I let go of thoughts about Marion and other remaining issues and nodded, “Yes,” I replied directly. “I didn’t expect to find contentment in this kind of life. It’s simple, but it’s fulfilling. It’s far from the chaos of the city, and it’s peaceful. If given the choice, I would love to stay here. However, I have responsibilities I need to face in New York, so I have to return there.”
I glanced at Gio and smiled at him. As he always did, he just gazed back at me.
I stood up as I finally saw the sun. I brushed off the sand clinging to me.
“I’ll head home for now. I’ll cook breakfast. Want to join me?”
Maybe it’s for the best that we take things slowly. I know that even though we’ve been married for a long time, there’s still much we need to learn about each other.
Gio stood up as well and followed me. I walked ahead, and I could feel him behind me.
I stopped walking and looked at him when he took my hand. My heart raced at what Gio did.
I allowed him, and we both went inside the house.
I prepared breakfast while my mind was still buzzing with everything that had happened. I couldn’t believe this was how everything turned out. I had thought he might get angry with me for all the pretense, or he might push for us to make up right now. But… it was surprising that he was willing to wait until we were both ready.
There are still wounds to heal, not just for me but for Gio as well. He may have hurt me, but at some point, I’ll admit that I hurt him too. There are still things we need to discover about each other.
My thoughts came to a halt as I felt someone embrace me from behind. I slightly turned my head to look at him, but I immediately felt Gio’s warm breath on my neck. His hands slipped under my waistband, resting on my stomach as he held me from behind.
“But maybe, even if we’re not completely okay yet, I can be clingy to you, right?” I unconsciously bit my lower lip and didn’t respond.
“I’ll do things I didn’t do much before; I’ll make up for where I fell short. This time, I won’t fail you, Millie.”
His words stirred something in me, making me feel like I wanted to cry. In the end, I just smiled at myself. I also wanted to prove to him that something in me had changed. We grow from our mistakes; we’re better than we were yesterday. We learn from our past, and the future holds so much for you, for us.
Maybe I should trust Gio for now when it comes to Marion, but I have a feeling that Marion will sense my betrayal and pretense. In fact, he might already know because of Arcel. Did Arcel see me when I caught them talking to Marion? It’s not impossible.
~*~
In the past few days, Gio had been urging me to live with him or at least move to his hotel. I told him it wasn’t possible because Marion’s people might still be around, and until I can prove that I’ve been caught, I want to continue pretending. If I ever catch Marion, then I’ll give Gio the information he needs.
I was heading home after teaching the children when I felt someone following me. I turned to look, and I was right; it was Gio. There was a hint of darkness in his eyes, storming rage that he was trying to conceal. He wasn’t angry with me; his anger had a different source.
“Millie,” he called out to me. “I want you to decide now whether you’re going to stay in the hotel with me or live with you.”
“How many times do I have to say it’s not possible? People will find it strange! What will we tell them? Plus, there’s Marion…”
“You’re still thinking about him? I told you, let me handle the situation.” Gio moved closer to me. Behind his terrifying expression, a trace of concern for me was noticeable.
“I want to help somehow,” I murmured.
“How about tossing a coin? Head or tail, Millie? If you win, I’ll let you do your things, but if I win, you’ll follow my words.”
We both agreed to that. I chose heads. Gio took out a coin and tossed it into the air. He threw it so high that the sunlight nearly blinded me.
My eyes widened as I felt something. I moved quickly and retrieved the gun from Gio’s waist, while he did the same and grabbed my knife from its holster on my thigh. I fired at a man I saw behind him, while he threw the knife at someone behind me.
As the two bodies fell from our actions, the coin also fell from the sky. Gio caught it as if we hadn’t just killed two people.
I looked at the result, and by Gio’s grin alone, I knew what it was. Tail. I won.
I rolled my eyes before handing Gio his gun back and turned away. I approached the man whom Gio had thrown my knife at. I took the knife embedded in his throat, and blood immediately flowed as I removed it.
“Dario,” Gio called to his henchman, whom I hadn’t even noticed was here. “Clean the mess. Make sure no one else sees.”
No one else sees? We just killed two people in broad daylight.
Gio walked up to me, and I glanced at him. He was grinning at me because he knew I had no say in his decision; he won the coin toss.
“So, my place or your place? Choose.”
“How about a third option? Neither,” I said, looking at him to see if I could rattle him.
Gio chuckled and shook his head. “There’s no third option, honey. Shall I order my men to put my things in your house?”
I decided not to argue any further. I preferred that to staying in a hotel.
We walked back to the house, with Gio’s hand resting on the small of my back, making gentle circles.
“They were Marion’s men, right?” He was probably referring to the men who had attacked us earlier.
“Yeah, it looks like he knows I’m just pretending, and now we’re both on his radar.” I looked at Gio. He appeared calm, but I had a feeling something wasn’t right. What if he leaves me again because of this? Now, I’m doubting him once more. “What will you do, Gio?”
“Hmm? What does that mean?” He raised an eyebrow, indicating that he didn’t understand.
“Will you leave me again because someone is trying to end my life?” I challenged him.
He cocked his head to the side before smirking at me. “I told you, I am a changed man, sweetheart. If someone tries to harm you, I’ll be the one to kill them. I will protect you this time. No one can shake me or us… because I am done battling with myself, and guess who won?”
I swallowed hard. His eyes were full of malice, it was terrifying. If I didn’t know Gio so well, I would run for my life.
“Who?” I asked him. This was often how we were. In the past few days, despite the occasional peace between us, I couldn’t read Gio. Sometimes he was sweet, but at times, there was a dark undertone, as if Gio was being corrupted, and that was frightening from someone’s point of view. For me, it was okay because I knew Gio wouldn’t hurt me.
“The demons inside me. The weak Gio Locatelli is gone, and now, even death won’t be enough to separate me from you. Whoever dares to challenge me or threaten your life, I will serve them their deaths, no matter what.”
I tilted my chin, somewhat challenging him even though his expression was quite intimidating.
“Is that so?”
I walked inside the house and left him by the door.
“Oh, darling, I will bring the corpse of Marion Huff to you soon. Just you wait.”
I felt my body shiver. I mean, I’ve often heard Gio make life-threatening statements, but there was something about him now that made it seem like he was thirsting for blood, and the only thing that would satisfy it was the blood of his enemy. The kind of determination that wouldn’t stop until they were wiped out.
A complete monster… even a demon. It’s terrifying, spine-chilling, and you’ll wish you’d never found yourself on his bad side because if you did, your death would be next.
The demons in him really won, huh?