Page 103 of King

I gasp against nothing. Gagging.

My tongue is swollen, and my face is numb.

The world slips away, the edges growing dark.

My eyes drift lazily to her gorgeous face. Those dark browns eyes, filled with tears.

Did she kill me?

Did she do this?

Why do I still love her?

The very last essence of life drains from my body as my mind says her name one last time.

Zina.

She will destroy you.The warning echoes through my soul in those last seconds.

Then there is nothing.

No life.

No pain.

No hurt.

Just nothing.

thirty

Zina

Six months have passed, and the pain isn’t any less than it was the day I lost him. Not a moment goes by when he’s not on my mind.

Every night I lie in bed, wishing his arms were around me. I ache with the need to bury my face against his chest and breathe in his scent. I can’t believe he’s gone. No matter how hard I try, I can’t accept it. My heart won’t let go.

His name often spilling from my lips, a wish, a memory. A hurt so deep I doubt it will ever leave me.

His last will and testament was clear.

His sons were furious to find that he left me everything. The kingdom is mine. I own it all. And yet it feels empty and hollow.

I’m grateful that Guido and I still have a home, but I’m torn - staying in the mansion where we are clearly hated and not welcome - it’s not easy.

But I’ve been investigation and I’ve found out things that Giovanni failed to discover.

If he had - he might still be alive.

Santino hardly spends any time at home anymore. He is always at the church, studying, practicing, learning and following his new path towards becoming a Bishop.

The rain beats down on me from a dark grey sky. Lifting my face up towards it, I let the cold droplets splash over my cheeks and my closed eyelids. It’s nice to feel something - even if all it is, is coldness.

I’m hesitating. Reluctant to go inside and face him.

We haven’t spoken since the night his father died - when he made it clear I would face justice for what I did. My pleas fell on deaf ears. He refused to believe it wasn’t me.

Romeo is the one who constantly reminds me what they are all thinking.

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