “So, what’s on your mind?” she asks. I’m not one to bite my tongue or hold back the truth but I realize that this is not something we can discuss so lightly.
“A lot.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Her fingers slide through my hair, and I lean into the touch, eyes closing for a moment. I don’t expect for her to lean in and place a soft kiss on my lips.
“Not today.”
“Okay, but I’m here if you ever need to talk, okay?”
Fuck, this is killing me.
“I’m going back to my room to take a shower.” She teases. I know it’s an invitation.
“My shower’s bigger,” I say simply.
“Okay, well shower in there then. See ya later.” She leaves, taking her peace and warmth with her.
I’m left sitting in the library that only the two women I have ever loved have used, and now I have to make an impossible decision.
* * *
She’s already in the shower when I arrive. Our eyes meet through the haze, and I watch the moment her breath catches. She turns her back to me, closes her eyes, and lets the spray hit her face like she’s bracing for something.
I know that tension.
I caused it.
