Tell him the truth.
Tell him everything.
My time had come.
Taking a deep breath, I said, “That day, when we both woke up in the garden back home, when Angelo found us. You remember he sent me home. Well, when he arrived, he was so angry. Momma and Papa were at the store. So, it was just us. He was furious, Reggie.”
“He hit you.”
I nodded. “Yes. I’d never been hit before. I didn’t know what to think, let alone do. However, Angelo knew because he grabbed my arm and dragged me from the house. He was calling me all kinds of horrible names. I’d never seen him like that before. He kept saying I ruined everything. I didn’t know what he was talking about. The next thing I knew, I was on a plane, and we were flying to Italy. I didn’t want to go. I tried to tell him several times, but he wasn’t listening to me. He told me I was transferring schools and I could finish my education in Verona. I didn’t want to go to Verona, but I had no choice. I thought he would take me straight to the school when we landed, but he didn’t. A man was waiting on us. I never saw him before. And when the man handed Angelo a briefcase, Angelo told him to make sure I got what I deserved. I didn’t know what he was talking about.”
“He sold you.”
“Yes. I didn’t know a person could sell another. Yet my brother did as if I was nothing to him. He said I was tainted, that I was no longer useful. He kept going on about how I ruined his plans, that I was at fault. That what was happening was all my fault.”
“He wanted you to marry Gio,” Reggie said, releasing me as he sat on the bed and his shoulders slumped.
Moving to sit next to him, I wrapped my arm around him, and he flinched, getting to his feet. “Reggie, I would have never married Gio. I don’t love him like that.”
I said nothing more as Reggie grabbed his jeans and quickly put them on. “You don’t get it Cat. That day, everything changed for both of us. Your brother beat the living shit out of me. If it weren’t for Dwayne, I would have died. Your brother told me that Gio had agreed to marry you. That you were his. He told me I was marked for death. Dwayne was furious. He got me out of Chicago fast. I didn’t know your brother sent you to Italy. I thought you would just go on living your life in Chicago. You would graduate, become a doctor, meet someone else and marry. If I had known Cat, I would have done something. I swear I would have.”
Shaking my head, I leaned down, picked up the shirt he was wearing earlier, and put it on. “What could you have done, Reggie? We were young. We did what the family said. We were in college.”
“I should have gone to Gio.”
“You just said that my brother said Gio would kill you.”
“I don’t care! I should have done something!” he shouted, raking his hands through his hair. And that’s when it hit me. While I was so busy blaming myself and living in fear of what Reggie would think of me, he fought his own fears of regret and shame. My beautiful, intelligent, loving man blamed himself for doing nothing.
Getting to my feet, I walked over to him and gently pulled his hands from his face. “Sweetheart, we were kids. We didn’t know any better. We’ve always done what the family requested. Don’t blame yourself for something you had no control over. We thought we just got caught. Yeah, we figured we would be punished, but nothing like we received. We didn’t know any better. You have to forgive yourself.”
“I can’t okay! While I was running for my life, you were being sold! Who the fuck does that? Who runs away from the woman he loves? I should have stayed and fought for you. Instead, I ran with my tail between my legs and never looked back.”
“You didn’t know, Reggie.”
“Didn’t you hear me? I never looked for you. Not once!”
“You said it yourself. You thought I was still in Chicago. Why would you look for me if you believed I was safe?”
“But you weren’t! He sold you. To some vile mother fucker who did, God knows what to you. You had to go through all that shit because I was too much of a fucking pussy to man up and do the right thing!” he shouted right before he walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
I stood there, alone, hearing his footsteps as he stomped down the hall. As they faded, I heard a loud bang as a door was slammed. Then seconds later, I heard a loud heart-shattering cry. Rushing to the window, I saw Reggie on his knees in the morning sun as he screamed and screamed, his fist pounding on the ground.
Tears fell down my face as I watched the man I adored release all the pain, fear, and regret that had built up over the years, and there was nothing I could do to help him. I had my own vices to get through. How could I help him when I was broken myself?
“Are you okay?” a voice asked. I didn’t bother turning from the window to see who was in the room with me. I didn’t care who it was. I wanted so much to go to Reggie and tell him that I forgave him years ago, but how could I do that when I couldn’t forgive myself.
“He is never going to forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive. The both of you were played. Neither of you knew what was really happening. The sooner you both realize that the faster you both can heal.”
“Can we heal? It doesn’t feel like it.”
“I’ve known Player for years, and he’s never shown any real emotions. Yeah, he goofs around and picks fights with his brother, but he’s never shown anything to anyone as he’s done in the last three days. That man loves you, Catarina. Have you told him about his son?”
I silently shook my head. “No. I never got the chance. I’m afraid to now. He already blames himself for so much. I fear telling him about Colin will put him over the edge.”
“You need to tell him, Catarina.”