Hearts Divided: A Mafia Love Triangle Volume 1

Chapter 33 - Cain

I stayed in bed for hours, unable to shut my eyes. My gaze was fixed on the ceiling, picturing Scarlett wrapped in Blaze's embrace. The thought of them together was unbearable; it haunted me like an unshakeable shadow.

Anger boiled in my veins. Every woman I cared about favored Blaze over me. I had everything Blaze had and more, so why wasn't I good enough? Was it because Blaze had a bigger one? Did it give them more pleasure? To hell with his superpowers. I quickly dismissed the ideas when I realized I was thinking about Blaze's dick. What could be so appealing about him? I doubted women were attracted to the scar he had on his left cheek and jaw. It gave him personality, but it wasn't that attractive.

After struggling to find a comfortable position in bed, I finally admitted defeat and accepted the fact that sleep was not going to come easily. I dragged myself into the shower, praying that the frigid water would help calm my agitated state. My nerves were already on edge.

As soon as I tossed my clothes onto the tiled floor, I stepped into the shower. My mind kept circling back to Scarlett—her fear etched into my memory, even though I had no intention of harming her. At least not on purpose. I finally understood why Blaze enjoyed toying with her - she was so easily manipulated, and when she was afraid, she resembled a deer frozen in front of headlights.

Considering she was always taking antidepressants, it's possible that her true personality is nothing like this. I often wonder what Scarlett was like before the medication. If I had met her back then and asked her to inflict physical pain on me, would she have been capable of doing it? The thought of her tracing one of my knives over my abdomen and prodding me gently sent a thrill through me. But I resisted the temptation to pleasure myself in the shower, feeling pathetic and lonely while she was a few rooms away with Blaze.

After stepping out of the shower, I swiftly wrapped a towel around my waist and walked over to the mirror to shave. As I looked at my reflection, a memory came flooding back: the picture she had on her phone of me. It was during the worst time of my life; I didn't even recognize myself anymore. I hadn't showered or shaved in days, let alone gotten a haircut. Back then, even a homeless person would have looked more put-together than me.

As I let my thoughts drift back to her apartment, I couldn't help but wonder what I might find if I were to venture there again. Gratefully, she didn't seem as giddy as she had before. After witnessing their kiss, I marched up to the bartender and firmly requested that he stop serving her alcohol. Upon seeing me, the bartender's face drained of color, and he quickly agreed—something must have happened. But since no one had made a complaint, I chose to leave things as they were for now.

I was nearly done shaving when I received a notification from Kristopher. Curiosity piqued, and I unlocked my phone to see a photo of an icy bottle of beer with a question mark in the caption. Without hesitation, I responded with "on my way" before setting down the razor and making my way back to the cabin to change clothes.

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Adorned in shades of ocean blue and sand, the bar's interior mirrored the allure of the ocean. Brass accents shimmered under the ambient lighting, casting a warm glow that danced across the polished surfaces. Marine-themed artifacts adorned the walls, from ship wheels to weathered maps, weaving a seafaring narrative.

My gaze wandered out to sea as Kristopher did the same next to me. It had been quite some time since we'd been here, but neither of us had exchanged a word so far.

"So what are you going to do now? Everyone assumes she's your girlfriend," he asked as he lit a cigarette.

"I don't have a strategy", I answered honestly. "I don't know what to do".

"You could be honest and tell her how you really feel. You can't pretend forever. The way things are going, they'll all catch on soon enough. Liz will destroy her".

"Would it matter if I told her how I feel?", I continued, popping the lid on another beer.

"She has no way of knowing until you tell her", Kristopher replied after the ninth beer. "Scarlett seeks affection in absolutely everyone".

I took out another cigarette and lit it, trying to calm my nerves. He had found something out, and it seemed like she had spent the previous night with them. It was no surprise, really; she was charming and had a way of getting people to like her without even trying.

"Will you still be around if I screw up again?", I asked Kristopher.

Just before I got an answer, I spotted Scarlett advancing towards our table. She was beaming as she greeted us both warmly. Her expression confirmed my suspicions - she had been with Blaze. A hint of envy bubbled inside me, but when I locked eyes with Kristopher, I chose to ignore my negative feelings.

"Got a minute?", she asked.

For Scarlett, I have all the minutes in the world.

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Kristopher stood up and told us he needed to see if my cousin was okay. She'd had a little too much to drink last night, he said.

I remained silent to avoid betraying him. His words were untrue, but I didn't want to expose him. Skyler had a low tolerance for alcohol and often felt sick after drinking, so it was rare for her to indulge. I knew Kristopher disliked any kind of drama, so he always steered clear of it. It was one of the reasons why we were such great friends; we could work out any issues between us without causing a scene and have an open and honest conversation.

Scarlett's lips curled into a smile as she hugged him goodbye. Once he had left, she settled in front of me and placed an order for a latté. As she nonchalantly placed the bracelet on the table, I felt a surge of anger course through me and had to resist the urge to choke her again.

"Don't you dare insult me a second time" I growled through clenched teeth, my fists whitening under the table.

"I'm not trying to insult you," she replied, her body shaking with fear. "I just don't think it's okay for me to have that considering..." her voice trailed off, afraid to face my anger.

"Considering what?" I asked menacingly, pressing her with my gaze. She held her breath, terrified of what I might do.

The waiter quickly placed the coffee on the table before removing the empty beer bottles, leaving us in an eerie silence. I watched her face intently, desperate to find a way to avoid the truth.

"It's not okay to have it considering I slept with Blaze," her voice trembling as she averted her eyes from mine.

Her words seared through my body, igniting a pain I never knew existed. I was aware that she had slept with him, but hearing the words directly from her lips was excruciating. Yet, it was also a brave and righteous act.

"I see," I uttered bitterly, completely unable to give her any less cutting response. "But I won't take it back. It's up to you what you do with it—keep it, give it away, or throw it away. I have no attachment to it," I stated coolly and unaffectedly.

I had a strong urge to flee from the bar, but when I stood up from my seat, something deep inside held me in place. I couldn't break away from her penetrating stare, as if I were under a spell.

"Can't we talk about last night?" she said in a desperate voice.

"No, we can't talk about anything," I muttered, hating myself for ever thinking things could work between us.

"I just wanted to apologize," she said as she looked up at me.

She was stunning, even though she didn't try to hide the bruises today. She wore a blue sweater adorned with clouds, paired with a black knee-length dress. But the bruises were still noticeable, even more severe than the previous evening.

"No, it's okay," I replied coolly, being on the verge of leaving and barely taking my eyes off her. "I assume Liz will keep you company so you won't get bored on this cruise.".

Despite what Kristopher had told me, I refused to let my heart lead me once again, and so I made the grave decision to walk away from Scarlett.