Page 24 of Blood and Redemption

She normally can’t find the time to ask me about my mental being when I have my face tucked between her thighs.

Right now, she’s giving me those big doe eyes, watching me carefully.

Squeezing her knee, I sigh and sit back. “I have to be. We’re attending a real wedding between one person who hates my guts, and another who should.”

In the pit of my chest, I feel the flicker of pain prickling up. Every time I think about my family, I feel it.

“She must not hate you if she wants you to come.” Repeating the words she’d said weeks ago, I grunt.

“You don’t understand what I’ve done, angel.” Sighing again, I feel Ren’s eyes against the rearview mirror. “I tucked my sister away in the corner of our home, treated her like an outcast. Then I gave her false hope, sending her to the Bertelli estate for my gain. She was supposed to be invisible, unnoticed.”

She was supposed to get information on the bastard. If she failed, she’d get taken out, taking care of the problem of her face haunting me.

It was supposed to be a win-win.

Except, it turns out, I’m a monster for sending my baby sister to get eaten by the wolves.

“I made it worse by convincing your brother to marry my other sister. If our families were tied together, it made sense for both families to attack the Bertelli family. Then she went and ranaway, getting captured herself.” I sigh again, grimacing at the memory.

Camellia, being the kind soul she is, may have forgiven me for all of my actions. Eliza, on the other hand, has never been shy about her hatred for the man I’d become.

Little did she know that I became the man I am to keep my family alive. Just because she doesn’t agree with it doesn’t mean I’m completely wrong.

Ren groans at the memory of it all. He’s a trooper, willing to stick his neck out for me. Both of us know he wouldn’t have survived a marriage with my hot-headed sister anyway.

He’s more of a lone wolf type, anyway.

Aurora is amazed by the new information, having no idea about the decisions that could’ve happened beneath her nose.

“I guess we would’ve met each other one way or another.” Humming her thoughts, she gives my hand a squeeze. “I wonder how things would’ve worked out then.”

“With a ring wrapped around your finger,” I promise her softly, letting the pad of my thumb graze her knuckle.

Even in a crowded room of a reception, she would’ve stood out amongst plenty of bodies. Like a light in the shadows.

“This is it,” Ren calls out to us, breaking our short-lived concentration. “Stay focused.”

The Bertelli estate is made up of one long winding road and plenty of trees. Close to what Ren has for himself. However, unlike his cabin, Santino hosts his family in a mansion big enough to host at least twenty rooms. Hell, probably double.

I’ve tried getting into their security, but he’s got it locked up tightly.

We’re all in awe as we reach open gates. Like an invitation to enter as we please, we pass a security box with someone inside, a radio to his lips.

“Well, they’ll know we’re here.” Dread weighs behind Ren’s words. He’s got a unique face, no chance of not being recognized.

“We’ll be fine,” I promise him, doubt covering mine.

All these weeks, I used this sweet girl to keep me distracted from reality. I should’ve tried to prepare myself better for this day.

Then again, I hardly believed I’d attend this wedding.

As gravel crunches beneath the tires, we see plenty of cars already lined up. Behind us, more cars follow. Those belonging to my men, my family.

While I may have treated Camellia wrongly, there were plenty of people who took care of her behind my back. Treated her kindly while they thought I didn’t know.

Of course, I knew. Just because she haunted me without her control didn’t mean she deserved to be hated.

Today, she deserves to have support. Even more, I need the very same in case thisisa set up.

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