Chapter 15
Rome
“Coming clean is at times harder than anyone is ready to believe.”
“When we were planning Leo’s wedding, I knew that would be my best shot,” I tell them, trying to answer Claire’s question. I know that this is going to be painful, but they both need to understand.
“Please keep going,” Claire says, grabbing my hand in a show of support. I take a breath to steady myself, looking into Claire’s eyes. She is my reason. I know things are complicated, but I cannot imagine living in a world where she doesn’t exist.
“I was digging into your father, Ella,” I say, and the room goes quiet. Everyone knows how dangerous Fabbri can be. Four faces stare at me, and the anger starts to be outweighed by understanding.
“You didn’t tell me,” Ella utters, her voice filled with pain.
“No, I didn’t tell anyone because I wanted him to think the information died with me. I wanted him to believe that he won.” I tell them, voice filled with sincerity.
“I was with you after you were shot. How did you make us all believe you died?” Claire asks, voice wavering as the pain surfaces again.
“I woke up to the most beautiful eyes of the woman that I love staring at me. In that moment, I almost abandoned the plan, but I knew that removing myself would keep you all safer,” I tell them, and tears fill Claire’s eyes.
“You remember…” she utters almost under her breath.
“You throwing any regard for your own life out the window to come to me is something I will never forget. It was dangerous and stupid, but in that moment, I knew if I died for real, I would do so loved,” I admit to her in front of her brother, and I wait for the rebuttal from Leo about how dangerous I am for his baby sister.
“Do you remember me begging for you to wake up?” Leo asks, adding pain to the memories.
“I was mildly coherent and remember joking about you asking permission to manhandle me,” I recall, the mental wounds still fresh.
“You were bleeding everywhere and told me where to find the book,” Claire recalls.
“If I told you how many times I drafted that letter, you would make fun of me. I am not the best with my words, but I couldn’t leave you, even temporarily, without you understanding that I love you,” I admit, brushing my thumb across her hand.
“Romaine, do you have any idea how it felt to feel you fading from me?” Leo asks, and I feel the lump in my throat.
“Lettuce be friends forever, Leo. I promise that I am not going anywhere, ever again,” I respond to him, just like I did that day. This time, it will end significantly happier.
“What happened after we got to the hospital?” Claire asks, trying her best to keep us on topic.
“I had paid a nurse to come in and help switch charts with one of the other males who was shot at the scene. She was contracted the same way that I found Eva. Before that day, she had no idea who I was but put me under an assumed identity, and as soon as I was stable, transferred me so I wouldn’t be seen,” I admit, laying it all on the table.
“Eva, did you know he was alive?” Claire asks, sounding frail in asking the question.
“No, I didn’t have any idea who my contract was from or that he had faked his death.
You were my only focus from the week leading up to the wedding, and I was supposed to stay out of sight until you left town,” she tells Claire gently as she takes her other hand.
It was perfect having Claire sit between us.
I see the way that she looks at Eva, and even though I never thought about sharing her before.
I know that I won’t be the one to break her heart.