20. Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty
Aria
T he waiting room is tense.
Erik and Dante are hoping for news that Finn has died while me and Aiden and Fiona are hoping for news that Finn has survived.
Elena is somewhere in the middle. Finn killed her dad and yet, he just saved her life. I know that’s something she’ll be processing for a long time.
“Aria, talk to me,” Dante murmurs.
“No. Because you just want to talk about Finn. How I can care for him. How I don’t want him to die while you all want him dead. I’m not going to stand for it.”
Erik sighs. “He’s caused so much pain.”
“But he saved Elena’s life. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
“It does,” he admits. “I never thought Finn was capable of something like that.”
“He threw himself in front of a bullet for her. He didn’t have to but he did.”
“It’s true,” Elena says. “I’d be dead right now if he hadn’t done that. I’m not sure killing Finn is the right answer.”
Aiden is looking at his lap instead of the people around him.
“My brother and I worked together again for the first time in years. It felt… amazing. I actually felt like I could trust him again. I haven’t had that in a long time.
Finn showed he’s capable of change. That’s something I never thought possible.
” He finally looks up and meet Erik’s eyes.
“I don’t want my brother to die. I know I said I wouldn’t get in the way if you wanted to kill him. But I just… can’t.”
Elena runs her hand over his arm.
“Aiden,” Erik says, “are you going against me?”
“No. I’m still loyal. I’ll still work with you and Dante but on the condition that you don’t kill my brother. He can work with us again. And with him at our side, we can easily take down Viktor.”
“Who says he won’t go running to Viktor the second he gets out of surgery?”
“Because I’m here.” Aiden looks at me. “And so is Aria. His family is on this side. He’s starting to come around. He’ll continue to do so. I know it.”
“I do too,” I say, nodding at Aiden. It’s the first time I’ve felt sure of Finn since I’ve met him. “I believe it. I saw him save Elena. I saw him work with Aiden to save my life. If Finn just wanted chaos, why would he save either of us?”
“But he kidnapped you,” Dante says.
“And you kidnapped Nadia but now you’re working with Erik.
Change is possible and you know it. I won’t deny the truth.
I love Finn. I know that now. And I will not have any of you take him from me.
I just lost my father.” My throat chokes up, knowing I’ll never see him again.
“I haven’t even had time to mourn him yet.
I don’t want to lose my husband also. If Finn survives this and is willing to work with you again, let him live. Please.”
Both Dante and Erik stare at me with hard eyes but it’s actually Erik who sighs first and nods. “I’ll consider it. If Finn wants to work with us again. Only then.”
“What?” Dante asks. “You can’t be serious, Erik. I can’t let the man who kidnapped Aria to get off scot-free.”
“He was your friend once,” I remind Dante. “And I’m fine. I’m alive. I’m right next to you. You were able to forgive Erik for killing you years ago. Why can’t you forgive Finn for kidnapping me when I’m the one saying you should forgive him?”
“Because you’re like a daughter to me.”
“But I’m not your daughter. My real dad is dead.”
Dante flinches. “I know.”
“So make this work, Dante. You want me in your life? Then make peace with Finn. Or… I’m going to choose him. Because I don’t have my dad to stay around here any longer.”
“You can’t ask that of me.”
“Just do it.” I stare Dante down.
“You think I’m just going to give in to you?”
“Yes,” I answer plainly. “I do. So do it. If you want me in your life, you will do this for me.”
Dante mutters to himself and looks around at everyone in the room. Matteo shrugs when he looks to him for help. With a sigh, Dante turns back to me. “Fine. I’ll let Finn live if he survives this. But he needs to work with us again, Aria. It’s the only way.”
“I’ll get him to reason.”
If he survives.
The doctor finally tells us that Finn is out of surgery and recovering. “Only one visitor at the moment.”
Aiden and I look at each other. We both want to go see him.
Fiona turns to me. “You go. I can wait to see my son. You’re his wife now. It should be you.”
“Thank you.” I rush to Finn’s room and find him in a bed, asleep. He looks so at peace, like he almost didn’t just die a few hours ago.
“Finn?” Slowly, I touch his hand. His eyes flutter open and focus on my face.
“Aria?” His voice is groggy. I’ve never seen Finn look so vulnerable before.
“Hi.”
“Am I dead? Is this heaven?”
“You’re alive. And I’m here. You were shot in the chest but the doctors and nurses saved you. You’re going to be ok.”
“That is if Dante and Erik don’t kill me first. I’m assuming they’re out there.” He nods towards the door.
“They are. But they promised to not kill you if you agree to work with them. Finn, please. My dad is dead. Sal killed him. I can’t lose you too.”
His eyes widen at my admission. “I’m so sorry, princess.”
“Sorry for my loss or sorry you can’t make peace with Dante again?”
“Sorry for your loss. You really can’t lose me?”
Might as well say it. “I love you, Finn. I realized that when I thought I could have lost you. I love you and I don’t want to give you up. So come work with Dante and Erik. Make peace. Choose your family again. Be happy.”
“I never thought I’d hear you say you love me.”
“Things change. I know I have and I think you have too.”
He squeezes my hand. “I have changed. But to work with Dante and Erik again? It would mean pissing off Viktor and he’ll come at us with a vengeance.”
“You’ll have Dante and Erik on your side. I think you can handle Viktor.”
“You really want me to do this? Choose to work with Dante and Erik?”
“No. I want you to choose me. I want you to live. Do you think you can do that?”
His eyes search my face for a long time. Then he smiles. “I love you too, you know that?”
“You do?”
“Don’t sound so shocked, princess.”
“I just wasn’t sure if you were fully capable of love.”
“It clearly surprises you but I am capable of it.” He brings my hand to his lips and kisses it. “And I do love you. When Sal held that knife to your throat, I knew I couldn’t lose you. I’ve never loved anyone before.”
“Neither have I.”
“Then we’re new in this together,” he says.
“So, what I mean is that I don’t want to lose you again.
I know I took you in the first place. I know I’ve done a lot of fucked up shit in my life.
I know that I’ll probably still do some fucked up shit.
But I fucking love you, Aria. And I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you in my life. ”
I don’t even realize tears are streaming down my face until I feel the tears touch my lips. “You’ll agree to work with Dante and Erik?”
He sighs. “Yes. I’ll agree to work with Dante and Erik. You’re sure they won’t kill me?”
“No. But if you show them loyalty, they’ll extend the same back.”
“And Viktor?”
“He’s chosen to be on his own lonely island.”
“Yeah, but it’s because of me,” he admits. “I told your father that he was the reason you were kidnapped, so your father went to attack Viktor and that’s what pissed Viktor off. That’s what made him turn on Erik and Dante. I did that.”
“Yes, you did. But Viktor still made his decisions in life. He can face the consequences of them.”
“Shouldn’t I face the consequences of my own actions?”
“Yes,” I say bluntly. “But I think you’ve already done that. You almost died. You lost your brother in this war. You lost me. You lost almost everything. But now’s your chance to get it all back. So take it, Finn.”
“Ok. Send in the calvary. I know they have questions.”
Dante and Erik come in a moment later.
“So?” Dante asks.
Finn keeps holding onto my hand as he looks at the other two men. “Ok. I’ll work with you again. I don’t want to lose Aria.”
“How do we know we can trust you?” Erik gives Finn a pointed look. “You have betrayed us on more than one occasion. You killed Ivan Romanov who was a friend of mine.”
“If Elena can forgive him,” I cut in, “then so can you.”
Erik’s eyes widen while Dante chuckles. “She is a spitfire, Erik. I told you that.”
“She is,” Finn agrees. “And I’m not going to offer you both apologies.
It’s not apologies you want anyway. It’s action.
You want to know if I’ll work with you again and I will.
I will promise you that you can trust me.
I am not giving up Aria for anything. I’ll do what I’ll have to.
But I’m not going to grovel for your forgiveness.
You wouldn’t believe me anyway. So either take me at my word or don’t.
It’s your choice. I’m in a hospital bed with a gunshot wound to my chest. I can’t fight back right now.
If you want to kill me, now’s your chance.
Either take it or don’t. If you don’t, then I’ll come work with you again.
I won’t try to kill any of you. I can promise that. ”
“So,” I say, “can you kill an unarmed man in his hospital bed?”
Dante gives me an annoyed look. “While Aria is getting on my nerves, she has a point. Finn has changed. I can tell. And only time will tell whether he’ll truly be loyal to us.”
“But neither of us can risk our wives’ safety. I have a daughter now. I can’t risk that.”
“I don’t kill children,” Finn says. “Your daughter is safe from me. As for both of your wives, I have my own wife now. I don’t care about either of yours. I’m not going to attack them. So, either learn to trust me or don’t. Your choice.”
“My mind would be more at ease if you were dead,” Erik says.
“But I know if you die, it will upset Aria and Aiden. Aria means a lot to Dante and Dante and I are partners. And Aiden is a good employee who’s trust I don’t want to lose.
So because of those reasons and the fact that you saved Elena’s life…
I’m willing to work with you again. Don’t fuck it up. ”