Page 71 of Tristano

“I like that. I love the way you talk about them,” Serena says softly before looking at Greer. “And how did you meet your husband?”

Greer looks at Enzo and laughs while he rolls his eyes.

“Well you see, one night I snuck out and found myself in a bar in Westies territory. This sexy-as-fuck guy sat down next to me. I knew who he was, but he had no idea that I was the sister of his enemy.” As she jumps into the story of her and Killian and their crazy history and how he followed her across the Atlantic, I can’t help but think about what Enzo said.

I wouldn’t redo any of my past with Serena. Of course I would take away her pain if I could, but who could say if things would be how they are now if we never went through all of that shit?

“You okay?” Serena murmurs as she leans into my side.

“Never better.”

ChapterFifteen

“What are you up to?” Tristano asks as he comes to a stop right outside of his guest room and leans on the doorjamb.

“I was just going through some of my things.” I shrug. “We packed so quickly, I never actually went through any of these boxes. I figured it was time to condense.”

“Find anything good in there?” he asks as he pushes off the door frame and walks into the room.

“Eh.”

“May I?” he asks, pointing to the keepsake box in front of me.

“Go for it. I was just about to look at it myself. I hadn’t realized it, but apparently I keep things I shouldn’t,” I say as he starts rifling through it.

He picks up a piece of paper and starts reading it. I watch as his eyebrows shoot up, and he fights back a smile.

“Do I want to know?” I ask, full of dread.

“Some boy named Caleb was wondering if you would be willing to go to prom with him. He promises to be nothing but a gentleman. How boring,” he huffs.

I groan thinking about Caleb. “He asked me when I was a freshman. Needless to say, he ended up ditching me not even halfway through the dance and hooked up with another senior.”

“Asshole,” he mumbles as he walks toward the dresser.

“What are you doing?”

I watch as he drops the note in the trashcan. “Putting this in the garbage where it belongs. You don’t need any reminders of Caleb or anyone else.”

I roll my eyes at his antics and start looking back through the keepsake box.

I find an old photo of me standing between my dad and grandfather. All three of us wear matching grins. It makes my heart ache just looking at it. It hurts to think about the fact that they are no longer alive.

“You look happy,” Tristano says.

“I was,” I tell him as I set the photo down, refusing to meet his eyes.

“What happened to them?” He settles down next to me.

“My father died in the line of duty when I was six. Suicide by cop turned into a homicide with one stray bullet. My grandfather took over my care after that. He had a heart attack when I was ten. I had no living family members left that we knew of, so Uncle Ben took me in. He was my father’s best friend. They came up in the academy together. He took over as chief after my grandfather passed.”

“Your mom?” He keeps his tone low.

“Never knew her. She didn’t want me, so after she gave birth, she left me in the hospital with my father. I don’t think they were in love or anything. He never seemed to miss her.”

I can feel the melancholy settling over me. Maybe that’s why I always wanted to prove myself. I’ve felt undeserving from the moment I took my first breath.

“Is this your class ring?” he asks after a few beats of silence.

---