Page 46 of Twilight Mask

It’s against the rules, but screw that. This whole game is about creating a new way to live.

I’m going to find out who Jackal is. Not because I want this to be over—but because I want it to last.

Chapter 21

Marco

Valentina’s on my couch when I get home late that night. She’s got some spaghetti Western playing where everyone’s shooting each other but nobody seems to actually die. I grab a beer and sit on the couch, and she gives me a look from the other end, her legs tucked up underneath here.

“Where have you been?” she asks, sounding more curious than anything else.

“With a girl. Don’t you have your own apartment?”

“Yours is nicer.” She sits up straight. “You were with a girl?”

I take a nice, long pull on my beer. “Yeah, I was.”

She laughs and turns off the TV. I knew she’d react this way and I’ve been dreading mentioning stuff with Laura to her, but Valentina’s my best friend. Eventually, she’s going to find out that I’m seeing someone.

If I can even call what I’m doing with Laura seeing someone. It’s more like consensual stalking. I broke into her house, started a minor crisis on her family’s property, and kissed the fuck out of her before running away. It’s a minor miracle that I’m not dead, but still.

Things are changing with her. I can feel it, and I think Laura can feel it too. Whatever we’re doing, the game isn’t as important as it was before. I crave being close to her, tasting her, feeling her hands on my body, watching her chest rise and fall as she sucks in air. I want to tell her who I am so fucking badly, but I know the moment I do, things will go wrong.

And I don’t want to lose her.

It’s selfish, I know, but it’s how I feel.

“I met her at the Bianco thing I crashed a few weeks back.” I watch Valentina’s reaction, but she only seems eager for more. “We’ve seen each other a few more times since then.”

“I’m honestly shocked. I never in a million years thought you’d get involved with someone. I mean, how do you have time for a girl when you’re practically married to the idea of bringing down the Bianco Famiglia?”

“I’m not that obsessed,” I say, staring down at my beer, because I know she’s right, and I’m also very aware that I’m the biggest fucking hypocrite in the world.

“You are, but it’s okay. You have every reason to be.” She gets up from the couch and walks to the refrigerator. “I mean, I hate them too, right? They killed my dad, and they did the same thing to your parents. You’ve been living with this feeling for a lot longer than I have.”

She cracks open a beer and watches me. I stare back at her from across the room. We haven’t talked about our families in a while, and I’ve liked that better. Valentina’s pain is still fresh and raw, while mine has been simmering deep inside of me for years. Mourning turned to rage, which turned to resentment, and that’s how I ended up finding Luciano Santoro, the only man in the world that seemed like he could oppose the Biancos.

Now our shared tragedy binds us together.

“I can still have a life outside of revenge.” I finish my beer and lean back on the couch.

“What’s her name?”

I close my eyes and consider lying, but I can’t do it. “Laura.”

“And you like her? I mean, is this thing serious, or are you just getting your rocks off?”

“It’s serious,” I say and realize that’s very true. “But we’re taking it slow.”

“Slow is good.” Valentina laughs softly to herself. “Did you know my dad wanted to marry me off to one of the Bianco brothers? He talked about it a few times, anyway, and it nearly happened. Can you imagine what my life would be like?”

“You’d be trapped in one of those houses.” I picture Laura’s place with its clean floors and the beautiful art on the walls. “It might not be so bad.”

“I like this.” Valentina walks over and sits down on my couch. “We’ve got a good thing going.”

I stare at her as she turns the movie back on. She takes a long pull from her beer, and I realize that I haven’t seen her out having fun in a really long time. Mostly, she’s here, eating my food and drinking my alcohol, or she’s back home sleeping and showering before coming back over. We work together, and she’s deeply involved in my plans, but she doesn’t have a life outside of what we do.

That didn’t seem like a problem until now.

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