Page 121 of Absolution

“I wasn’t given a choice.”

“Salvatore?”

“He threatened my sister.”

“God, I wish I had punched him harder!”

I laugh and stroke her cheek. “I was born into this. I was taught not to question an order, was taught to obey.”

“Where did you grow up?”

I hesitate. I’m not used to talking this much about myself, and it makes me uneasy. She tightens her lips and I realize I have to open up, or she’ll never trust me.

“Chicago. I was born and raised in Chicago.”

She stares at me. “I moved there, trying to get away from you. I’m such a loser.”

“No, you’re not. You couldn’t have known it was my turf.”

“What was your family like?”

“Us kids had to look after each other. Dad died young. He left Mom with five kids between the ages of fifteen to newborn.”

“That’s terrible!”

I grin. “It is, isn’t it?”

“You don’t look too upset.”

I shrug. “It got Mom off our backs. She took over the business. On paper one of her cousins ran the business, but in reality, it was her. She’s a ruthless bitch. Everyone’s afraid of her.”

“She doesn’t like me,” she mumbles.

“She’ll come around.”

“They all blame me for you almost dying. Twice.”

“We look after our own. You’re with me, no matter what. They’ll have to suck it up and deal with it.” She shudders and looks away, wiping furiously at her eyes. I lay a hand on her shoulder. “Kerry?”

She doesn’t shy away, and when she leans in, ever so slightly, I pull her to me. She rises from her chair and falls into my lap. My heart stops for a moment, then I lay my arms around her and hold her tightly to my chest. We sit in silence. I listen to her breathing as we watch the fire eat its way through the last log until there’s nothing but a large pile of intensely glowing charcoal.

“I always felt something for you,” she whispers.

“Ditto.” I squeeze my eyes shut, forcing myself not to hope for anything as I wish for everything.

“In all this time, Christian Russo, you’ve never asked me to forgive you. You’ve said you’re sorry a thousand times but you’ve never asked me for forgiveness.”

I fight to draw the next breath. “I’ve never dared to assume you were ready.”

“I want you to ask me.”

My head spins and a shudder runs through me as I hold her gaze, drowning in her beautiful dark green eyes. “Kerry, will you please forgive me for—” I swallow so hard it hurts. “—taking without asking, for cheating you into believing I was someone I was not, for drugging you, hurting you, scaring you, stalking you and assuming I could make you mine without even making an effort, for taking you for granted, and for believing you were weak and moldable.” He’s silent for a moment. “Kerry. I am so, so sorry. Please, forgive me.”

“Yes,” she whispers and my world tilts. “Christian.”

“Yes?”.

“Please put your hands on me.”

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