My father turned to one of the paintings, the one of Bones working at the winery. With the backdrop of the endless vineyards and the cobblestone pathways between the buildings, it seemed like a beautiful day in Tuscany. Bones was passing between the buildings, carrying a barrel of wine to the storage room. My father stared at it for a moment before he turned back to me. “Beautiful gallery.”
My arms tightened over my chest, and hearing him speak made me realize how upset I still was. I didn’t want to make small talk and pretend nothing happened. But I didn’t want to have an honest conversation about what really happened either. “I’m still not ready.” I lowered my gaze, unable to look my father in the eye. I didn’t want to see his sadness. Despite how much he’d hurt me, I didn’t want to hurt him.
My father stayed still, his hands in his pockets.
When my bravery returned, I looked at him again.
His expression hadn’t changed, but his eyes hinted at his sadness. He breathed a deep sigh, his frustration and heartbreak evident. “Tesoro, please don’t hate me.”
“I don’t hate you,” I blurted. “But that doesn’t mean I want to talk to you.”
His eyes flinched, like my words packed punches. “Your mother and I are worried.”
“I just lost the love of my life. Don’t expect me to feel better in a few days.”
“Vanessa, it’s been three weeks…”
I had no grasp of time. Sometimes I slept all day, and sometimes I didn’t sleep all night. I didn’t eat at regular times, and I didn’t even know what day of the week it was. The last three weeks felt like a painful blur. I wasn’t sure how I’d lived that long without speaking to Bones, without looking at his pretty blue eyes. How much longer would I feel this way? Would a pain this intense ever end? “I guess I lost track of time…” I rubbed my upper arms with my palms, fighting a chill that hadn’t descended. “How did you find me?”
“I never lost you.”
He’d probably been watching the house since he ordered Bones to leave. He’d followed me all the way here and kept an eye on me from a distance. This whole time I thought I’d been alone, but I’d never really been on my own. “He bought me this gallery…gave me an apartment and a car. I never asked him for those things. I’ve never wanted his money. But he wanted to give me something before he disappeared.”
My father held his indifferent expression, Bones’s gifts meaningless to him.
“You never really gave him a chance, did you?” My anger started to rise again, my bitterness burning in my blood.
“You know I did.”
I shook my head, unsure if I could believe him.
“I know you’re upset right now. I know you’re hurting, and that hurts me. But one day, you’ll realize this is the best thing that ever happened to you. You deserve a lot more than that man, and I’m not going to let you settle for anything less than someone who’s perfect.”
“There’s no such thing as the perfect man. Even if there were, that’s not what I want. I love him for who he is, all of his strengths and flaws. And he loves me despite all the baggage that comes along with me. Why would I want a perfect man when I have the perfect love?”
Speechless, he just stared at me.
“You made the wrong decision.”
He shook his head slightly. “No, I didn’t. And I won’t change my mind. You’re lucky I didn’t kill him. The only reason I didn’t was out of respect for you. But if I cross his path again, I won’t hesitate.”
“You’ve got him all wrong…”
“A man who forces a woman to sleep with him is fucking trash.” His jaw clenched, and his eyes darkened with threat. My father and I never talked about this stuff, but that discreetness was long gone.
“He didn’t force me—”
“He didn’t give you a choice. You either had to comply, or he executed your whole family. What other option did you have? You think I would ever walk you down the aisle and give you away? To him? Over my dead body. I know you love this man, but you never would have loved him if you had a choice. Maybe it’s water under the bridge for you, but it’ll never be that way for me.”
“It was never any of your business. You shouldn’t have even asked him that.”
“When a man has vowed to kill my whole family, yes, it’s my damn business, Vanessa. If he wants my daughter, he needs to prove he’s worthy of her. And that asshole isn’t worthy of you at all. His father raped my wife and killed my sister. You think I’m going to let this endless cycle continue with you? My only daughter? The only woman in the world I love more than my damn wife?” His nostrils flared and his shoulders tightened. Slight shakes erupted down his arms, like he wanted to punch the painting on his left. “Every man has a few skeletons in his closet. If he didn’t, that would be more alarming. But this man is despicable. His actions are unforgivable. Your affection and lust have blinded you to what’s right in front of you. I’m not a man who’s blinded by anything—”