Page 86 of Bittersweet Endings
And when she finally collapsed in a barely-conscious form,she relaxed. Wrapping her arms around me while seeking comfort. It was strange how perfect she fit in my hold.
Lying beside her, our bodies still slick with sweat, I tried to catch my breath. But my mind wouldn’t let me rest. I stared at the ceiling, the weight of everything pressing down on me.
“You knew I’d come for you,” I said.
She turned her head, her dark eyes steady, unwavering. “I never doubted it.”
I traced slow patterns over her bare skin. “You put yourself in danger. You could've died, Octavia,” I bit out. “Why’d you do it?”
“He deserved it.”
I scoffed, shaking my head. “That doesn’t answer my fucking question.”
She sighed, rolling onto her side so she could look me in the eye. “I did it for you.”
“For. Me,” I repeated, not understanding what she meant.
She nodded. Her fingers grazing my broken knuckles. “JP was a disease, Carmine. He had his hooks in you and he should’ve died years ago. But all the stuff he did to you, it had an infectious hold on you.” She inhaled deeply. “You deserved to be Capo, not him. You deserved to be more than the son of a monster. You deserved to be free of him.”
“Never do something like that again.” I gripped her face and kissed her. “You could’ve died. What if things went differently?”
She shrugged. “Rocco had eyes on me the whole time.”
I clenched my jaw, my fingers flexing against her waist as I pulled her closer. “I don’t need you throwing yourself into the fire for me.”
“You would’ve done it for me.” She didn’t hesitate. “I knew you’d come for me. And I had Rocco call my father to make sureyou weren’t alone. I didn’t do this to be reckless, Carmine. I did it because...” She paused.
“Because what?”
“Why did you come to New York, Carmine?” She sounded angry all of a sudden. “Lucky would’ve helped me take down Peiro. You’ve been off fucking supermodels in Cali. Why come back?”
“Jealous?” I chuckled when she punched my ribs. “I was never going to allow that asshole to live.”
“Okay. He’s dead. Why’re you here now? You threw me away, Carmine.” A trickle of something wet landed on my chest. She was crying. “I was a pawn in your game, no matter how much I tried to control the board. So, why’re you here?”
The words I needed to say slammed into me like a bullet. Right to the chest. I stiffened, my pulse hammering, the air in the room suddenly too thick. “I never planned to let you go.”
She didn’t say a word. Just waited.
“JP saw too much. Saw you. And knew what you meant to me. That made you a liability. I couldn’t let him use you against me.”
She didn’t reply. She wanted more from me.
“I walked away so your family could keep you safe. So I wouldn’t have to put a bullet in every man who looked at you twice. I went back like nothing had happened. Business as usual. Dead inside. JP disappeared, and I needed him to believe I didn’t give a damn about…” I froze. “Believe that we were done, because once I let you go, it was over. And now I’m here because he’s gone and we can fuck.” I tried to force a smirk, but it fell flat.
“I don’t believe you.” Her tone was off. “Carmine, what’re you saying?”
I knew what she wanted to hear, but I couldn’t give it to her. “Because you’re mine. I fucking own you.”
“Get out of my house.” She shrugged me loose, climbing off the bed. “Get the fuck out, Carmine!” she shrieked.
“The fuck?”
When I didn’t move, she hurled a lamp at me.
“Calm the fuck down, little doll.”
“No! Asshole. Get the fuck out. You got your dick wet, now go.” She walked into her bathroom and slammed the door.
