Page 108 of The Devil's Den

He starts toward the back room while I glance at Dom, scratching my temple.

“Go. You deserve this.” He nods.

My palm runs down my face as I dart my attention to each of my brothers, and there’s love on their faces. For me. “It’s weird,” I say. “Being out here like I’m normal. I—I don’t know. I can’t explain it.” My eyes lower to my feet.

“Hey.” Dante clasps a hand over my shoulder. “It’s okay. We get it. Take your time. If something doesn’t feel right, tell us.”

“Yeah,” Enzo adds. “Like when we take you underwear shopping. I’m warning you now, I ain’t seeing you model that shit.”

I let out a deep laugh. This is nice. This is real. And it’s my life now, one I’m never letting go.

* * *

AIDA

“Guys, this is too much,” I tell my cousins as they continue helping me find more clothes. We’ve been at it for a couple of hours, going from store to store. Chiara’s SUV is piled with bags, all for me and Jade.

“You’re doing this for me,” Chiara says, picking up a baby-blue off-the-shoulder flared dress. “I’m sick of sitting around at home. I want to treat you two. Think of it as being part of my recovery. So, indulge me and try this one on.”

I shake my head with laughter. “Okay. I do kind of like it.” My fingertips run down the soft material, imagining Matteo seeing me in it. There were so many things we once wanted to do together—picnics and restaurants, dancing as the stars twinkled above us, the water at our feet, making love on the sand. I want that with him so badly.

Earlier today, I had opened up to Jade about what’s holding me back from sleeping with Matteo. She’s the only other person who knows what any of this feels like. I asked if she was once afraid to be with Enzo and she told me she was at first. But Enzo’s acceptance and love, made it easier over time. She’s still dealing with her trauma and is even looking into therapy. She asked if I’d like to join her, so I agreed. Maybe that’s what I need. I want to be ready, but I’m just afraid that if we go that far, I’ll make him stop and ruin everything.

In that instant, Jade comes out of the dressing room with a long, flowy red dress, with thin straps over her shoulders. “What do you guys think?” she asks us, doing a little twirl.

“Wow,” I say. “You’re so pretty.”

She waves off the compliment, even as my cousins tell her the same.

Robby sits in the velvet sofa, eating a cheese sandwich, staring at his mother in awe. “You’re beautiful, Mommy. You too, Aida.” He grins at me.

“Aww, you’re just the sweetest boy alive, aren’t you?” I walk over to him, kissing the top of his head.

“I wish Ms. Greco was with us too,” he tells me, his mouth twisting sideways.

“Me too.” I take a seat beside him, and tuck him close, a hand wrapped around his small frame. “But I know she’s watching us, and I know she’s happy.”

CHAPTERTHIRTY-FIVE

AIDA

FIVE DAYS LATER

The girls have been dollingme up for the past hour. Shoes are scattered across the room I share with Matteo in Chiara’s house, while Raquel does my makeup. I don’t exactly know what I’m being made up for and none of them will tell me.

I have a sneaking suspicion they’re planning something, especially with Matteo being gone, coincidently running errands with his brothers.

I bet he’s in on it. Butterflies flutter in the pit of my stomach, a smile dancing over my lips as I start to wonder what’s waiting for me.

When Raquel starts on my cheeks, memories of the past come barraging in—Destiny’s face flashing before my eyes. I drag in a breath, holding it as I count to three, a coping mechanism I had learned from my new therapist.

I picture myself going inside my head, picking out the awful reminders and flushing them down the toilet, replacing them with the present moments. The good ones. It sounds silly, but it works. And that’s all I could hope for—to get better every day. To remove myself from the horrors of my previous existence.

“I think she’s ready,” Raquel announces. Moving aside, the rest of them examine me on the chair I’m seated in. It’s as though I’m a display at those fancy museums I’ve read about in my books.

“You look gorgeous,” Jade gushes, clasping her palms together at her chest, her brows knitting.

“Wow. Seriously, wow,” Chiara adds, picking up a pair of gold satin flats in a V-shape at the front. “Stand up. I want to see how the dress will look with these shoes.”

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