Page 76 of Bound in Blood
“No,” Marco cut him off, raising his voice louder than he ever had at Mateo before. The expression wiped clean off Mateo’s face. Anger turned to confusion within seconds.
“I’min the wrong,” Marco said, making himself as clear as he can. “Ifucked up. You were right to distance yourself. What I meant to say is if you don’t want me in your life, I’m gone. But I want to fix things, Mateo. I want to make up for everything I’ve put you through since we turned.”
Mateo stared at him. His lips parted, then pressed back together in a tight line, like for the first time in his life, he’d been rendered speechless. His knuckles were white against the wooden table, fingers tightening into a fist, relaxing, then tightening again.
Marco held his breath, waiting.
“Jiro?” Mateo asked finally, quietly. If Marco didn’t have vampiric hearing, he wouldn’t have caught it.
“Told him to go fuck himself.” Marco held Mateo’s gaze, willing him to believe him.
Mateo snorted, something almost sounding like a laugh escaping him. “How’d he take that?”
“Not well.” Marco shook his head. “Said the only reason I’d come after you is because… you know, I’m not going to repeat that.”
Mateo watched him closely, gaze sharp and assessing, waiting for Marco to crack and spill whatever disgusting thing Jiro had said. When Marco didn’t, when he just shifted his weight and exhaled slowly, Mateo looked almost… pleased. Not because of whatever Jiro had said, but because Marco hadn’t let it sink into his skin, hadn’t let it fester.
Marco sighed, rolling his shoulders. “Look, Teo. I know that coming here and apologizing isn’t going to magically undo eleven years of treating you like you don’t matter to me.” He hesitated, pressing his lips together before continuing, “You don’t have to forgive me. But let me… try, at least. To earn it. We’ve got forever, and if that’s how long it takes, I’m willing to accept that.”
Alexei, who Marco had forgotten was even there, exhaled sharply through his nose. “Just let him sit, Mateo,” he muttered, taking another swig of his drink. “I’m already bored of the dramatics. Do this song and dance later when I don’t have to hear it.”
Mateo scoffed, rolling his eyes, but the tension in his shoulders eased. Just slightly. His gaze flickered to Marco, sharp and wary, but something like exhaustion settled in, too. He was just as tired as Marco. Of fighting, of running, of this manufactured distance. Finally, he gestured at the empty seat next to him.
“Fine. Sit. I’m still pissed, but I’d like to hear all about you telling Jiro to go fuck himself.”
Marco didn’t hesitate before dropping into the chair next to him. “It’s really not that interesting of a story.”
Mateo eyed him for a long moment. “Well, then, you’re not forgiven. You’ll have to earn it some other way, and I won’t make it easy on you.”
Marco huffed a quiet laugh, something small but hopeful. “I’d be insulted if you did. What if I start by buying you another round?”
Mateo narrowed his eyes, watching Marco like he was still waiting for the trick, for Marco to let him down again. But Marco didn’t waver.
Slowly, Mateo let out a breath. His lips curled upward, and for a second, Marco didn’t even recognize what was going on. A smile. An honest to God smile on his brother’s face. One that was not laced with cruelty or anger or sarcasm. Mateo smiled, and it reached his eyes, and Marco’s heart might have exploded. “You can buy the next two rounds.”
“Yeah. Okay.” Marco nodded, something like relief settling into his chest.
“And you’re still a fucking idiot.”
“Yes. I know,” he agreed.
“Welcome to Boston,fratellino.” Mateo nudged his shoulder into Marco’s, and Marco must have felt especially apologetic, because he didn’t even remark that Mateo is only older by five minutes.
It was not perfect, and it definitely was not forgiveness, butfuck,it was something.
Chapter
Twenty-Five
FALL 2025
LOGAN
Logan was still mad. He could admit that much. Mostly, though, Logan felt stupid. Stupid for caring so much, stupid for knowing how this would end and letting himself get hurt anyway. Stupid for wanting Mateo to come back and apologize so everything could go back to normal.
This was always how it was, though, wasn’t it? Why would ‘fate’ stop someone from getting sick of Logan? His compassion was cute and nice until it wasn’t convenient. Logan was a novelty. Adorable for a short amount of time, but annoying in the long run. Tale as old as time.
Why did he ever believe that this would be any different?
