Page 103 of Ruthless Redemption

Salvatore and Remy exchange a troubled glance.

“I guess we’ll go for a walk on the beach.” Salvatore heads toward the deck door.

“Walking is going to be a hard pass for me.” Remy limps after him. “I’m going to find somewhere to sit.”

They leave without protest, their murmured words filtering into the quiet of the house until they slowly descend the outside stairs and head out of sight.

Layla watches them leave, her arms wrapped around her middle, her shoulders rigid.

I want to go to her. I’m fucking drawn to her side. But the anguish woven into her posture is enough to give me pause.

AnguishIcaused.

If only I’d killed Emmanuel when he took Grace from me. If only I’d had the balls to give him what he deserved all those years ago, nobody else would’ve had to suffer.

“How do you want to proceed,la mia stella polare?”

“You can’t ask me that.” Her voice is frail. “This isn’t my decision.”

“Yes, it is. You’re in control here.”

She shakes her head slowly. Solemnly. “No, Matthew.” She turns to face me. “I need to leave.”

“Like hell you do.” I stride for her, not stopping until we’re foot to foot, my hands claiming her waist. “I just got you back. If you walk out on me now, I’ll tear the world apart to find you again.”

“We both know you have to help them. And I can’t be around when you do.”

“Why not?”

She lowers her gaze to my chest. “You know why.”

Because of Stella. Because of her husband. Because history is cruel and understanding doesn’t equate to forgiveness.

“I’m sending them away.” I start for the deck.

“Stop it.” She grabs my jacket, clenching her fingers in the material. “They’re your family.”

“Theywere.A long fucking time ago.”

“Matthew…” Her big blue eyes blink at me in sorrow. “You’ve spent a few days trying to win me back. But I bet you’ve spent years trying to gain closure over walking away from your siblings.”

Her accuracy is pinpoint. An arrow straight through the heart.

“See?” She winces. “You can’t leave them again. You can’t give up this opportunity to bring them back into your life, especially if they’ve been manipulated this whole time. Think about Abri. Think about what her future might be like without your help.”

I clench my jaw, denying the imagery that fights to be seen.

“You understand where Emmanuel could’ve taken her, right?” she whispers. “If he’s anything like my father, he could’ve sent her to a human-trafficking hub. She might have been forced to spend time with sex slaves. And what if he has that hanging over her head if she defies him again?”

I clench harder.

“Even I can’t live with that.” She gives me a sad smile, her hand raising to graze the stubble along my jaw. “And I hate your family more than anyone. So there’s no way I’ll let you deal with that guilt.”

“But you’ll allow me to suffer through losing you again?” I capture her wrist, lowering it to her side. “You underestimate what I’m willing to live with if it means keeping you.”

“I’m not yours to keep.” She makes another direct strike with her gentle honesty. “And I know you’re not that callous. You’ve told me before that you have no one. There’s only Lorenzo and Bishop—”

“I have you.”

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