“But I want to,” I rasped, my stomach still twisting like heated scraps of metal.
“Well then,” Alessandro said, drawing closer, “you being in her life increases her chances of safety a hell of a lot more than if you’re not. Because you’ll be there to look out for her.”
“He’s right,” Constantine said. “And you know how much it pains me to admit that.”
A small, surprising smile slipped onto Alessandro’s lips, but before he could come up with a clever response, Izzy opened the door and poked her head in, and Constantine let go of me and faced her.
“Hey, you.” I motioned for her to come in.
“Can we talk?” she asked, eyes on me.
Constantine and Alessandro shot me a quick look, a plea to not be a dumbass about Maria, and I nodded my promise, and then they left.
Once we were alone, it was only then I noticed she had a folder in her hand, and in a small voice she said, “I thought you might want to read this. It’s Bianca’s original draft. Night and day different from what was published.”
I gulped, my gaze clinging to the folder, uncertain what to say or think. The uneasy feeling in my stomach doubled at the sight of it.
“Can I confess something?” she whispered, and I peered up at her, not sure where this conversation was going to go. “Growing up, I was always jealous of the relationship you two had. You had the twin thing, and I felt left out. And then after she died, it was like you couldn’t even look at me. And it hurt ... a lot, if I’m being honest.”
Her words deflated the air from my lungs. “Izzy.”
She held up her palm, a request to let her continue, and I hesitantly nodded. “I look like her,” she softly said. “And although we have different personalities, I understand how hard it is ... because sometimes it hurts when I look in the mirror.” Tears filled her eyes. “It fucking hurts.”
I broke forward, dying to get to her. To ease her pain. But she kept her arm extended, a request to let her finish, so I did my best to stay back and respect that.
“But I also want to feel closer to her. And if I change myself and who I am, I’m scared I’ll start to forget her. Lose her for good.” She sniffled. “But she’s gone, and you’re not, and I—”
“Fuck.” I couldn’t stop myself; I hauled my sister against me, and she dropped the folder. I cradled her head to my chest and held her tight. “I’m so sorry. So damn sorry.” I waited for her broken sob to slow before adding, “You do look like her. But I also see you for you. And I’m so proud of the woman you’ve become, and she would be, too.”
She peeled back and gripped my forearms as if searching for help to stand.
“I wasn’t there for you like I should have been. None of us was. We were focused on revenge. And we lost sight of ...” I released a shaky exhale, my lungs hurting that time. “Let me be here for you now. Please,” I begged. “Let me prove to you that I do love you. And I’m here for you.”
Izzy collapsed back into my arms again, and I cupped her head, and tears hit my face for the first time since the day I’d dropped to my knees at Bianca’s church right before my arrest.
I lost one sister, and I nearly lost another, and somehow Bianca brought us back together. Saving me like always. Even from the beyond, she had my six.
“I love you, sis,” I whispered once she’d untangled herself from my hug.
Her gaze slipped to the folder, to the papers that had fallen from it. “Bianca believed in forgiveness. Mercy. She believed in love. So I’m going to be like that, too.” She knelt and picked up the folder, shuffling the papers back inside. “She didn’t get her happy ending, but I know she’d want all of us to have ours. And we owe it to her to do it. To live in the now instead of the past. And I’m going to try hard to do that.”
I tilted my head. “Does that mean no more dating men who don’t deserve you?”
Her gaze shot to the door, and I was unsure why. “I promise, but if I lose my way—”
“I’ll be there for you to guide you back.”
THIRTY-THREE
Maria
I stared at Chiara asleep in her crib later that afternoon, my heart swelling in my chest at the sight of her. My parents, as well as Natalia and Ryan, had met us at the airport an hour ago. Chiara had nearly jumped free from Mom’s arms to get to me. After I gave her a million kisses, Enzo stole her from me, and I’d swear that man held her as if he might never let go.
I’d sent Natalia and Ryan home, but my parents stubbornly followed us back to my place. My parents didn’t know the entire story of what had happened, and they didn’t need to know. But the Costas had assured them we were all safe and we would be protected.
“She always passes out on car rides.” I folded my arms, continuing to stare at my beautiful daughter.
“Let’s not wake her. Come on.” Mom lightly grabbed my arm, urging me to leave, but it was hard to unglue myself from Chiara when I’d been away from her for far too long. But I supposed Mom was right, so we left her room, though I kept the door slightly ajar.