Page 349 of Legacy
“I dragged you into this war… into my fucked-up life. I put you right in harm’s way.”
I watch him.
I listen to his apologies.
To the guilt breaking out of him like he thinks it’ll make me feel better.
A sob rips from my chest. Sudden. Sharp.
I barely register it as my own.
His head snaps toward me.
He drops the loofah.
His hands fly to my waist and he follows me down to the ground.
Slips me onto his lap.
Holds me like I’m the only thing anchoring him to earth.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers into my hair, over and over.
“I’msofucking sorry, Adriana.”
But I can’t speak.
Not yet.
Because the anger is ebbing and all I feel now is relief.
I’m relieved.
Because I can cry.
I can scream.
And I love him.
The worst part of the entire ordeal wasn’t the pain.
Wasn’t the threat.
Wasn’t the gun in my hand.
It was the thought of pointing it at him.
His knuckles are still bruised, one split open, the scab half-washed away by the water. I stare at it while the words crawl up my throat.
“I love you,” I choke out.
He stills beneath me.
His hands rise to cup my face, tilting it up to meet his eyes.
“Ti amo così tanto, Adriana,” he breathes, pressing kiss after kiss to my lips.
I wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him back, despite the pain from the split on my lip.
