Page 72 of Angelo

None of those efforts mattered anymore.

She’d waded through trauma and hardship with the stupid, foolish hope that her father might one day wake up. Elyse had tried so hard to free them from the mafia's grasp. The contrast between reality and hope made the grief even sharper and more unbearable. Her loss extended beyond Robbie Romero's death. It encompassed every single sacrifice she’d made over the years as well.

Elyse had felt so cold when she hung up the phone.

Empty.

Such sacrifices meant nothing now, and this realization hurt like a motherfucker. She began to reflect on her father. Despite his flaws and shortcomings, Robbie Romero had tried to be the best parent he could be. Sorrow and relief battled within Elyse. She hopedPapáhad finally found peace. She loved him. Deeply. She missed him, too, but a burden had also been lifted from her soul. It felt wrong to resent a dead man for everything he had put her through, but resent him she did. Elyse was glad to be able to close this chapter in her life. For good.

With slow, somber steps, Elyse dragged her feet to the bed. She sank down onto the edge of the mattress. Alessandro followed her, taking a seat right beside her. Elyse said nothing, he said nothing, but she could feel his eyes boring intoher. It felt all-consuming.

Eventually, Elyse broke the tension and said, "I'll have to go back to New York for a while."

Alessandro's eyes flickered with confusion. "What? Why?"

Elyse swallowed hard before revealing the tragedy, "My father just passed away."

By saying these words aloud, her father's death became all the more real. Speech carried this kind of power. Her heart grew heavier still.

His face crumpled with sympathy. "Cuore mio, I am so sorry."

Elyse put on a brave face. "His body is waiting for me at the morgue. I need to collect him and arrange the funeral."

"I will go with you."

Something wayward and petty rose in Elyse. She wanted to reject her husband's company and withhold herself from him, much in the way Alessandro had withheld his decision to join forces with Valentina from her.

"No," she said, shaking her head, "you have too much at stake here. You arecapo. Stay in Palermo."

"Your father is my father, too," he argued, "I should be there to pay my respects."

"There’s no need. I’ll be back within a week or two."

"Elyse, please let me—"

She interjected firmly, "A short separation might do us some good. I’m still upset with you. I could use some time alone.To think. I need to wrap my head around this suicide mission that you're about to go on."

And maybe try to formulate a plan that could change his mind?

It looked as though Alessandro was about to protest but bit his tongue at the last second. A desperate gleam entered his eyes as he gathered Elyse into his arms.

"I will not go to New York if you do not want me there, but do not push me away out of spite," he begged softly, "not at a time like this. I simply wish to make your loss a little more bearable."

Alessandro dropped the gentlest of kisses upon her forehead. His lips melted away some of her lingering anger, and Elyse heeded his request. She didn't push him away. She rested her head on Alessandro's shoulder.

She felt so tired and lost.

"My father is gone. None of this shit feels bearable. Everything that I ever worked for—my education, my career, my independence—feels like it died with him," Elyse muttered with a lost expression, "and, now, it seems like I'm aboutto lose you, too."

"You will always have me. All of me."

"Even if you end up behind bars?" she challenged sadly.

"Even if I end up behind bars," he confirmed. "My heart is yours, forever yours, along with all of the wealth and protection my name can provide for you."

"I don’t need your wealth or protection. I’ve survived thirty-some years on my own, and I’ll continue to survive whatever the future has in store for me. What I want, though, is to be with you."

"I want to be with you as well."

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