Page 126 of When She Loves
I press send. The house is quiet, but there’s blood whooshing inside my ears as I wait for my husband to respond.
His message comes a minute later.
There’s nothing to talk about. I don’t want to see you there when I’m back.
My vision blurs with tears as I type back.
Please tell me you won’t do it.
Three dots appear on the screen.
I don’t have a choice.
I squeeze the phone in my hand until pain blooms inside my palm, and then I hurl it at the floor. “Damn it!”
It’s over. There’s no way back from this.
I fly into the closet, jerk a suitcase off the bottom shelf, and fling it open. Things go inside—clothes, jewelry, whatever—and then I slam it closed and zip it up.
Vale must hear the commotion, because she comes into the bedroom at the same time I drag my suitcase out of the closet. Her gaze falls onto my bag. “Are you all right?”
I shake my head, tears dripping down my face and onto my shirt. I can’t remember the last time I cried like this. “I need to get out of here. Please, just get me out of here.”
She rushes over. “Come on.”
Vale’s driver takes Gemma, Vale, and me to the hotel in Manhattan where they’ve been staying. My temple pressed against the glass, I close my eyes and try to calm down, but as soon as I replay Rafaele’s words, my throat tightens, and I start crying again.
I can’t believe it’s over.
When we walk into Vale’s suite, Damiano and Ras are there waiting for us. Giorgio is sitting in the corner, his hands steepled as he watches everyone from afar.
“Where’s Mari?” Valentina asks.
“In our suite,” Giorgio says, his gaze flashing with pity as he takes me in. “She tried to wait up, Cleo, but I told her to get some sleep. We have an early flight tomorrow.”
Vale shoots me an apologetic look. “I’m sure we can postpone it if you don’t want to leave just yet.”
I shake my head. “What’s the point? There’s nothing left for me here. What hope is there for Rafaele and I when I’m the reason he’s about to lose his best friend?”
My voice cracks on the last word, and Vale pulls me against her chest. “Shhh. It’ll be okay, Cleo.”
“No. It won’t.” I press my face into her shoulder, staining her clothes with my tears. I’ve never felt more helpless in my whole life. Not even when I was walking down the aisle toward Rafaele, when I was sure marrying him was the worst thing that could possibly happen to me.
Wasn’t it?
If we hadn’t gotten married, none of this would have happened. If only he could have seen into the future when he agreed to take me instead of Gemma… He never would have agreed.
I disentangle myself from Vale, suddenly overwhelmed with her touch, overwhelmed with everything. Panic claws up my throat, and that’s when my gaze lands on Damiano. My sister’s husband wears a somber expression. Damiano is a don too. He’s powerful, smart, resourceful. The only reason he helped Rafaele today is because I’m Vale’s sister. Beyond that, he’s got little skin in the game. He can keep a clear head. Maybe he can think of a way out of this.
I cross the room and stop before him. “Rafe’s going to kill Nero because of me. Damiano, can’t you do something? Please.”
My sister’s husband looks at me with compassion I wasn’t sure he possessed. “Cleo…it wouldn’t be right for us to interfere. We’re guests here.”
“Please.” My voice rings with desperation. “Rafaele is your business partner. Him losing his consigliere can’t be good for business. I’m begging you.”
Damiano turns to Vale, who’s giving him a pleading look that mirrors my own. He sighs. “All right. I’ll give him a call. But I can’t promise anything.”
A flicker of hope appears inside my chest, even though I know it’s far-fetched. Damiano, Giorgio, and Ras walk out of the suite into an adjacent room and close the door.
