Page 31 of Redemption

I frown at her words and let go of her wrists. The idea of her having a kid hurts me in a way I would never tell her. I thought we had something between us, something we never admitted to but then she disappeared. I felt things for her I never felt with any other woman I’ve been with. And that list is long. She is also the only woman I ever slept with repeatedly. Besides a few girlfriends in high school and college. And to think she shared what she and I had with another man causes something to stir in me.

I run my hand along her cheekbone where a cut is healing. “Who did this to you?”

“Kilian, let it go,” she sighs.

“Did he do this?” I ask, rage burning through my veins.

She gazes into my eyes, a feeling of hopelessness overtaking them. “Why do you care?”

“Bella, I’ll always care about you.”

“Even if I’m a Renzetti?”

I brush the loose pieces of her hair across her face. “Especially if you are. They are dangerous.”

“Aren’t you?”

I don’t answer her.

“You can’t save me, Kilian. Not from this life. I was born into the mafia. I will die by their hand. There is no escaping it. I’ve accepted that path. Just like you’ve accepted yours.”

I close my eyes as I accept the truth she has already come to accept. I move off her and walk toward the open doors of the balcony, letting the smell of salty air overtake my senses.

We are both quiet for a long time, neither of us talking. I don’t look at her. Because I don’t know what there is to say. I know I can’t save her. Hell, I shouldn’t even be here. But I took the precautions I needed to keep myself in the shadows, my presence unknown. I just can’t keep myself away from her. She’s forbidden fruit. I’ve had my taste of her and one taste is never enough.

I hear her moving behind me. But I don’t have the energy to worry if she is picking up a knife, ready to kill me. The sound of a bottle opening and liquid being poured acts as a white flag.

She moves to stand next to me, handing me a glass of whiskey. “For what it’s worth, I never wanted to leave you.”

I close my eyes at those words. “Then why did you?” I finally ask as I turn to look at her.

She gathers her thoughts carefully. “It’s a long story.”

“I have nowhere to be.”

A short laugh falls from her lips. “Maybe another time.”

I feel something break in me, to know this woman who used to tell me everything as we had lain in bed late at night, won’t tell me the reason she disappeared on me. I swirl the whiskey around in my glass before I toss the entire glass back at once.

“You know someone always told me you are supposed to savor it,” she teases.

My lip curls up at her. “I did.”

She throws her head back in laughter then tosses her own drink back. “I missed you, Kilian. I wish I never had to leave.”

“I thought you said that story was for another time.”

“It is.” She looks at me then looks out at the water below. “But I have nowhere to be tonight. And we have an entire bottle of whiskey.”

I raise a brow at her. “Drink for a story?”

She smiles at me and I can feel it all the way in my bones. “Just like we used to.”

13

MIRABELLA

Iam laughing so hard I am sure the fish in the Mediterranean can hear me. It’s almost four in the morning and Kilian just poured the last of the whiskey into our glasses.

---