Kiss de La Notte - Book III (Mafia Romance)

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Bitter Pill to Swallow

"Being divorced and sharing children is complicated, Korinna, that's for sure." Gemma inhaled a deep breath, putting on her usual warm smile as she pat my ankle "I can't even imagine what you're going through with all of this. The events that occurred over a year ago, the marriage, and now your mother. It's a lot to be resting on your shoulders all by yourself. It's okay to put yourself first."

Looking down at my lap, playing with the candy wrapper between my fingertips. The problem was that I wasn't so sure that I had been putting my family first. At least not two years ago.

"You know, you and Mia have absolutely my changed my life," Gemma continued, making me pick my head back up. "You're both so wonderful. I worry about what this life will do to you, what it already has. If I've done enough to help you and at what point, I would be crossing a line with your father." She reached out and held my hand, her eyes gleaming ever so slightly. "I wanted you to know I'm on your side. I know that might be hard to believe, since your father employs me. But I am. You and Mia...I think of you as my own daughters. You know that, don't you?"

What Gemma said meant so much to me, and I realized I'd been so distracted by other things that I hadn't stopped to remember how grateful I was for the people in my life like Gemma. I managed a nod as I tried to hold back my tears and pulled her into a tight hug.

I wished I could tell her the truth. But this only served as a reminder that I had too much to lose if I didn't face my demons on my own.

***

I had to get clever with sneaking out that night. Despite the guilt that I felt, I had one of my father's drivers drop me off at my college an hour away, so I could "meet with some classmates" on campus on a final group project. One of my father's new employees, who had driven me here, hovered around the campus library like a body guard.

I thought I would never get time to myself, when he seemed to receive a phone call and left the building. It was enough of a distraction for me to make a break for it.

I hiked up across campus to the commuter parking lot and texted Marcos. My heart pounded as a normal looking jeep came around the parking lot to pick me up. The man driving didn't speak a word to me, but I vaguely recognized him as one of the Cafaro's employees.

He took me to a place I hadn't been in years. A bar right by my college, where Marcos told me he loved me.

I looked down the sleek wood of the empty bar, my eyes connecting with his. Marcos Cafaro looked the same as the last time I'd saw him, but his brown hair was shaved down to a military style. He wore a long sleeve t-shirt and jeans, and for some reason, the casualness of his clothes seemed to unarm me a little bit. 

My stomach didn't do that same fluttery sensation it used to around him, but I still had eyes, and he was just as beautiful as I remembered. Outward looks really could be deceiving.

"Korinna Romano." Marcos stood up to move his seat to the the stool beside me and kissed the back of my hand. "As I live and breathe. You look good. Real good."

"My eyes are up here."

Marcos flicked his gaze back up to my face, that smile still on his mouth. "I missed that sass." He took a sip his drink, leaning his forearms on the bar. "You stopped replying to my calls and my emails, so I figured you blocked me. Did you think I would just forget about our...understanding?"

His finger brushed a strand of my hair, but I flinched away.

"Our understanding ended when your men invaded my home and traumatized my sister," I said.