Page 58 of Lily

She had Stefano, though. Didn’t she?

She hated how badly Gemma was hurting. Even though she couldn’t have known, she still felt bad.

No one else came into the room. Damon must have learned about Gemma’s mother from Stefano and excused himself to comfort his girlfriend. Where were the others? Was Stefano still in that room where she’d left him?

She had no idea what he’d done that had caused him to believe he might be in serious trouble. A part of her didn’t want to know. She just wanted him next to her. She wanted to hide from the world. She wanted to climb back into bed, where he chased away her nightmares with his arms around her.

He couldn’t be a bad man. She refused to believe it.

Carol sent and received a few texts while the others remained silent.

Roselia felt like an intruder.

Finally, Damon lifted Gemma’s chin, kissed her gently, and whispered something in her ear.

She nodded and squeezed his hand before he left.

“I’m so sorry,” Roselia murmured when they were once again alone in the silent room.

“It’s not your fault,” Gemma said as she used her fingertips to wipe her cheeks. “Nothing is your fault.”

Roselia swallowed. But it’s Stefano’s fault. Everyone is going to judge him. She looked down, fidgeting her fingers in her lap. She wanted to fall through a hole in the floor and disappear.

Carol broke the next long silence. “I can see you struggling, Roselia. There is no reason to be so hard on yourself. You are completely innocent.”

Roselia jerked her gaze up. “Am I, though? What was I doing working for a man like Santo? I knew he was bad news. I didn’t need anyone to tell me. I knew he was mafia. And why would I fall for a man who worked for him? A man who was his right-hand in everything and had been there fifteen years? I ignored my gut because Stefano was kind to me. He made my knees weak—even when I first met him. I was only eighteen. He was forty-two. He could be my father. And yet I lusted over him.” She tried to suck back the erupting sob that wouldn’t be stopped. She rose to her feet and started pacing. “And now? I’m so in love with him I can’t think. I’m scared out of my mind that I’ll never see him again. We could’ve run off together and never looked back. We could’ve stayed together. What’s wrong with me?”

Carol sighed. “You’re in love, honey. It’s not that hard to understand. No one in this room can blame you for that. We’ve all been fortunate enough to find love and lucky enough to keep it. No one would deny you the same thing.”

“Maybe Stefano is right, and I’m too young to know my mind.” She chewed on her bottom lip.

“You don’t believe that,” Carol responded.

Summer snickered. “If age is a factor, then all of us are too young.”

Roselia turned toward her. “How old are your boyfriends, though?”

Summer laughed. “Mid-thirties, but listen to yourself. You’re worried about Stefano being older than you? That’s nothing. I’m sleeping with two men who also sleep with each other.” She giggled again. “Try getting away with that in society.”

Roselia offered her a wan smile. She had a point.

Summer shrugged. “You just have to ignore everyone else and live your life. I’m so happy with Colter and Bridger. I wouldn’t give them up for anything or anyone, and they could have given me up for money. Instead, they’re letting Bridger’s inheritance go to charities. That’s how much they love me.”

Gemma shuffled over to Roselia and pulled her into a hug. “It’s shocking to learn that my mother was having an affair when she died, but if I’m honest with myself, my mother was not a happy person. She didn’t like living a mafia lifestyle. She wanted out. I remember listening to them fighting about it when I was very young. My father said it was like a last name. You’re just born into it. There is no out except death, and they both paid with their lives.”

Carol spoke again. “Gemma, how do you feel about knowing Stefano was probably romantically involved with your mother?”

Gemma pulled in a deep breath, keeping her arms around Roselia. “I think it doesn’t matter now. It was nearly twenty years ago. He must’ve cared about her deeply if he spent all this time avenging her death.” She faced Roselia. “And we know he has a huge heart and a conscience because he turned himself in to save the lives of anyone else Santo might hurt in the future. That took balls. He risked everything to stop Santo. He also spent the last four months working day and night to locate all of us. I’m grateful for that. I’ll get over his relationship with my mother.” She offered a broad smile. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“We all are,” Kally added. “I’m not sure what I would have done if we hadn’t eventually found everyone.”

“We would’ve continued looking for the rest of our lives,” Nora added.

Grace stood. “Yeah. She’s right.”

“Until the end of time,” Summer agreed.

Chapter Twenty

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