Unraveling Him | A mafia Story

Chapter 25 - Weapons don't weep

"He wouldn't," I said, interrupting her from saying more, "All he knows now is that you're dead, he won't go around searching for a ghost, I will make sure of it, you don't need to worry."

She stared back at me, astonished and a bit taken aback by my level of assurance. Her teeth dug into her lower lip, trying to stop her eyes from spilling forward those waterworks and make this whole situation more awkward than it is, "Uh...when my father first told me about this..." She rubbed a hand over her throat, "This whole marriage and you," She shook her head, "This is definitely not what I expected," Her throat bobbed as she carefully added, "I've just...I've heard only terrible things about you."

I nodded, "I am not gonna tell you they're lies," My reputation was tainted only with my own wrong doings, no more, no less.

She stared at me for a long second, as if trying to understand something, "I get that, but," She took a step forward and her lips lifted into a small smile, "You told me you are going to help me because you've got blood on your hands and you would like to wipe it away," She surprised me when she extended her hand forward. In response, I placed mine around hers, shaking it back as she added, ever so innocently, "Consider it wiped."

Her words had the corner of my lips lifting up, a bit amused and I shook my head, "If only it's that easy."

She shrugged as she retreated her hand back, "Still, it's step number one."

Then, what in god's name is step number two?

My gaze flickered to Matteo as he kept sneaking glances at us, huffing and puffing in annoyance, "You trust him?" I asked, making sure one more time.

Mia's eyes went to him for a brief second and her smile only widened. When she turned to me, the light seemed to be rushing back to her eyes with full force, "More than anyone," She answered, without any hesitation, "He is all I have."

I nodded, "Good."

"Shouldn't we be heading out now?" Mr. boyfriend interjected, too bothered by our private conversation, I would've probably punched him for that tone of his but the fact that I have someone of...my own now, it made me realize that if situations were switched, I would've probably done worse than he is doing.

Mia turned to him, her eyebrows raising in warning, "Just one second," She mumbled and he rolled his eyes as he took a few steps backward again.

"Uh, before we go, I just want to say it again...thank you so much," She said, tucking her hair behind her ear, "And uhm...Natalie, she seems like a great person," Her smile was so warm and genuine, like she really meant her next words, "And I really hope that one day, you will have this with her."

"This?" I questioned, "You mean escaping?"

She nodded, "Yeah," Her smile slowly dropped down at the topic, "You said it yourself, you have blood on your hands and to be honest, you will never be able to wipe it away as long as you stay in...this world we were born and forced into," She added, only stating facts I hate to acknowledge, for the very first time openly speaking with me without that fear or hesitation in her tone, "If you stay, you will only be adding more blood and tainting more than just your hands with it, you will taint hers too and I think you know very well that she deserves better than that."

My jaw tightened, not at her words, but at the truth behind them, "I can't leave, I can't simply walk away from this, there is a lot left for me to do."

She nodded, "But I think that you need to consider one more thing; these things that are left for you to do," Her eyebrows pulled closer in something that resembled worry , "Can you come back from them?" She didn't want me to give an answer, she indirectly forced to answer myself that, "Do you think that...that she will accept them?"