The Accardi Twins: A Mafia Romance Duet

Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

Elisa

O ur double date is an unmitigated disaster, and I breathe a sigh of relief when dinner is over. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper to Gia as we hug outside the restaurant. Joshua and Sebastien stand silently on either side of us, not even attempting to pretend they’re cordial. To be fair, that’s all on Seb. He was ignorant from the outset, clearly holding the fact Joshua is Caleb’s twin against him.

“Don’t apologize for his rudeness. That’s on him, not you,” she whispers.

I hug her a little longer. “I’m going to end it tonight.”

“Good. I don’t get good vibes from him.”

“Elisa,” Sebastien says in a clipped tone. “We’ve both got early starts tomorrow. I want to take you home.”

I shuck out of Gia’s embrace, sending my boyfriend a cool look as I step up to Joshua. “Thanks for coming. It was great to see you.”

“You too.” He presses his mouth to my ear. “Do you want us to drive you home?”

I shake my head as I break our embrace. “I’ll be fine.” I’m skilled in self-defense. I know how to shoot a gun and use a knife. I work out regularly to keep fit, and if Sebastien pulls any shit when I break it off with him, I won’t hesitate to defend myself. Besides, my bodyguard is shadowing me tonight. He won’t let anything happen to me.

“Let’s go.” Sebastien tugs my hand and drags me away from Joshua.

Gia and her fiancé trade a worried look.

“I’ll call you when I’m home,” I holler, letting my rude boyfriend lead me to his car.

Sebastien is seething the entire ride back to my apartment. It’s only a fifteen-minute drive, but it feels like ten hours. Now that I’ve made the decision, I’m itching to end things with him.

These past couple of days I have thought long and hard about my motivations for being with him, and they were never right to begin with. I was using Sebastien to try to get over Caleb, and it wasn’t fair. He’s always been way more invested than me. I’m ashamed of myself because I didn’t think I was that girl. The best thing I can do for both of us is to end it. Deep down, I always knew. It’s why I didn’t ever contemplate giving him my virginity.

All this time, I’ve still been saving it for Caleb.

All this time, Caleb has still been the one.

It doesn’t excuse his sins or mean all is forgiven, but I’m done using Sebastien to distract me from my feelings.

“So,” I say when we pull up to the curb at my apartment building, knotting my hands in my lap and drawing a brave breath.

“I’m coming up,” Seb snaps, yanking his door open before I’ve had time to give him my prepared speech.

I race after him. “Seb, wait,” I say, cursing as the door opens from the inside, and he slips into the building. He takes the stairs, two at a time, disappearing out of sight. “Fuck it,” I mumble. Guess we’re doing this upstairs. I take the elevator ’cause there’s no way I’m climbing seven flights of stairs in high heels.

When I get out on the seventh floor, he’s waiting by the door to my apartment, looking a little red-faced and breathless. Anger eeks from his pores like a tangible substance, and I’m eager to end this now and get him out of my life. I don’t know why I ever thought he was sweet when that was clearly a facade. He’s been like an angry bear since Gia’s party, and I’m done dealing with his mood swings.

We don’t speak as I open the door. Seb brushes past me and storms into the darkened room. Beatrice has already gone home for Easter, and the place is eerily quiet. I flip on the light switch and cross my arms over my chest after dumping my purse on the kitchen counter. Sebastien is pacing the floor, clutching handfuls of his hair and looking a tad bit deranged if I’m honest.

“I know why you behaved like that tonight,” I say, working hard to keep my voice level. “But it doesn’t give you the right to act so rude to my friends.”

“He’s a prick. Just like his brother.”

“That’s my best friend’s fiancé,” I remind him, raising my voice. “You don’t get to speak about Joshua like that.”

“And you don’t get to tell me what to do.” Stalking to my side, he jabs his finger in my face.

“Back off, Sebastien.” I’m starting to feel threatened. “It’s obvious this isn’t working, so I think we should call it quits.”

“What?” he barks, glaring at me.

“I don’t want to see you anymore. I want to end our relationship now.”

“You little bitch,” he snaps, lunging at me and wrapping his hand around my throat.

I act on instinct, lifting my leg and kneeing him in the balls.

Seb roars, releasing me and cupping his crotch. I move to grab my purse, where my pepper spray is, when he shoves me against the door and slaps me hard. Stinging pain rips across my cheek as I lose my footing and tumble to the ground.

A look of horror washes over his face, but I’m not buying it. “Oh my god. Elisa, I’m so sorry.” He hovers over me, extending his arm.

“Get out!” I scream. “Get out, or I’m calling the cops!”

“I didn’t mean it.” He grabs handfuls of his hair, looking panicked, as I scoot back along the kitchen floor.

“Leave, Sebastien. We’re over.” Scrambling to my feet, I snatch a kitchen knife. “Get the fuck out of my apartment.” I brandish the knife in front of him when he doesn’t budge. “I know how to use this, and I won’t hesitate to protect myself.”

“You don’t need protection from me.” He holds up his palms. “I won’t hurt you. I swear.”

“You already did!”

“That was an accident. I didn’t mean for it to happen. Please forgive me. I’m really sorry, Elisa. I feel awful. Please give me another chance. I know I’ve been a prick all night, but it was a onetime thing.”

All night? Try the past two weeks.

Sebastien is clearly psychotic, and I’m ashamed I fell for the ruse and didn’t see his true colors until now. “There are no more chances. I don’t want to date you any longer, and I don’t want you to come anywhere near me on campus. Leave now, or I’m calling for backup,” I say, swiping my purse.

“I fucked up,” he mutters.

“I won’t tell you again.” I pull my cell from my purse as I keep the knife pointed at him.

“I’m going. I’m going.” Defeat surges through his tone. “This isn’t how I saw the night ending.”

It wasn’t quite how I saw it ending either, but I definitely saw the writing on the wall of our relationship. “Goodbye, Sebastien.”

He mutters something I can’t hear as he walks out the door, and I dart forward, slamming it behind him and quickly locking it. My heart is pounding in my chest, and adrenaline is racing through my veins as I slump against the door and slide to the floor. I carefully set the knife down beside me as I raise a hand to my stinging cheek.

That bastard hit me! Mom would be so upset if she knew what went down here tonight, which is why I can never tell her. She has done so much to ensure I never get into a position where any man can hurt me, and I was a stupid fool who didn’t see the red flags. I was too hung up on my guilt over using him to realize the kind of man he is underneath that handsome, kind facade.

I’m shaking all over as I press the call button on my cell, hoping my soldato bodyguard doesn’t hear my voice trembling when I ask him if Sebastien has left the building. Some stress seeps from my tense limbs when he confirms he’s gone. Explaining we have broken up, I ask him to ensure he doesn’t come near me again.

Ending the call, I feel a little better knowing I have protection. Sebastien spooked me that much. I inhale and exhale deeply, forcefully calming myself down as I prepare to call Gia. I know she’ll be worried after tonight, and I need to let her know I got home okay. I want to tell her what happened but not when she’s in a car with Joshua. He’ll only tell Caleb, and I don’t want Seb’s murder on my conscience.

He freaked me out. He physically hurt me. He tried to control me. All are justifiable reasons to hate him and want nothing more to do with him, but it doesn’t mean he deserves to die.

When I’m sufficiently calm, I call Gia. “I did it,” I blurt when she picks up.

“Thank fuck. How did he take it?”

“He wasn’t happy, but it’s done now, and he’s gone.”

“Are you okay? You sound a little off.”

Gigi has superhero-level powers of observation.

“I’m fine. Just relieved. I was a little on edge doing it. I’m so sorry you guys were forced into sitting through that tonight.”

“Like I said, you have no reason to apologize. He’s the jerk, not you.”

“I’m beat,” I lie. “I’m going to grab a shower and crawl into bed.”

“I’ll swing by for you at ten,” she reminds me.

“I’ll be ready.” I can’t wait to go home for Easter. This apartment feels tainted now.

After I hang up, I grab a hot shower, trying to scrub all memories of Sebastien’s touch from my flesh and my brain. When I’m dressed and my hair is blow-dried, I crawl into bed with my teddy, curl up in a ball, and attempt to push the horrible events of tonight from my mind.