Page 140 of The Devil's Deal

Tearing open the envelope, I remove the neatly folded letter and begin to read.

Dear Chiara,

I know I don’t deserve your time or understanding, but I hope you can give me both. I hope that the past we once had can somehow make up for the present mistakes I’ve made. And I’ve made a lot of them when it comes to you.

When your father proposed killing you, I lost it. The thought of you being harmed in any way tore me up inside. So instead, I took you. Not in the best of ways, but I wanted to keep you out of danger. Yet, at the same time, I held on to the anger I was afraid of losing, as though it would make me weak. I’m sorry for that. I’m sorry for all of it. I didn’t know you never sent those texts. I swear.

Try to understand where I was coming from. Where my pain was coming from. After I read your messages, I thought I no longer had my best friend.

I’ve lived all these years with a piece of my heart missing. The part that was always yours. I spent years hating the thought of you, or at least I thought I did. But as I saw you for the first time, years ago when I followed you, I realized I didn’t hate you, even when I believed I should. And that made me hate myself.

I’d do anything to go back in time and change it all. But we can’t go back. We only have today. I don’t know if we’ll even have tomorrow. But I want them all with you.

Just you.

My heart is yours, whether you want it or not. There's no one else for me but you. There never was, no matter how many times I told myself to forget you.

Remember our promise of together forever? I do. I’m sorry we never got to keep that promise for all these years, but we’re here now, and I want that again, even if it takes a lifetime to get it.

If you give me a chance, if you let me earn back your trust, your friendship—and maybe someday your love—I promise you, I won’t take any of it for granted. I’ll keep it safe, just like I kept my necklace.

My eyes water over, my lips shuddering beneath my fingers as I continue to pore over his words.

If you want to see what we can be together, meet me at Vixen, one of my clubs, tomorrow at seven. Let me know if you come. I’ll send a car. They’re still out there, and I don’t want you in danger.

I hope you decide to show. If you don’t, I’ll understand. But I won’t stop trying.

Dom

When the letter falls to my lap, my heart opens like a dam, and sob after sob bursts through me. Before I fall into disarray, my aunt’s arms loop around me, soothing me while I shatter.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chiara

The following morning,I decide to try my cousin again. I have been calling her line for the past week, but it’s been going straight to voicemail.

But today, it’s finally ringing.

On the third ring, a voice comes through. “Raquel Cavaleri’s phone. This is Dante, her very handsome husband, speaking. How may I help you?”

I flip my head back, my brows shooting up to my hairline.

“Husband?!” I practically shout. “What the hell are you talking about?”

ShemarriedDante? Oh my fucking God. He was a funny kid growing up, always cracking jokes. I don’t know who this Dante is now, though, and I especially don’t know why he married my friggin’ cousin!

Growing up, I didn’t tell her about Dom or his family. I was scared she’d tell her dad, who’d tell mine. So obviously, when she met Dante, she had no clue who he was.

“Ah, Chiara. How very pleasant to hear from you on such a fine day.” He sounds obnoxious. “It’s been way too long. We must catch up.”

“Shut up, Dante. What have you done to my cousin?”

“Oh, I’ve done a lot of things to your very sexy cousin. After we were legally married, of course. I am nothing but a gentleman.”

“You’re an asshole,” I fire back.

“I apologize. We really wanted to send you an invitation, but we eloped rather quickly.”

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