Page 19 of Ruthless Vengeance
My eyes feel dry, and a dull ache is pulsing at my temples.
Is this how it’s going to be from now on? My mind so consumed with guilt that I can’t even escape it with sleep?
I reach up to press a kiss to Marco’s lips when a crease forms between his eyebrows.
“Go, I’ll be fine.”
He hesitates, so I force another smile.
He sighs. “I’ll be back soon.”
Zoe wakes not long after Marco leaves, so I take my time feeding her, wanting to savor the alone time before I go downstairs and face the rest of the family.
I have a feeling Lila and Rosa are not going to be happy with what I did, but ultimately, it saved their lives, so they can’t really stay mad at me for long.
After dressing in some fresh sweats, I carry Zoe downstairs and into the kitchen. She babbles away, smiling at me with such innocence that it makes my heart hurt. She has no idea how close she came to losing both of her parents, and I hope she never has to know.
As expected, I find Lila in the kitchen standing over the stove and Holly perched in her highchair at the table, tucking into her lunch.
The moment Lila hears my footsteps she whirls around and lets out a sound halfway between a squeal and a cry.
Her arms are around me in an instant, and I hug her tightly.
“Oh, Clara. I’m so glad you’re all right.”
Zoe squeals with laughter as she’s sandwiched between Lila and me, which in turn makes the two of us laugh.
“I’m fine. We all are.”
“You have no idea how grateful I am—” Her blue eyes glisten with unshed tears. She looks as exhausted as I feel, with deepshadows under her eyes, and her usually tanned complexion is deathly pale. “I can never repay you for what you did for us.”
My cheeks heat. “It’s nothing. We’re family, it’s what we do.”
“It’s notnothing, Clara. You risked your life for us. For me and my children.” She places a hand on her abdomen, and my throat tightens.
I shift Zoe in my arms, looking away.
What I did was reckless, and if Marco hadn't shown up when he did, it’s likely I would have died in that cell. But it was for good reason.
I push the thought away. “It’s over now. We’re all okay. That’s what matters.”
Lila watches me for a long moment, as if she can sense there’s something I’m not telling her. But thankfully, she decides not to push the subject. “Sit down. I’m making you some food.”
I start to protest, but one look from her has me sighing and sliding into a chair. I know better than to argue with Lila when she’s made up her mind.
I keep Zoe on my lap, not wanting to let her go, as we sit with Holly. She happily chews on some banana as Lila gets to work making me some eggs, though I’m still not hungry.
Looking around the kitchen, everything looks exactly how it did before we left for the cabin. It’s like nothing ever happened but in my heart, I feel different.
What will happen to Ben now that Tommaso is dead?
As Lila sets down a plate piled high with eggs, bacon and toast in front of me, Rosa stumbles into the kitchen.
She’s wearing a pair of pink pajamas, and her dark hair looks like it hasn’t been brushed in days. When she sees me sitting at the table, she bursts into tears.
“Rosa, it’s okay.” I pull out a chair and pat it. “Come and sit.”
She plops down beside me, and I wrap my arm around her shoulders.
