Page 134 of The Mafia Enforcer's Temptation
“I’m not her mother. I don’t want to be. But I… I want to be her sister. So maybe we start there?”
We end up spending the day together, and a part of me is relieved, pleased, hopeful. There’s a future for me and Tatiana, as sisters.
When Iosif leaves that night, Tatiana cries but she knows he’ll be back the following day. I’m not sure how much I like him. But I don’t have to. She loves him, and he loves her. I see that.
One day, I hope she will love me, too.
“We’ll move to the townhouse. You’ll be a lot closer,” Iosif says when he calls me that night. “And Ava, I might travel upstate to recuperate. You and Tatiana can come with me. Think about it.”
When he picks her up the next day, I make up my mind.
That night, I wait until Seamus is asleep, and then I dress quietly and head out the door.
Iosif’s waiting for me two blocks away.
I’m halfway down the street when Seamus’s voice stops me dead in my tracks. I spin around to see his gorgeous jaw clenched in the moonlight.
“You know, I knew you were a lot of fucking things, Ava. Spoiled, angry, defensive, quick to judge. A powerhouse, and someone I’d gladly strangle on a daily basis, but I never once took you for a coward.”
“I’m not…”
“Yeah, you are.” And he looks at me with derision in his hard gaze. “You think I want you that much I’d force you to stay? So much that I’d embarrass myself by begging you to stay?”
I want him to. “No. But while I don’t hate you, I got caught up in everything and might have jumped the gun on love.”
“And,” he says, offering me a cold smile, “you have your bratva.”
“I have my bratva.” I suck in a shuddering breath. “I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not. But you should be. I saved you. I helped save that damned kitten and puppy. Petal gets his wheels tomorrow, and Dec says they’re kick-ass.”
We found out the puppy’s back legs were deformed, which is why they wanted him dead, and the kitten wasn’t actually pure white.
They break my heart.
Seamus breaks my heart.
I’m no good to any of them.
“That’s good,” I croak out.
He nods tightly. “Bruiser’s hanging out with him, they’re apparently looking forward to coming home.”
“I’m not an animal person.” My voice wobbles. I hate that he used the names we came up with.
“No, you’re too cowardly to let yourself be anything other than closed off, Ava. But I saved you.”
“I didn’t need saving.”
“That isn’t what I meant.”
I stare at him, my vision blurring with tears that threaten to fall. “What did you mean?”
“If you don’t fucking know, then I’m not telling you.” He looks at me one last time. “You can go. Coward.”
And he turns and walks back home.
He’s letting me go. It’s what I wanted. Isn’t it?
