Page 48 of Merciless Sinner

Her words soften something inside me. “Really?”

She nods and gives me a gentle smile. “Absolutely. You might not remember him but know that you trust him with your life. He wouldn’t let you go even when everyone told him you were dead. I think he would have spent the rest of forever searching. I don’t believe he would have ever stopped.”

“It sounds like he loved me.”

“He still does. This house here,”—she motions around with her hands—“he got it months before you disappeared. He traded in his apartment in the city for this. You didn’t share this with me, but I think you two might have been talking about marriage, so I wasn’t really surprised when he told me you guys are getting married.”

It’s funny how I already imagined Virgo to be the apartment-in-the-city kind of guy. He was.

Amelia’s words feel like truth, not just her opinion, but I feel bad again because of my fears.

Fears of being with a guy like Virgo, fears of the accident that stole my memories and my parents, and fears of this life.

Everything Amelia said is beautiful. Who wouldn’t want to be loved like that?

But there’s nothing anyone can tell me to eradicate those deep-rooted fears from my mind. Especially since I’m not exactly wrong.

Everything is still dangerous. The man and his world.

I still want to escape it. The whole escape thing is merely pushed to the back of my mind for the time being because I know I have to choose my battles wisely.

That means I’m going through with what I promised Virgo. The marriage and living here in New York. Being his wife.

That’s the plan for the moment.

“We’ll be married next week.” I sigh. “It’s soon. A lot is going to happen next week.”

“And I’ll be there to help you.” A spark of excitement brightens her eyes.

“Will you?”

“Of course, I will. We have over two years to catch up on, so I will be here whenever you need me.” She nods with conviction. “Also, I know you’re going to do the whole walk down memory lane thing with Seamus when Cillian gets back. But I’d love to take you around to all our special places and help plan the wedding.”

I’m already nodding before she can finish speaking.

“I’d really love that. I really would.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do.”

I smile back at her. “It feels like we just met, but I hope you’ll be my maid of honor.”

She laughs. “Of course. I would have been so offended if you didn’t ask.” She takes my hand and gives it gentle squeeze of reassurance. “You’re going to be okay, Olivia. You’re going to be okay.”

She sounds like she really believes that. I wish I could, too.

“I hope so.”

ChapterThirteen

Olivia

Amelia left at nightfall.

We had a really good day. The best I’ve had in…

Well, as long as I can remember.

I thought I had what could pass for good days when I was with Flavio, but those soon turned sour, and I was on my own again.

---