Page 17 of Kiss of Ruin (Brutal Empire)

ChapterEight

Scarlett

The sun is warm on my face. I’ve been to the pool on the property many times, there’s just something different about the feeling of the sun on your face at the beach. It’s the first time I’ve been out of the house without the assistance of a cane.

The pain when I walked has disappeared. I’m still not as quick on my feet as I used to be, but I’m working on my mobility everyday with Amanda.

There’s nothing I can do in New York until I’m completely healed. Once I’m back to my old self, I want to talk to Carlos and Andreas about all that I’ve learned about Elena. How her death with be the beginning of the end for the DeLuca family.

Until then, I’m going to do my best to enjoy Miami for what it is.

I glance over next to me, where Sofia lays on one of the lounges on the private beach with Miguel right next to her. It took some convincing, but we reminded him that access to the beach is blocked by armed security guards. The only way anyone from the DeLuca family would be able to get their hands on us would be by boat.

For the time being, I enjoy the warmth of the sun on my face. There’s plenty of darkness waiting for me when I return to New York. Until, then I’m going to take advantage of the time I have here.

It’s taken me two months and I’m finally not spending all my time focusing on Nico or the mistakes I made by falling for him in the first place. I refuse to be a pawn in anyone’s life again. I’m worth more than being a bed warmer for whoever comes along and just wants a piece of my body.

The next man I let in is going to have to beg and plead, proving that they won’t treat me like I’m piece of meat. I’ve allowed the last two men in my life to walk all over me and discard me as if I’m nothing.

Now, everything is about me.

At least it will be once I take care of Elena DeLuca.

I close my eyes and let all my muscles relax. The day is absolutely perfect.

I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep until I feel someone pushing against my arm. I lift my hand above my eyes to block out the sun and open them.

“Hey Scar, were you hungry? Did you want to get some lunch?”

I sit farther up in the lounge chair and glance at the time on my phone. A month ago, every time I picked up my phone I hoped for a message from Nico. Nothing ever came and eventually, I stopped looking. Now, the only thing I check when I pull it out of the side of my bag is the time.

We’d been there for a few hours, one of which I fell asleep.

“I’m not starving yet. I’d love to get another hour or two of sun before we need to head back.”

“Yeah, I don’t really want to leave either, but I’m starving.”

“I have an idea,” Miguel offers. “Why don’t you two choose what you want to eat, and then I’ll have one of the drivers pick it up and bring it here.”

“Lunch on the beach?” Sofia practically bounces on her toes. I’ve never seen her so relaxed and happy. New York might be our home, but here Sofia thrives in a way I’ve never seen.

I smile. “Let’s have lunch on the beach.”

It takes us a bit to choose a restaurant, but once we do, Miguel gets the order placed and sends a driver for the food. I’ve never done anything like this. Of course, I’ve been to the beach before. This feels different. There’s not a tension in my shoulders, waiting for Luis to run off for some reason.

Whenever we would travel, I made all the plans. Luis never had much interest in laying on the beach, even when there were waiters to bring drinks directly to your chair. I would spend some time at the pool, never staying too long so Luis didn’t get bored.

Being here, doing the things I’ve always wanted gave me a sense of freedom I never had before. Without everything I’d been through lately, I would have never known I needed it.

Lunch is delivered and for some reason, the food tastes better with the salty wind in your face. Even the other people on the beach didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the day.

I’m sad to go back to the house at the end of the night, even if I know that I can come back to the beach soon. There’s still time until I’m completely back to what I was before I was shot.

Miguel drives us back to the house and Isabel is there to greet us as soon as we walk through the door.

She wraps me in a hug, something I’ve grown to love. Like Camila and Rosa, she treats me like a daughter. “How was the beach?”

I hike my bag farther up to my shoulder. “It was wonderful.”

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