Page 135 of When She Falls (The Fallen)
“I’m just going to close my eyes for a bit,” I mumble.
He presses a kiss to my hair.
And for the first time in forever, I have a dreamless sleep.
CHAPTER29
RAS
The next morning,I take Gemma into town for clothes and supplies.
On the taxi ride over, I try to figure out when to tell her that Vale has no idea where we are. Gemma seemed so sure that Damiano’s aware of what we’ve done, that I froze and lied to her.
How will she react when she finds out it might be a very long time before she sees either of her sisters again?
Guilt pulses inside my chest at the knowledge that if we want to stay hidden, Gemma will have to wait to talk to them. We can’t risk getting in touch with anyone for a while. Even with burners, we could be tracked using cell towers. I don’t know about Garzolo’s men, but Napoletano could pull something like that off in his sleep. It’s best if Gemma waits to call anyone until we’re about to leave Crete. Then, even if they manage to track us here, we’ll be long gone.
I rake my fingers through my hair and retie the knot at the back. Will Dem make Napoletano his underboss now that I’ve abandoned my duty? Napoletano and him might not have the same history we do, but he’s capable. He’d do the job as well as I ever could.
Damiano will be okay. One day, our paths will cross again, and maybe I’ll even convince him to forgive me.
I chase the painful thoughts away by focusing my attention on Gemma. She seems to be feeling better after sleeping for nearly eighteen hours. We ask the taxi to drop us off by a pharmacy because she’s self-conscious about the bruise on her face, and she wants to buy some makeup to cover it up.
The fact that she has to do that at all infuriates me. Fuck Garzolo. I hope he’s enjoying his cell.
We walk into the pharmacy, and Gemma quickly buys some things before ducking into the bathroom. When she comes up with her bruise covered up and a smile on her face, my anger loses its edge.
I finally have Gemma exactly where I want her—by my fucking side. That’s the only thing that matters now. I won’t let my anger at her father stop me from enjoying this.
The old town of Heraklion is filled with cafes, tavernas, and shops selling everything from pottery to souvenirs. We pass by Orthodox churches and walk through fountain-filled plazas. Gemma takes in everything with wide eyes, excitedly pointing things out to me on every block. A scruffy but kind of cute street dog starts following us around, and Gemma insists on stopping and giving him a scratch. My thoughts go to Churro who’s still back in Ibiza. I’ll have to find some way to get the little guy to us eventually.
Gemma leaves the dog alone and comes to me, tucking herself against my side. Warmth spreads through my chest. The longer we spend together, just the two of us, the more certain I am.
I’m going to build a life with her.
It might not be easy, especially not at first, but all the best things take work. I’ll spend each day doing whatever needs to be done to make sure she’s safe and comfortable and happy.
There’s nothing better than seeing her happy. It’s contagious. I’m fucking floating as I walk beside her, holding her hand inside my own.
“I love this town,” she tells me once we reach the shore.
I can’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. “I’m glad you like it, Peaches.”
We won’t be able to stay on Crete forever, but Greece has a shit ton of islands. I’ll find her one she likes even better and buy her a house. I have enough money scattered across my personal accounts to last us a few lifetimes.
No, scratch that. I’llbuildher a house. It’ll take longer, but it’ll be fucking perfect, just like her, and we’ll be so happy, we won’t miss any of the things we left behind.
“What would you do if you could do anything?” I ask.
Gemma peers at me. “What do you mean?”
“How would you spend your time if we lived here for a few years?”
She grins. “Are we pretending we’re that couple that goes somewhere on vacation and then falls in love with the place and decides to move there?”
Maybe we’ll stop pretending sooner than you think. “Right.”
She scrunches her lips and moves them to the side. “I’m not sure. I like fitness, so maybe I’d start my own Pilates studio. I’d have to get certified first. When I was younger, I really liked to paint, but it’s been years since I tried it. I probably wouldn’t be any good.”
