Page 132 of Mine Again
“It would have changedeverything. I wouldn’t have wasted so many nights grieving you. Dreading my future. Waiting for a fate that was never really coming.”
Something inside me tears loose.
A soundless scream builds inside my chest.
The betrayal. The silence. The years I lost.
Fury boils up stronger than before, and this time I don’t try to contain it.
Eyes locked on his, I take a slow, deliberate step toward him.
He doesn’t move.
But I do.
I draw my hand back and slap him. Hard.
The crack of it cuts through the air. My palm stings from the contact, the burn radiating up my arm. His cheek snaps to the side with the force of it, and for a second, everything is still.
My chest heaves. My fingers tremble. But I don’t take it back.
Imeantit.
Without another word, I spin around and stomp down the path.
“Isa!” he calls after me.
But I don’t turn around.
I’ve had enough.
I don’t want to hear any more.
Not fromhim.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Luca
Iwash the zucchini for our dinner, my eyes fixed on the large screen mounted on the living room wall.
The picture changes as Isa triggers another motion sensor, the camera panning to follow her. Her pace is fast, her movements sharp. It’s been that way since she left the lookout half an hour ago.
I came back to the house, but every part of me is still out there with her. My chest burns with the need to explain. To hold her close. But I’d only make it worse right now. She needs to move. To rage. To feel like she has some control left. Letting her walk is the least I can do.
And I need something to keep my mind occupied.
Cooking usually helps. But today, I can barely hold a zucchini steady. My hand tightens on the knife, and I force myself to slow down. I need focus, or I’ll lose a finger.
I draw a breath and exhale slowly, grounding myself as I slice long, even ribbons of zucchini. Each one is thin enough to roll without breaking. My fingers move automatically, but my mind stays on her.
I should have told Isa straight away that Antonio had one condition for our deal.
And that’s on me. I agreed.
Not knowing how long it would take me to claim Isa back, I was willing to enter into that bargain.
But will she understand?
