Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Sergio
I was frustrated. Not the type of frustration that flared then faded, but the kind that was heavy and constant.
I’d done everything I could think of. I apologized, explained, given her space, written her a damn letter three times before burning it in the sink because what the hell do I know about writing a fucking love letter.
I gave her everything. My regret, my truth, my pain, and I still couldn’t tell if she wanted me back.
Seraphina loved me. Seraphina believed in me, but that wasn’t the issue. The issue was that believing in someone and loving them didn’t equal forgiveness. And forgiveness didn’t equal another chance, especially after she’d given me so many.
It felt like it was either make it or break it time.
Like if I didn’t get this right, if I didn’t find the right words or the right person to help reach her, it was over for good.
There would be no more us, and I couldn’t have that.
Seraphina was it for me, I just needed to convince her that I was it for her.
So that was why I was on the phone, waiting for advice from the one person I believed could help me, even if it was clear she didn’t want to give it.
“And you called me why?” Phoenix asked.
“Because you’re her sister,” I said, trying not to sound as desperate as I felt. “And because you know her better than anyone.”
Phoenix snorted. “You mean better than the guy who broke her heart? Who almost got her killed?”
I swallowed my response because I deserved that. “I know, I fucked up Phoenix.”
“You almost got her killed, and my son kidnapped, Sergio,” she said, her voice filled with anger. “That’s beyond fucking up.”
I looked down at my hands. “I know. I know, okay? And you can’t make me feel any fucking worse than I already do.
I know if it wasn’t for me, she wouldn’t have been shot.
And I know if it wasn’t for me, she would have never met fucking Dorian Drakos.
But I’m trying to make things right. I just… I just don’t want to lose her.”
Phoenix was quiet for a long time. So quiet I thought she hung up on me then she sighed. “You want my help?”
“I do.”
“Even though I think you’re a walking red flag with a decent jawline?”
I blew out a frustrated breath. “What the hell does that even mean, Phoenix?”
“Never mind. I’ll do what I can since you did everything to protect her with the whole Dorian situation. But I’m not promising anything, Sergio. You hurt her. And if she tells me to tell you to go fuck yourself, I’ll be happy to deliver that message. And I’m not interfering again.”
“Fair,” I said. “Just… thank you.”
“Don’t make me regret this, Sergio. If you hurt her again, I won’t just hate you, I’ll make sure you hate yourself when I’m done.”
“I already do,” I said, before ending the call.
I was in my home office making sure the numbers were right with the latest shipment of guns from our dealer.
I was the fucking enforcer, and this was something Dante would handle, but he’d been MIA for the last week.
I wasn’t sure what was going on with him, but Lorenzo had me picking up his slack and it was pissing me off.
I had my own shit to deal with, but I didn’t stop taking care of my responsibilities because I was fucking heartbroken that the woman I loved didn’t want to have shit to do with me.
The buzzer of my apartment sounded. I didn’t move right away just stared at the stupid fucking numbers blurring on the screen. Shipment totals. Barrel counts. Street value. All of it meaningless to me because I broke bones, collected debts, made men disappear.
The buzzer sounded again. Louder this time. Whoever it was, they weren’t leaving.
I stood, cracked my neck, and crossed the penthouse like I owned the fucking city. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the skyline in gold. My Glock sat on the counter beside a half-empty bottle of Delta Blues whiskey. I reached for it. I always stayed prepared.
I hit the intercom. “Who the fuck is it?”
“It’s me. Seraphina.”
I froze. I can’t believe she came to me. This was the first time she contacted me first.
I buzzed her in.
The elevator opened into my penthouse. When she stepped in it was like she was someone I was supposed to never see again because I hadn’t earned the right.
She didn’t speak at first. Just stood there, framed by the city lights bleeding through the windows behind me. Her coat was damp from the rain. Her hair was pulled back, but strands had come loose.
Her eyes swept the space. The concrete floors. The bourbon bottle. The untouched food on the counter. The gun in my hand, then me.
“You look like shit.”
Her voice was steady, but her fingers trembled as she unbuttoned her coat.
I didn’t answer, not at first. I couldn’t. I was stunned that she was standing in my living room. She draped the coat across the back of the couch. Underneath, she wore a black sweater that clung to her, jeans, and a basic pair of white sneakers.
“Lorenzo’s got me doing extra shit,” I said, after I got over my shock. “Picking up Dante’s slack.”
“If this is a bad time, I can come back later.”
“You know I’ll make time for you, Sera. Have a seat. You want something to drink?”
She shook her head. “No.”
She sat down and I took the seat beside her, placing the gun on the coffee table. “You wanted to talk?”
“I shouldn’t be here,” she said, softer now. “But I couldn’t sleep. And I kept thinking about our talk. And I got a call from my sister right before I got here.”
She arched her brow like she knew I had something to do with it, but I wasn’t going to admit to anything. It was a miracle to get Phoenix on my side, but if she didn’t believe I loved Seraphina, she wouldn’t have agreed to help me.
“I meant every word, Sera.”
“I know you did.”
“And?”
She looked at me like she couldn’t decide if I was still the man she loved and if she could give us another chance. I braced myself for her to walk away for good. Shit just never worked out for me even though I prayed this time it was different.
“I want you to know that I love you.”
My heart dropped to my gut. She was walking away.
I leaned back in the chair, my heart breaking every second. “But…”
My breath caught like I’d been sucker-punched. I knew she still loved me but sometimes love just wasn’t enough.
“I want you,” Her fingers curled around mine. “But I want us to be different this time. We can’t go through the same stuff, Sergio, because I promise this is the last chance you get to make this work. This is it.”
I nodded so fast it was like I couldn’t say yes fast enough. “We will be. I’ll make damn sure of it. I promise.”
“Don’t make me anymore promises, Sergio. Just do it.”
“I can do that.”
I pulled her into my embrace causing her to giggle. I kissed her temple then the corner of her lips.
“You came back,” I whispered. “Thank you for fucking coming back.”
I’d thought about this moment for a long fucking time. And for the first time in a long time, my life as the Puglisi enforcer didn’t matter. The silence didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she was here with me, and that changed every fucking thing.