Saint Valentine

20

"Because I knew that if I killed you, I would never get him back."

"And you think you'll get him back now — after you've killed so many of his men?"

"Well, you see... None of those deaths had to happen if Valentino hadn't dismissed me so casually. I told him what would happen if he ended things, and he didn't listen."

"I don't think he dismissed you. I think he was just willing to take risks to get what he wanted."

"And what he wanted was you."

"I guess so."

"Which leads me to my proposition," she begins. "If you want the killing to stop, all you have to do is one simple thing..."

"And what's that?"

"Reject him," she says. A loud banging comes from the mirror. I already know it's Valentino, desperate for me to get out of this room and back to him.

"And then what?" I ask.

"You get him to marry me."

"And then the killing stops?"

"Yep," she nods. "I don't care if you date him, fuck him, bare his children... I don't care, as long as I'm the one he marries."

She can't be serious.

"You want to be Regina."

"That's all I'm after."

"And you're okay being someone who doesn't love you?"

"Oh, I don't care about love. All I want is power."

The door bursts open, a furious Valentino in the doorway.

"That's enough," he says. "This is over. Bianca, let's go."

I don't need to be told twice. I follow him out of the room without a single complaint. He grabs a hold of me as soon as he can.

"I'm okay," I tell him. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," I nod. I don't know if I am, though.

"Something's wrong," he observes. "Don't listen to her, okay? She's delusional. There's no point working with her."

"Valentino..." I sigh.

"I mean it, Bianca," he insists. "She's not in control here."

"Isn't she?"

"No," he steps back. Hurt fills his eyes. I can't believe I'm saying this. I want to vomit.

"She killed a hundred of your people, and she'll kill more."

"No, she won't. We have her captive."

"So what — you're going to keep her locked up forever? Until she gives in? You know that won't happen anytime soon!" I push. "Besides, how long is it going to take until her family come down here to break her out, huh? And how many people will they kill then?"

"Bianca! You cannot be serious!"

"Trust me, this is not what I want, but —."

"Then why are you talking about it?!"

"Because you have a responsibility to this family. You have a duty to do what's right for the family, not just for you and me."

"This is not right for the family! You are right for the family!"

"She is not going to stop until she gets her way!"

"She will run this family into the ground!"

"At least there will still be a family!"

"No!" he declares. "This is not happening. This is not going to happen!"

"People are dying and this is a way to make it stop."

"The family would never approve! They would riot after what she's done!"

"Not if it leads to a truce!"

"This is not a truce. It's a death sentence!"

"What else are we supposed to do?" I ask. "I don't see another way out of this without more bloodshed!"

"So you'll give up that easily?" he pushes. "Where is your determination? Where is the Bianca who fought for what she wanted?"

"This is different! People's lives are at stake! And the more we fight, the more people die!" I say. "This is our chance to stop that!"

"But at what cost? You're miserable, I'm miserable, the whole family suffers," he says. "Isabella does not care about this family! If I marry her, the Sainte family is done for!"

"What else are we supposed to do? Let more people die?!"

"We find another way!"

"Like what?"

"I don't know, but we'll figure it out."

"That's not good enough," I state. "I need some air."

"Bianca," he calls out to me. "Bianca, wait."

"Just give me a second," I walk out of the building, the cool breeze hitting my face.

"Please, Bianca," Valentino grabs my hand, stopping me from walking further out. "You don't want this. I know you don't. And I won't let it happen."

"Of course I don't want this," I tell him. "I don't want any of this!"

"I know, and I'm sorry I got you into this. It shouldn't have happened. I knew the risks, and I still chose to be selfish. It was my mistake, and I need to fix it."

"I'm just so... scared," I admit. "I don't want more people to die because of us. I don't want more people to suffer. I just want to be with you."

"And you will be. I won't let you go, you know? I'll never let you go. Not now, not ever."

"Valentino..."

"I mean it. I can't let you go."

"Do you promise?" I search his eyes. A small smile pulls at his lips.

"Of course," he presses a kiss on my forehead. "As long as you promise to fight with me. We can't let them win. We have to keep fighting."

"I know," I give in. "I just don't want anyone else to get hurt."

"I know, darling, I know," he wraps his arms around me, my body flooding with warmth.