“Why didn’t Nonno (grandfather) say a word?” Adonis barked. “I’ve spent most of my life resenting my father. I hated him, Cara. I feel like I’ve been cheated. I said some really messed up things about him. And he left that lunatic alive after everything he said? After he admitted to killing my father?” He rushed out in a breath.
“Maybe it’s because he didn’t want you to be more hurt.” Cara cautiously reasoned. “You were already taking it hard; he didn’t want to make it worse on you. If he had killed the man, then your mother would’ve been alone. I’m sure he did it for you!”
Adonis gave her a blank stare.
“What a load of crap!”
“Sorry?” Cara was taken aback.
“He should’ve killed him. Mother or not, she deserves to be alone. She ruined his son’s life. And his grandson’s.” He paused. “No. He ruined his life. Being in love doesn’t give you the right to behave like a fool.”
“Ohhh…” Cara drew out sarcastically.
This was taking a dramatic turn.
“He should’ve been responsible for his actions to the end. Why end his life and try to guilt-trip everyone?” Adonis scoffed. “What a weakling. I’ll never be like him. You hear me. Never.”
Cara nodded in agreement.
“Of course. Why would you want to be like him? He ruined your childhood because of his so-called love for his wife and decided to kill himself. What an irresponsible man! Just because he had a mental illness that was caused by his wife’s manipulation doesn’t give him the right to do that!”
Adonis cocked his head, a chary expression on his face, but Cara continued.
“I’m sure that he decided to do it during one of the times he was sane, and the guilt of what he had done was eating away at his heart, but who cares? Then your grandfather, how dare he keep such important information from you? He should’ve told you. You’d probably feel overwhelmed and might even go crazy like your father, but it doesn’t matter. Only the truth does. What arrant nonsense!” She ended her rant panting heavily with Adonis’s gaze still locked on her in disbelief.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m being a good support system. You wanted to bash and commend at the same time, so I found a way to do it. My God,” she walked over to the desk to get a cup of water and gulped it down. “I haven’t spoken that much in a long while, and I speak more often than you. How is it that you’ve not complained since last night?” Cara teased then went to him.
“Look. I know the guilt is probably eating you away, but it doesn’t have to. Just be very glad that you know now, and you’ll not end up hating your father forever. Your Nonno (grandfather) always has your best interest at heart. I’m sure he had a reason; why don’t you talk to him about it, uhm?” She smoothed the slight frown on his face with her fingers.
“It doesn’t have to be complicated, Adonis.”
It felt like she was speaking to herself. Her father had died, yes, but she didn’t have to hold onto the grudges. Honestly, she just needed someone to blame. Someone to direct all her anger towards. It wasn’t Adonis’s fault. Maybe her father would still be alive if they didn’t suspect her to be a spy. Maybe he wouldn’t. But one thing she was sure of was that something worse would’ve happened. There was no way she could get thirty grand within a day. The main culprits were the Grecos, but she didn’t even feel like taking revenge anymore.
Cara just wanted to live in peace. Her newfound feelings might’ve had something to do with it or not. She just wanted to live looking forward only.
“Is it that simple?” Adonis finally spoke. “I’ve carried this around for so long; it feels so foreign and wrong to just let it go. It’s already become a part of me. A part of who I am.”
“I understand.” She admitted it, and she truly did.
Even right now, a part of her was screaming and kept repeating ‘betrayer’, like she was betraying her dad. But she was determined to let it go and start a new life.
“You do?” He asked hesitantly.
“I do. But if I want to live better, live for myself. It’s what I have to do. I’m sure your father would want you to be happy. Isn’t that why he killed himself? To take away the very source of bitterness in your life?”
Adonis pondered on her words.
Could he genuinely start afresh? At this point?
He quietly watched the woman caressing his face. Just one look at her, and his heart feels rejuvenated. Perhaps with her, he could.
Cara linked her arm with his and rested against his side.
“Look out the window.” She said, and he did.
A golden glow was cast over the horizon. The sun was rising.
“Look and see. It’s you… you alone. You don’t have to see anybody else. Just you alone.”
There was something about the words she said and the beautiful sight. It just clicked together. It doesn’t have to be complicated. He’d always trained himself not to love. That doesn’t mean he can’t love…
He couldn’t let this woman go-not after everything they’ve shared in the last twenty-four hours.
With his eyes still set on the sunrise, he spoke
“Cara?”
She hummed.
“I think I’m going to try.” He looked down at her. “For you, I want to try.”
She stared back with so much light in her eyes.
“For me?”
“Yeah. I think I… “he couldn’t finish his sentence.
Cara knew he was new to this. It was his first time admitting his feelings towards someone, so she waited patiently. With great difficulty, he parted his lips to try again.
“I think I… No. I know I like you, and I’d like to see where this goes.”
She smiled brightly at him.
“I’m down for it. I like you too.” She giggled.
Adonis let out a loud, booming laughter, the side of his eyes crinkling.
“You’ve always been attracted to me.”
“Not you. Smaller Adonis.” Cara patted his member, and he let out a deep growl, taking a threatening step closer.
“There’s nothing small about him. Do I need to show you?”
She batted her lashes at him.
“Maybe?”
The temperature in the room dropped several degrees and he fixed her with a hard stare.
“Get on all fours.”
Cara felt a wave of excitement.
Her mafia man was back.