Page 60 of Bullet for My Good Girl

Of course, after a week, I'm already itching to get out in the world again. A few pings come through on the forums, letting me know there are contracts that I can take. I'm not interested.

"This is going to take a lot of getting used to," Stella says, laying next to me, her gorgeous face bruised from where the doctors had to break her nose in order to modify it. She already looked different, but nothing so drastic that it would change my perception of her. Then again, maybe it was her inner beauty that I was most attracted to.

"You're still gorgeous as ever," I tell her, and she shrugs.

"So where are we going to go now? I mean, I like the club, but I don't think we're going to stay here for the rest of our lives. Sooner or later, Chance is going to start getting into things he doesn't have any business being in." She chuckles, and at that moment, Chance picks up one of the many stuffed animals Diego has brought for him to throw across the room.

"We could go to the Caribbean, find a small island and live out our lives there. No one to run from, no one to answer to," I tell her, turning on my side to look at her.

"Really, you think you'd be able to do that?" She squints at me, her eyebrows pinching in slightly.

"As long as the two of you are with me, then I'm sure I could do whatever I needed to do."

"What about your family? They may have thoughts about you just up and leaving."

"Right now, my family is imploding from within. I don't think they care very much about me," I offer up.

"Okay then, whatever you think is safe, I'm ready to do." She snuggles up closer to me and lays her head on my shoulder. In all my life, I would've never thought I'd be the domestic type, but living this new life with Stella is exactly what I want. I can't wait to really get started.

Another week later, and Stella is well enough to make moves. I had Diego rent us a private jet to take us to a small island near Jamaica. It's modern enough that I don't have to worry about living without but still secluded enough that I don't have to worry about any other contract killer looking too deep into what I'm doing there with Stella. We can live mostly free there. I can't wait.

"You've got everything you need?" I ask just as we pack the last of the small bags into the car that's going to take us to the tarmac.

"Yeah, I'm all set."

Without looking over my shoulder, I grab the passenger-side door, ready to slide in. Silly move on my behalf. I should always be checking my surroundings. I know that. I've always known that. A hand grabs hold of my shoulder and wrenches me around. Purely by instinct, I knock the hand off and poise myself ready to attack. It's only because I catch a glimpse of the man behind me that makes me stop. Giancarlo. He looks like shit.

"You think you're just going to leave and have us deal with this shit on our own. You're a fucking Bianucci. You don't get to back down," he growls at me. He's tired and on edge. I've never seen my brother so ragged.

"Gian, I don't know what-"

"No, you don't know. You think you're the only one who deserves a happy life, the only one who wants some fucking peace," he says through gritted teeth before he pushes his hands through his long hair; it's oily and looks nothing like what he usually looks like.

"You want peace, you have to go get it. This wasn't easy for me, but it's what I have to do for myself," I tell him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He shakes it off and backs away from me. "It's not that easy, not for me. I have responsibilities." He looks away.

"You have a prison sentence, one you don't deserve. If you want your freedom, you're going to have to think of a way to break free of the chains that hold you."

"Babbo will never let me. It's all about appearances with him. You know that. I have to stay true."

"You have to change the appearance then. Maybe your new bride isn't everything she's cracked up to be." I don't know anything about her, but if there's anyone who can do some digging, it's Giancarlo. I know what this is all about. He feels jilted that he was the one to lose his woman while I found a way to keep mine. If he wants Rosie back, then he's going to have to fight for her the same way I fought for mine.

"Be safe, brother, you'll be able to contact me, but I really hope you don't." I slap his arm one last time before I get in the car with Stella and Chance. I've got a whole new life to live. One that doesn't involve my toxic-ass family or the expectations that they have on me. I found my happily ever after, and I'll be damned if I get pulled back into a life that threatens it.

Loyalty or no loyalty.

Thirty-Three

Stella

3 Months Later

Three months in absolute paradise.

I would have never guessed that Vitto could turn into this domesticated superman that he has, but at every turn, I see the depth of his soul. He may think that he was made to be a contract killer, but I've been able to see the other side of him. The side that will do anything for Chance and me, and I must say it's been a novel experience.

After we left the city, leaving behind all the bullshit that was his family and the contract on my head, he took us to the Cayman Islands where we've been living peacefully in a mid-sized three-bedroom house. Chance is thriving, and even though it's taking me some time to get used to the new face that I see in the mirror, I'm flourishing too.

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