For the first time in forever, I admitted the truth, I admitted my weakness and whispered. “Just two more minutes.” And then my hand inched across the comforter and gripped his.
I could feel his pulse beneath my skin.
The memories came full force.
“This,” Junior gripped me by the thighs and then grabbed my hand and pressed it against his naked chest. “Will always be yours.”
“Even though it’s not supposed to be?” I asked.
“Sometimes, hearts can’t help but beat for the wrong person, and who am I to deny what my heart craves even if it ends up killing me?”
“Don’t joke like that.”
“I would die for your love,” he whispered. “And the last words I would utter would be worth it, fucking worth it.”
Tears filled my eyes. “I love you so much.”
“As long as we both shall live,” he murmured against my lips.
“As long as we both shall live,” I said right back, clinging to him like he was my life, my very soul.
Two days later, he had taken the heart I’d so freely given him and thrown it in my face.
I wasn’t counting.
Maybe Junior was because seconds later, he slowly pried his hand away from mine. I felt the loss in my chest, the pain was so severe—so much worse than the wounds from the night before, because there was no morphine for this sort of pain.
After all, there were no stitches strong enough, brave enough, for a broken heart like mine.
Best it stayed broken, so it never had to feel that first slice.
The pain is never in the days after you lose your heart to someone.
The pain is in the moment you realize that your forever is no longer your future, but your past.
Junior slowly rose from the bed and put on his bloodied-up shirt from the night before.
I watched him move around the room and gather his things, and then I watched him walk to the door, hesitate, like he wanted to look back—and instead, square his shoulders, yank open the door, and keep walking.
He didn’t see the tear that rolled down my cheek.
To the outside world, I was in physical pain.
But my soul knew—it was all the things on the inside that Sergio would never be able to fix.
Ten minutes later, I was dressed in sweats and slowly walking downstairs toward the kitchen.
I blinked in surprise.
Everyone was there?
I mean, we did family dinners, not family breakfasts.
The little ones were in the living room, and by the sounds of it, Frozen Two was on again for the millionth time.
Breaker and King were sitting with them along with Violet, Claire, and Izzy.
Did that mean we weren’t invited to breakfast?
Loud laughter had me shuffling further into the kitchen. Ash was sitting on Junior’s lap in a vain attempt to block him from stealing all the bacon.
Tex was holding a plate of eggs hostage while Chase yelled about getting his man hair on it.
The wives were making mimosa’s like they were ready to go on vacay, and I was genuinely confused.
“What’s going on?” I yawned.
“Sweetheart?” My dad turned, his expression worried, and then I was in his arms, resting my head against his chest. He always smelled so good, always felt so strong, like he could save me from the world, and I never doubted he could.
Not once.
“How are you feeling?” He kissed the top of my head.
“Like I had a spa weekend?” I teased and then stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m sorry I messed up last night—”
“No.” He cupped my chin. “I’m sorry that you had to go through that. But I can’t be sorry that you’re going to lead this family one day, kinda makes an old man wanna cry.”
Uncle Chase burst out laughing. “Like you did while watching Frozen Two?”
I couldn’t see it, but I imagined my dad was giving him a middle finger behind my back.
Typical.
Mom came over and hugged both of us. “Other than the eye, you don’t look horrible.”
“Man, all these compliments are gonna go to my head.” I squeezed her back.
Uncle Tex lifted his mimosa into the air and tapped it with his fork. “We have news.”
My Aunt Mo grabbed a bottle of champagne and lifted it with him.
“You’re pregnant again!” I guessed.
Mo gave me a horrified look. “Do I look like I’m pregnant?”
“No, just say no,” Tex said quickly, earning a swat in the back of his head from Mo. “What’d I do?”
She just took a swig from the bottle.
“All right, so Dante brought something to our attention last night after disposing of another body, which by the way I hear congratulations are in order not only was she armed with a knife and two guns, but she was De Lange. Well done Serena—”
“Hear! Hear!” Ash lifted his mimosa.
Chase shook her head at him. Ash lowered his hand and winked.