Page 50 of Kiss of Ruin (Brutal Empire)

“Elena’s son. Luis was his father.”

Sofia gasps. “Luis had a son?”

I can’t stop the tears. Now that the floodgates have opened, I can’t close them. I let Sofia hold me while I weep. I cry for everything that’s been taken from me. The cost for me has been too high. Almost everyone, I’ve ever cared about is gone or wants nothing to do with me.

Sofia rubs my back. “Let it all out. We can talk later.”

I don’t know how long I sit and cry. Eventually the tears dry up and I’m left a shell of the woman I was before. Sofia’s eyes are watery when I look up at her.

“I love you. Please don’t leave me,” I beg.

“Of course, I would never leave you.” She strokes my hair lightly. “And I can’t let you stay in this room any longer. Why don’t we get you in the shower, then we will go down to the kitchen and you can explain what you’ve been trying to tell me.”

I let Sofia help me from the bed. When I stand, the only thing I feel is empty. Like, I’ve released everything I’ve been holding back. I nod and she walks me to the bathroom door.

“You get in and I’ll bring you clothes to wear for when you’re done.”

“Okay.” She turns to go to my closet, but I grab her hand stopping her. “Thank you.”

She squeezes my hand. “Always. I’ll always be here for you.” I let her go and close the bathroom door behind me.

Sofia is a master at knowing what I need, even when I don’t After I step out of the shower, clean and refreshed, I know I can face the questions everyone will have.

I dress in the white linen pants and tank top Sofia laid on the bathroom counter. She’s waiting for me at the table when I open the bedroom door. I immediately take the hand she is holding out to me. “Come. Mom made your favorite soup.”

She leads me through the house into the kitchen, where Camila stands behind the counter with a fresh bowl of soup in front of her. Next to it is a bottle of red wine.

“Sit, my child.”

I take a seat on the stool across from her and take the spoon she hands me. “I don’t know how hungry, I am.”

“I know, but you need to build up your strength.” Camila takes my other hand from where it sits on the counter. “You’ve never let anything hard stand in your way before, I’m not going to let you do it now. Your mother would want you to fight.”

Miami is the one place where I don’t feel the need to put on a show. To pretend I’m okay when I’m anything but. The façade I’ve struggled to maintain falls away.

“I know, but I can’t shake the memories of that night.”

“Scar, what happened in New York? You were in a daze, practically passed out when Miguel brought you back from the airport. We couldn’t get anything out of you.”

“I went back to take out Elena DeLuca. I was the only one who could get her to come out of hiding.”

Sofia and Camila share a look, then turn their focus back on me. “She’s dead.”

“I know. I’m the one who put the bullet in her chest. But I didn’t expect her to have Frankie with her.”

“You mentioned Frankie earlier. Is he really the son of Elena and Luis?” Sofia lowers her voice which I appreciate. I know I shouldn’t have said anything about him, even in my fit of grief.

“He is. And yes, he continued his affair with her while we were married.”

“What was he thinking?” Sofia asks, but Camila shoos her away.

“It doesn’t matter. What matters is Scarlett takes a few bites of her soup.”

I do what Camila wants. I can’t bring myself to disappoint another person in my life. My stomach protests only slightly at the first bite. I try another. Halfway through the bowl, I put the spoon down. I can’t eat anymore.

Once again, memories of Nico have come back to haunt me. I stare at the pattern in the white marble of the counter in front of me.

“I don’t know that I can survive losing him.”

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