Page 107 of Finally Forever
“Sebastian?” I inch toward him. “Are you okay?”
His head lifts, and a strange look swirls in his eyes.
“What is it?” I whisper, afraid to speak too loudly or else I might spook him.
“She did it. She killed him.” His gaze is dazed and unfocused.
“Who’s she?” I ease onto the bed beside him. “Who’s dead?”
“I was going to do it. It was my plan. I wanted him to know I lived and that I beat him.”
I thread my fingers with his. “Who, Sebastian? Who are you talking about?”
He stares at our joined hands, then his eyes lift to mine, life returning to them. “My father. My sister killed him. He’s dead.”
Ice trickles down my spine. “Your sister?”
“Francesca. She called me.”
“When?”
“Before you left.”
My brain swims. “How did she know you’re alive? How-how did she get your number?”
He rubs his hand down his face. “I wasn’t myself after the amnesia. You know that. I made plans to kill my father. I thought I’d chickened out before and now was my chance to prove I could outsmart him and take his life.”
“That’s what you were doing in Montana?” It explains what I couldn’t figure out before. His closed off behavior and sneaking away. I wasn’t sure if it was the new him or if he was up to something. It had been both.
“I obtained informants in Italy and chose the right man to help me execute the plan. He had connections to my sister. She started to piece it together and figured out it was me.”
“How?” I ask, aghast. “We’ve been so careful. No one knew you were alive, not even your dad.” Fear worms its way under my skin. Words leave me without thought. “We weren’t safe. That whole time. None of us were. Are we safe now? Is Nathan and Kensington and Riley safe? What about Lowell? Oh, God!” I jump to my feet.
“Ainsley.” Sebastian touches my shoulder. He’s standing in front of me now. “We are safe. Now more than ever.”
“But your sister… What if she wants to kill you next?”
“She won’t. She killed him for me and for herself. We’ve wanted him dead ever since he killed our mother. She’s on my side. We’re free. Officially free.” A slow smile crawls up his face, then he laughs.
“I don’t understand. I don’t understand any of this. Why are you laughing?” Is he losing it?
“Because we’re free. Free for real this time.” He cups my cheeks and kisses me. “Free, Ainsley.” He scoops me up and swings me around in a circle.
Catching his emotions and giddiness, I laugh too, even though I don’t know why.
He stops spinning and sets me on my feet.
“Can you explain more? Please?”
He nods, and the smile on his face is so brilliant I could stare at it forever. The lines, the stress, the torment, are all gone.
“My father is dead. Francesca is not the enemy. She has her life with her mafia husband and is happy. She has no concern for me. The Gianni reign is over. A new godfather is being appointed probably as I speak. I am no longer a threat or a target. Neither are you. None of my friends are. No one I know is. I’m dead to the mafia. Only Francesca knows of my existence, and she knows I want to be free. No more hiding.” He kisses me. “No more secrets or lies.” He kisses me. “No more fear. We are free.”
I digest his words, letting them sink deep. Moments pass.
“Ainsley?” Sebastian studies me. “Do you understand?”
“Yeah.” I close my eyes. “It’s just overwhelming. We’ve been hiding for so long, I don’t know if I remember how to live free.”
