Page 59 of The Marriage Contract

“I never said that.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“What if I do?” I snap. “Is there a problem with that? Are you going to hate me for it? Judge me?”

“It was never about him,” she murmurs. “I was trying to exorcise my demons. You’re old enough to make your own decisions. Even before that was the case, you’ve always been mature enough. I can’t stand in your way,” she chuckles miserably. “I can’t even stand.”

“Yet,” I say forcefully. “All of that’s going to change soon.”

“So you don’t hate me?”

“I could never hate you, but this is. So. Messed. Up.”

She lets her head fall back on the pillow. “I know. I wish I didn’t have to tell you, but it’s been long enough. I should’ve told you a long, long time ago.”

“Yes,” I say firmly. “You should have.”

“Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?”

Yes. I know I will. I could never hold a grudge against the person who’s cared for me for more than half my life. “I don’t know,” I say. “Maybe. Possibly.”

“That’s more than I deserve.”

“Will you sit with me?” she murmurs. “While I’m still…” she hesitates, “me?”

Holding her hand tighter, I nod as the past burns through me with hissing, spitting flames. For the first time in years, I let myself relive the fire, the small snippet of it I was exposed to before the fire department got me out. To think, it was all because Aunt Rosa had a romance with a criminal.

“I think we can both agree you’ve got no business telling me who to fall for now,” I say after a long pause.

“I just wanted to keep you safe.”

“It was all based on a false premise,” I tell her. “My man is nothing like your man. My man would never even think about doing something like that, let alone actually do it. My man isdifferent.”

“How long have you been calling him ‘my man’?” she asks.

“Are you going to judge me?”

“I don’t want to fight. I’m just asking.”

I sigh. “A day, a few hours … I’m not sure exactly, but it feels right. That’s the thing with Dario and me. It’s felt right since the beginning. Ever since I walked into that grand townhouse, feeling inadequate on some level, I think I knew he was the one for me. I believe that’s why I never had boyfriends or even an interest in boyfriends. I think I was waiting for him.”

Aunt Rosa frowns.

“Go on, tell me I’m nuts,” I say.

“You’re not nuts,” she murmurs. “I should be happy to hear you talk like this, to know youfeelthis deeply. I should be happy you’ve found somebody who makes you so happy, but I want you to be safe.”

“He’s. Not. Like. Your. Ex.” I emphasize each word. “I won’t lie; there’s a savage in him. You could even call it a monster, but he only lets it out when needed. He only aims the darkness in himself at lowlifes who would do vicious things to innocent people if they had the chance. He’s a good person.”

“Are you sure?” Aunt Rosa says. “Iwas sure.”

I remember what Dario said when I threw that love-at-first-sight line at him. He called itcertainty. “I’m sure. Do you think we could just sit here for a while?”

“I’d like that,” she says with a relieved sigh.

We don’t say anything else, instead sitting in silence, enjoying the moments of Aunt Rosa’s lucidity as much as we can. Soon, she falls asleep, and I watch her with a smile on my face. It’s crazy, smiling at a time like this, but this is how I know I genuinely care about Dario. I’m thinking of our relationship and the roadblocks we’ve surged over one by one.

I can’t get too excited yet. My smile falters. Salvatore is still going to make Dario choose between the Family and me. Like Maria said, that’s a choice he’ll be forced to break my heart with.

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