Page 153 of When She Falls (The Fallen)
I turn to the window, the backs of my eyes starting to prickle.
We pull into the driveway, and I hop out of the car as soon as it stops. Vince doesn’t follow me.
Inside, the house is cold and empty. My skin still tingles with the memory of Greek sun. In a few weeks, my tan will fade. It will be like I was never there.
There are people waiting for me, house staff and a handful of made men. I barely acknowledge them. They’re here to guard me. It’s so obvious that there’s no point in pretending that’s not the case.
Mamma and Cleo aren’t here. I ask about them, and I’m told they’re visiting Papà and will be back soon.
I go up to my room, wash up in the bathroom, and then fold myself into the small window seat, pulling a blanket over my lap.
The stitches around my heart start to tear.
The fantasy Ras and I created was far better than reality. It was perfect.
And now it’s gone forever.
Tears rise in my eyes, and before long, they’re spilling down my cheeks. I move to the bed, press my face into the pillow, and cry until I pass out.
* * *
A sound wakes me. I sit up, my head groggy from the jet lag, and glance around the room. The door opens.
Cleo.
My chest swells at seeing my sister. She rushes over and throws herself at me, her arms looping around my waist.
I hug her back, letting the warmth of her embrace seep into my bones. It feels like it’s been forever since I last saw her, even if it’s only been a bit more than a week.
“You shouldn’t have come back to this mess,” she says, pressing her face against my chest bone.
Sighing, I run my palm over her curls. “I had to.”
“Don’t tell me you did it for Papà.” She lets go of me and maneuvers herself to sit cross-legged by my side. “As far as I’m concerned, he’s exactly where he belongs.”
“No, I didn’t do it for Papà,” I say quietly.
Cleo frowns. “You look sad. What happened while you were gone, Gem? Tell me everything.”
There’s one thing I have to do first. “Do you have your phone with you? I’ve been trying to call Vale.” I want to make sure Ras has returned safely and that Damiano isn’t putting any blame on him.
Cleo shakes her head. “I don’t have my phone anymore. Mamma took it from me this morning. She knows I’d give it to you if you asked, and they’re keeping you under lock and key until you’ve got a wedding band on your finger. By the way, I have your engagement ring. You left it on the counter in the penthouse the night we stayed there.”
Damn it. I won’t be able to call Vale. So I just have to pray that everything worked out on that side of the world? Damiano must be in contact with Vince, though. My brother will for sure tell him what I’ve said about Ras.
“Gem?”
I blink, realizing Cleo’s looking at me expectantly.
She nudges my knee. “What’s going on?”
Can I tell her the truth? Just the thought of doing it makes an ache move down my throat. But there’s no one else I can talk to about Ras, and Idowant to talk about Ras.
It’s been less than a day, and I already miss him so much.
Tears well up in my eyes. “I don’t even know where to start.”
My choked-up voice makes worry slip into Cleo’s expression. “Are you okay?” She scans me over with her gaze. “Are you still hurt?”
