Page 78 of The Bonventi War
As I turn to head upstairs, I pause, looking back at Frank's corpse one more time. Something about Raven’s art tool delivering justice to the man who damaged her the most seems almost worthy of a painting in and of itself.
I leave the basement, closing the door behind me. Frank Carvello is no more. Soon, the Russians who dared to try and take what’s mine will join him.
But first, I need to go to Raven. She needs me now more than ever.
32
RAVEN
Isit on a chair, clutching the armrests. My gallery feels like a foreign place now—invaded, violated. The bruises on my face throb, and my head pounds with each heartbeat. I don't know how long I've been sitting here, staring at nothing, my mind a swirling mess of conflicting emotions. Overall, I just feel numb.
The basement door creaks open, and I look up so fast my neck muscles tighten.
Gio emerges, shirtless, and I force myself not to look too closely at the dark stains on his skin. His muscled torso rises and falls with deep breaths. Our eyes lock, and for a moment, neither of us speaks, but his eyes tell me all I need to know.
My father is gone.
The truth settles over me like a weighted blanket.
I should feel something—grief, horror, regret. Instead, there's only a hollow emptiness where those emotions should be. What kind of daughter feels nothing when her father dies? One who'sbeen neglected and treated terribly by their dad since they can remember.
Gio crosses the room to me quickly and pulls me into his arms. I stiffen initially, then melt against him, my face pressed against his warm chest. I can hear his heart. His skin smells of cologne and sweat.
He kisses the top of my head, his arms tighten around me.
"I spent my whole life trying to please him," I say as tears fall down my cheeks. "Do you know that? Even after my mom died, even after he blamed me for everything—I still tried."
Gio's hand cradles the back of my head, his fingers gentle in my hair.
"He was never going to love me, was he?" I ask. "Do I even deserve love if my own father?—"
"I love you."
The words plow into me like a freight train. I pull back from Gio's embrace, my heart slamming against my ribcage.
"What… what did you just say?" My voice comes out low.
Gio looks at me for a moment. "I love you," he repeats, softer this time but with absolutely no hesitation. His hand remains firm against the small of my back.
I stare at him, mouth slightly open, unable to process the three words that have just exploded my world. Something breaks loose inside me, a dam I didn't know existed, and suddenly every emotion I've been suppressing rushes in at once. Joy, fear, disbelief, hope—they collide and erupt like fireworks beneath my skin.
Tears spring to my eyes and spill down my cheeks before I can stop them. A sob escapes my lips.
Gio pulls me in tighter, his strong arms enveloping me completely. "Not how I expected you to react, but that's okay."
The rumble of his voice against my ear sends another wave of emotion through me. This dangerous man who kills without remorse, who ran his car into another vehicle to save me, who fights for me above all else —loves me. And somehow, impossibly, I'm not afraid.
I lift my head to find his beautiful green eyes again. They're softer than I've ever seen them, watching me with a mixture of concern and tenderness that makes my heart flutter.
"No, no, I mean, I—" I stammer, wiping tears away with trembling fingers. "These are good tears."
His thumb brushes across my cheek, catching some of my tears.
"I've spent my whole life thinking there was something wrong with me," I say, my voice shaky. "That I wasn't enough."
"You're enough," Gio says fiercely. "You're more than enough. Your father was a worthless piece of shit who didn't deserve you." His voice is hard, but his touch remains gentle. "That has nothing to do with you being lovable, Raven."
I feel raw, exposed. Like he's peeled back every layer I've used to protect myself and can see straight to my core. The place where that little girl still lives—the one who just wanted her daddy to notice her, to be proud of her.
