Page 28 of The Holy Ghost
He walkedtowards me, grabbed my arm, and led me to the couch on the leftside of the room. We sat down,and he angled our bodies so that we could look at each other, ourknees touching. His face was soft, and this was the boy who used toclimb through my window. “Francesca, you have no idea what yourleaving did to us. Nothing filled the gaping hole that you leftbehind and, believe me, we tried everything.” My mind automaticallywent to drugs, alcohol, and women. “Me, Ciro, and Phoenix climb theladder in record time because we spent every waking moment doingwhatever we needed to keep from missing you. But nothing worked.”He let out dark laugh. “We reached the top and our lives were stillempty.”
“Youguyshurt me,” I whisperedlamely.
“Not half as badlyas you hurt us,” he responded quietly.
“Do you hate me?” Ididn’t think he did, but I couldn’t take it for granted that hedidn’t.
“No,Francesca. I don’t hate you.”He reached over and squeezed me knee. “You’re my best friend.You’ve always been that person to me. But I cannot allow you towander anymore. I need you back home where you belong. And Phoenixwon’t settle for anything other than his name attached to yours.Even if you didn’t love him anymore, which I know you still do, I’dstill force you to marry him.”
“Why?”
“Because that man doesn’tknow how to not love you, Francesca. And I promised him and Cirothat, when I took over, they would want for nothing,” he told me.“And the only thing Phoenix wants in this world is you.”
I didn’t havea response to that. Probably because it was true. I didn’t doubtPhoenix’s love for me. I’ve just held onto my anger for so manyyears, I wasn’t sure how not to feel it anymore. Both Luca and Phoenix referred to my leaving asthe biggest temper tantrum of all time, and I had to wonder if theywere partially right.
My phone rang, andas I pulled it out of my pocket, I saw that it was my brother.“It’s Ciro.”
Luca nodded.“Answer it.”
Iswiped the answer icon. “Hey,”I greeted.
“Hey, Frankie,” hegreeted back. “Are you still at Luca’s?”
“How-” I stopped. Ofcourse, he would know where I was at. Phoenix had made it clearthat I’d be monitored until I came to terms with my new life. “Yes,I’m still with Luca.”
“I’m home,” he said.“Stop by on your way back to Phoenix’s and I’ll set you up withyour scan registration.”
“Okay,” I said,surrendering. I hung up and looked at Luca. “Ciro wants me to stopby.”
Luca nodded.“He’s going to get youscanned,” he said, and I rolled me eyes in defeat.
I stood up to leave,but before I turned around, I asked him the one question I couldn’tbring myself to ask Phoenix. “How many women have there been,Luca?”
Hisanswer was quick and true.“None.”
None.
AfterLuca escorted me to Ciro’sapartment, which was just as lavish as Phoenix’s, if not a bit morewarm, he had my hand scanned and programmed and proceeded to tellme the same thing Phoenix and Luca told me, and how I ought to justgive in gracefully.
Seems like everyone wason Phoenix’s side.
Chapter 15
Phoenix~
BothLuca and Ciro had called me to tellme they made their peace with Frankie and that now it was up to meto convince her to accept her place with us. Which translated intogetting her to marry mewillingly.Iknew they wouldn’t interfere if I had to force her, but it wasbetter for everyone if she married me of her own free will. Ididn’t want to have to pay off a priest, after all.
I walked intomy apartment and I immediately saw severalboxes lined up against the wall.
Frankie’s stuff.
Ihad already removed my jacket andtossed it over the back of the couch when Frankie walked out of thehallway. She mis-stepped when she saw me, but quickly recovered. Istarted taking my tie off as I nodded towards the boxes. “Yourstuff?”
She nodded.“Yeah.”
“How did things gowith your brother and Luca,” I asked, even though I alreadyknew.
She cocked her head.“Like you don’t already know,” she retorted.
