Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
He remained in the chair, blinking several times to dispel the burn in his eyes. “There must be something I can do—”
“If you’re really sorry, you’ll leave me alone and never bother me again.”
The words made him flinch, made him suck in a harsh breath and blink several more times. “I promise I will never do anything like this again—”
“It’s not about a repeat offense.” She looked at him again. “It’s the fact that the entire time, when I thought we were so close, I was just your fucking puppet. You were never going to give me the business, were you? You were just using me to marry me off to someone powerful so you could grow your alliances.”
“You were never my puppet, Scarlett,” he said. “I just got lost in all the bullshit. I got lost in the money and the power. The only thing that actually matters is the two of us…and I somehow forgot that.”
Her arms tightened over her chest.
“I worked so hard when you were little because I wanted to provide for you. I wanted you to have a better life than I did, the four of us sleeping in a single bedroom. But I took that too far, lost sight of why I was doing all of this, let my good intentions mold into something entirely new and terrible. I know I’ve done awful things, and I’m honest about that. But never once have I not loved you.” His tears started to break through the cracks in his armor. He struggled to look at his daughter, who continued to give him the cheek. “Axel is right. Family is everything. Give me another chance.”
“This family is toxic, manipulative, and conniving.” When she looked at him again, it was with the same coldness. “And I want no part of it.” She got to her feet. “Did my mother actually not want me, or was that a lie?”
Dante couldn’t hide the hurt the question provoked.
“Did you kidnap me, and she’s been looking for me all this time?”
He bowed his head and let her question hang in the air between them.
Scarlett turned away and walked out of the room. Didn’t wait for me to join her.
Dante remained there and slid forward, catching his face on his palms as his elbows rested on his knees. His fingers pushed through his hair, and he gave a painful sigh. And in the light of the fireplace, I saw a tear fall.
I should have felt nothing. Nothing at all. But…I felt sad.
He took a moment before he righted himself and sniffed loudly. He wiped his face on his sleeve and took in a hard breath. His cheeks were full of crimson, and his eyes burned from the inflammation of his sinuses.
I moved to the couch and took a seat. “Give her some time.”
He rubbed his palms together and composed himself, hiding his weakness from me. “She’s right. What I’ve done…is unforgivable.”
“I agree.”
He turned his head slightly to look at me.
“But love doesn’t care about forgiveness. Love doesn’t care about anything. That’s why it’s love.”
I didn’t mention her father again.
Their conversation put her in a depressive state for a few days, and once she was out of it, I didn’t want to put her back in the hole. I gave her time to breathe, to enjoy the spring sunshine that started to flood the city.
I sat at the kitchen island and watched her work. Her thick hair was pulled back in a bun while she wore leggings and a sports bra with her athletic jacket slipping halfway down, showing most of her stomach.
She sauteed the dish for a few more minutes before she transferred it to two plates. She placed one in front of me along with a fork. “This is the last entrée. Assuming we like this, our menu is complete.”
Steam wafted from the dish like smoke from a blazing fire, but I was so eager for a bite that I stabbed my fork into the food and took a bite.
“You can let it cool.”
“I’m hungry.” I ignored the heat and chewed, letting the sauce and flavors all come together. “Fuck yes, this is going on the menu.”
“Are you sure? Because you’ve never vetoed any of my dishes.”
“I said no to that gorgonzola fig thing.”
“Yes, because it was a salad.”
I took another bite. “Baby, everything you make is good. If you weren’t my wife, I’d be eating there every night, trying to make you my wife.”
An involuntary blush moved to her cheeks as the smile tugged at her lips.
“I’d eat your food then that pretty pussy.”
“Wow…” She took a bite of her own food. “At least we aren’t in public right now.”
Without waiting for my meal to cool, I ate it all, wiping the plate clean with a piece of bread. “Our menu is complete. Now we need to set up with the vendors, add some décor, and hire staff.”