Page 109 of Bound in Obsession
“I’m happy to see you too,” she murmurs against my shoulder, her voice cracking. “I thought I’d never see you again.”
Not long after, she falls asleep and I sit up to cover her with a blanket.
She looks so tired. So frail. Her cheeks are hollow, and she’s lost a worrying amount of weight. I can only imagine the fear, the hunger, the constant running she and Domenico endured while trying to stay hidden from our father.
And now… the love of her life is gone. My heart aches so badly for her. I don’t even know how to help heal something this deep.
I lean down and press a soft kiss to her forehead, brushing damp strands of hair away from her face. Then I pull the blanket higher around her shoulders, turn off the bedside lamp, and quietly slip out of the room, closing the door gently behind me.
As I walk down the hallway toward our bedroom, I see Nico stepping out of his office with Marco. They speak in low voicesfor a moment before Marco nods and walks away. Nico turns and sees me. His expression softens instantly.
He pulls me gently to his side. “How is she?”
“She’s asleep,” I whisper. “She’s heartbroken. Exhausted. She keeps blaming herself for what happened to Domenico.”
Nico’s jaw tightens. “It wasn’t her fault.”
“I know. I keep trying to tell her that.”
“It might take time for her to accept that.”
He guides me back toward our bedroom, his hand warm and steady on my lower back. Once inside, I turn to him, my throat tight with emotion.
“Thank you,” I say softly. “For saving her. For letting me go see her. I know it wasn’t easy for you to agree.”
Nico cups my face with both hands, his thumbs brushing my cheeks.
“I promised you I would keep you and your sisters safe,” he says, voice low and serious. “I meant that. I’ll do everything in my power to protect what’s mine. It’s unfortunate we couldn’t get to her faster… that Domenico was killed.”
I nod, blinking back fresh tears. “Are you really going to arrange a burial for him?”
“Yes,” he says without hesitation. “I already reached out to the priest. He can come if your sister wants. Talk to her. If she prefers to wait, we’ll push it back. But I’ll make sure it’s done properly.”
I feel my chest tighten with gratitude. Without thinking, I step forward and wrap my arms around him, hugging him tightly.
“Thank you,” I whisper against his chest. “I’m really grateful for everything you’re doing.”
Nico’s arms come around me immediately, one hand rubbing my back while the other cradles the back of my head. He presses a soft kiss to my temple.
“I’ll do anything for you,” he murmurs, the words sinking deep into my skin. “Anything.”
His declaration stays with me. I don’t know what the future holds anymore, for me, for Sienna, for us, but in this moment, wrapped in Nico’s arms, I let myself believe that maybe… just maybe… we might be okay.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Eleonora
The next evening, a priest arrives at the estate for a small, private funeral in Domenico’s honor.
It’s just the four of us. Me, Sienna, Nico, and Marco standing in a quiet, secluded part of the grounds near the edge of the woods.
The air is cool and still. Sienna has barely been herself all day. She cried for hours, refused to eat, and withdrew into herself completely.
I tried everything I could, holding her, talking to her, reminding her she wasn’t alone, but nothing seemed to reach her. I don’t blame her. She’s lost the man she loved. Her pain is valid, even if it breaks my heart to watch.
As the priest speaks gentle words over the empty casket, Sienna can barely stand. I wrap my arm tightly around her waist, holding her up as silent tears stream down both our faces.
She trembles violently beside me, and every sob that escapes her feels like it’s tearing something inside my own chest.
