Page 94 of A Sinner's Saint

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Mrs Taylor says. “What happened?”

I glance at Cammi. No way can I tell her the truth. “My mother died when I was a baby, and my father passed away a couple of years ago, when Cammi and I were still at school,” I explain cryptically.

“I’m really sorry. Come on. Sit down and eat. Have you told your father, Camile?” Mrs Taylor sets a plate full of bacon and sausages on the table.

“Not yet,” Cammi says. “But I will.”

“Well, I guess, welcome to the family, Vin.”

After Breakfast, Cammi comes back to my house with me. “Where do you want to live?” I ask her as I pull some clothes out of my closet.

“Um, I was going to get a job and then start looking for an apartment near campus,” she says.

“You don’t need a job, Cammi. Focus on school. We have enough money.” She’s not fucking working and studying full time if she doesn’t have to. I have more than enough for us to live off.

“I’m not living off you, Vin,” she says as if reading my mind. “I can work.”

“I know you can, but you don’t have to. And it’s not living off me when it’sourmoney,” I tell her. “Oh, your car keys are in the top drawer by the way.”

“My what now?”

“Your car keys,” I repeat, walking out of the closet.

“You kept the car?”

“I couldn’t get rid of it. It’s yours. The car’s in your name. It would be illegal for me to try to sell it, Cammi.” I smirk.

“Yeah, because you’re so worried about breaking the law.” She laughs.

“I love that sound.”

“What?” Her mouth slams shut as she looks at me curiously.

“The sound of you laughing.” I walk over and press my lips against her forehead. “We’re buying an apartment near campus. Anything else you want? Any must-haves?”

“All I want is you,” she says.

“You have me.”

“Thank you.”

“Cammi, ask me,” I tell her.

“Vin, kiss me like it’s the first and last time you ever will.” She smiles.

“How about I just kiss you like I’m going to love you every day for the rest of our lives?” I counter.

“I like the sound of that kiss,” she says.

When my lips fuse onto hers, everything seems right with the world. By some miracle, I have her back. And this time, I’m never letting anything come between us. Not even my own demons.

Epilogue

June

When I opened the door to my hotel suite, I did not expect to find my future brother-in-law sitting across the hall. Gun in one hand, a stainless steel flask in the other. He looks up at the sound, the pain in his eyes so clear.I close the door, sit down in front of him, gently take the pistol from his hand, and set it beside me.

“What’s going on, Santo? Why are you sitting in the hallway?”

---