Ciao Bella

Chapter Thirty-Five

“Always be ready for the worst-case scenarios, they happen more than you realize. It’s not always a happily ever after, oftentimes, it’s a funeral.” —King Campisi

Bella

I was full. Full of him.

I didn’t want him to leave. He kept kissing me, kept moving, and when his body shook over mine, all I saw was his beauty and dedication to me. No matter what, he had been loyal to me. He’d taken care of me, regardless of what could or would happen to him.

He sacrificed for his Family.

For mine.

For me.

He wasn’t the hero people expected; he was the villain everyone needed.

His head lowered, his dark hair covering part of his bright eyes in a way that made him look even more mysterious, while his biceps flexed on either side of my body as he held himself over me. “What?”

“You’re pretty.”

He snorted out a laugh. “Wow, sex and compliments? Sign me up.”

“New rule,” I said. “You know, after we get out of all of this without dying and saving the world.”

“Naturally.”

“…Always say hello and goodbye. No matter what.”

“Every day?”

“Every day. I want my days to start with Ciao Bella, and I want them to end with Ciao Bella.”

He kissed me on the nose. “As long as I’m alive, I promise.”

“So, stay alive.”

“Not really keen on dying, Bella, but what’s one small sacrifice to save the many, you know? I mean, I wish I could be that guy who’s all ‘burn the world, I’ll just save her.’ But that’s a romantic idea that, in the end, I can’t stand beside. Too many people have already died, so if it happens to me, don’t think I went out all sad, think of it like a celebration. Think of it, like winning.”

“But I’d be losing.”

“But everyone else would be winning.” He pointed out, eyes sad. “Your dad, your mom, your sister, Bam-Bam, we can’t let this person gain even more of a foothold in the Family, they’re obviously powerful enough to try.”

I took a deep breath. “Let’s eat, then come back to bed.”

“To cuddle?”

“Yes.” I laughed. “I’m going to cuddle you so hard you get me pregnant.”

He quickly looked away. “Nothing, it’s nothing, just, the past never really stays there, does it?”

“Meaning?”

“It can’t help but repeat. It really can’t.”

We didn’t talk about it during our quick meal, or when we were tangled in bed again, kissing, and touching, laughing and living.

He distracted me so much I forgot to ask why that would make him think that the past was repeating itself. Why his words felt familiar.

And when his phone finally went off, while we were eating, I knew, I knew it was time.

I just wasn’t sure if it was a hello or goodbye.

“We have a date.” He jumped to his feet. “And the location, in case they don’t show up. Time to send the text to your dad, look devastated.”

It wasn’t acting, not when he held up the phone and took a picture of my face, not when he sent the threatening text to my dad to bring the Abandonato line out or he’d slit my throat.

Nor the address where he said to meet them.

“What if he doesn’t believe you?” I asked.

“King has the bodies,” he answered without looking up at me. “He’s telling them I’m going on a spree and you’re next, a family line for a family line.”

“And if he still doesn’t believe you?” I asked.

Ivan set down his phone and walked over to the kitchen and picked up his gun from the counter and pointed it at me and fired.

“Ciao, Bella.”