Page 104 of Revenge Vows

He sighs sharply. “You’re not alone. We’ve been in here for three days, and I can barely bring myself to look her in the eyes.”

I turn to my brother. “What do I do? How do I make it up to her?”

“For starters, you can stop being so hard on yourself. If she still loves you after all you put her through, maybe she sees you for the man you truly are.”

“An asshole.”

“An asshole who protects the people he loves fiercely. An asshole who is fair and just, and an asshole who would give his life ten times over for his family.” Bunny stands and looks down at me. “Don’t get so consumed by guilt that you lose touch with the goodness in you.” He taps my good shoulder.

“You should have some food now.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Alyssa

Delusional, that’s what I am.

What was I thinking? That a near-death experience would suddenly turn him into a decent man?

Pathetic! Oh, if I could turn back the hands of time, I would. Oh, who am I kidding? I am so delusional that I would still pick him over and over.

“Hey, are you okay?” comes Bunny’s voice, pulling me out of my thoughts. I look up at him and see him staring at my hands. I look down to know that I am gripping my fork like one would grip a knife.

We are seated at the table having dinner in the cabin, which is lit only by guttering candles. My eyes meet Antonio’s expressionless face. Great, now even his brother gives more fucks about me.

I smile and hold my fork normally. “I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”

He gives an uncertain nod. “Have some more salad,” he says, taking the bowl and scooping it some onto my plate.

I smile this time in genuine gratitude. When he doesn’t have to be a deadly mafia man, he is a sweet boy who loves to dote on people he cares about.

He adores Antonio. I saw how he was staying up at night without a wink of sleep, looking over him and dabbing his head with a cold towel. We took turns, but honestly, we often just lay awake—bonding in silence over our hope that Antonio would be fine.

“Thank you,” I say, continuing with my meal, watching from the corner of my eyes as he puts some salad into Antonio’s plate. We finish a rather silent meal, and Bunny offers to clean up.

“We can do it together,” I tell him, but he shakes his head. “You haven’t had a good night’s rest in days. I’ll take care of this. You should go to bed.”

“But—” He was already hunched over the sink. I smile and head to my little room. It’s a small cabin, and it has only two rooms, right opposite each other.

Antonio had gone into his room immediately after dinner, insisting on walking on his bad leg. Why was he so stubborn? I stare at his door for a minute as the thought of going over to knock crosses my mind.

I should ask if he has taken his medications. I stop myself immediately. What did I care? I had done my part, hadn’t I? What if he needed help with something? He would call out to Bunny. What if—

His door opens, and before I can pull open the door to the other room, he is standing right in front of me. “Were you about to knock?”

“No!” I cry, “Why would I want to do that?”

“Oh,” he says, looking confused.

“Yeah, well. Goodnight then,” I say, turning sharply.

“Alyssa, wait!” I stop, and I slowly turn to him. “Can we talk?”

We sit in front of the cabin on a log under the stars. In my hands are two cups of cold, fresh lemonade. I hand him one cup, and he says thank you as I settle beside him.

“You’ve become more trusting—you don’t think I poisoned it?” I ask as he drinks from the cup.

He chuckles. “These days, the idea of death sounds quite inviting.”

---