CHAPTER 39
Nirah
ANTONIO SHOWED ME to our hotel room as soon as we got here.
He told me that he’d be back in a couple of hours but didn’t specify where he was going. I didn’t ask. I trusted him.
I used this time to explore the place. It was huge.
I walked out onto the balcony, and my heart nearly dropped as I saw the sparkling water all around us. The waves flowed gently, crashing against the shore with the salty air hitting my nose.
It was around four when we landed, so the late afternoon sun brought me comfort.
After exploring, I hopped into the shower and massaged some moisturizing lotion into my skin. Antonio texted me, telling me to put my dress back on and go downstairs as soon as I was ready.
When I stepped out of the elevator, he was nowhere to be seen. Where is he? I continued through the spacious reception area but stopped as I reached the front glass doors.
My heart nearly dropped as I saw my reflection standing in front of me. In human form.
My hands flew up to my face to cover my mouth as tears brimmed in my eyes. I shook my head in disbelief until I heard his voice.
“Hey, sis.” There he was. Six feet tall. Short black hair. In a suit. Same brown eyes. Tanned skin. Broad chest.
“Nereus…” I breathlessly said, and he smiled at me. “Oh my God,” I shook my head. “How did—no—”
He cut me off by pulling me into his arms. Hesitantly, I wrapped my arms around him. I was overflowing with emotions as he held me in his arms. It was strange hearing his voice in person again, touching him, smelling him.
We stayed like that until I finally pulled away.
“I’ll explain everything to you later, but right now, I have to walk you down the aisle, or a very scary man is going to put a bullet through my skull,” he smiled and I smiled too but in confusion.
He stood next to me, extending his arm, and I took it. He handed me a bouquet he hid behind his back, and I smiled, holding onto it.
“How—please tell me, now.” What’s going on?
“Antonio?” he asked for confirmation, and I nodded. “Yeah, well, he tracked me down, and we had a couple of drinks—well, actually he broke into my house in the middle of the night and dragged me into my living room. He pointed his gun at me and told me we needed to talk,” Nereus explained.
“What?” I asked as we stepped outside.
“He told me that he was marrying you, I laughed in his face, he shot Marisol—my plant I won at a fair—and then he told me what the rest of my life would be like if I didn’t show up in time to walk you down the aisle.”
“He did that? When?” I asked as we stepped onto the sand.
I looked up to see Antonio standing in front of the beautiful sunset underneath a curved wedding arch that was covered in my favorite flowers.
There was a pathway made with wood across and candles on their side of it that led up to him.
“Like I said. I’ll explain later,” Nereus whispered.
I saw him speaking to an elderly man, but when he saw me, he stopped talking, turning his entire body towards me. I smiled while Nereus walked me down the aisle.
Tears brimmed in my eyes as I realized what was going on. It was finally happening. My chest exploded with warmth when Nereus kissed either of my cheeks, handing me to Antonio.
Nereus smiled, and as he stepped back, Antonio shot him a warning look, making his smile drop. Nereus gulped.
“Marisol is recovering just fine. Thank you for asking,” he glared at Antonio, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Antonio and I faced each other, and he took my hands in his.
“Beauty takes life form in you,” he whispered, and I blushed, thanking him.
I got so lost in his eyes that I barely heard the priest speak. All I knew was that this was it. This was us …
“Nirah Joy. Do you take Antonio…” his voice became distraught as I focused my eyes behind Antonio.
“Nirah?” Antonio softly said, squeezing my hands a little, and I anxiously swallowed hard.
“Do you still carry your gun in your waistband?” I asked, and he looked confused.
“Yeah, why?”
“I need you to say ‘You may now kiss the bride’—like now,” I turned to the priest.
“But miss—”
“Just say it!” I whisper-yelled, and Antonio looked at me in confusion.
“Alright,” the priest cleared his throat. “You may now kiss the bride.”
I forced a smile, leaning in to kiss Antonio.
“Trust me,” I whispered before kissing him. I pulled him closer to me, grabbing the gun in his waistband. I aimed it at the figure behind Antonio and pulled the trigger.
Antonio broke the kiss, turning around with his arm out to keep me behind him. I brushed past him, picking up the ends of my dress as I ran over to the man I just shot. Oh my God…
My steps came to a drastic halt, and my heart dropped as I saw my father staring back at me on wobbly legs. He looked down at the gunshot wound and dropped to his knees. “Nirah?” he groaned, and Antonio and Nereus ran up next to me. “What did you do?” he asked, falling onto his back in pain.
“Why were you aiming your gun at Antonio?” I asked in disbelief. “What are you doing here?”
“You shouldn’t be marrying him,” my father choked out. “He isn’t the man for you. He’s a liar,” he coughed out blood.
“Nirah give me the gun,” Antonio said, but I backed away, shaking my head.
“She doesn’t know?” Nereus asked in complete shock—looking at Antonio—and I felt my heart rate pick up.
“Know what?” I asked, looking between the three of them.
“I’ll tell you everything, just put the gun down and come with me.”
“No, since we’re all fucking here, you might as well come clean. Know what, Antonio?”
“That day… at our house,” my father groaned, clutching his wound. “He lied to you, didn’t he? Said he was a friend? A business partner? Something— anything .”
I slightly frowned, looking down at my father.
“He was neither. He was and always will be nothing but an enemy to our family.”
I swallowed hard. “What are you talking about?”
“This business that we’re in…Iff you don’t pay up, we go for the thing that’s most precious to you. In my case, it was our family, but since Nereus and your mother were out of the picture, all eyes were on you.”
I shook my head in disbelief. “Tell me it’s not true,” I looked over at Antonio.
“Nirah, just listen to me,” he took a step forward but I lifted the gun.
“Don’t come any closer.”
The muscle in Antonio’s jaw ticked. “Don’t listen to him—”
“No. I want to hear it. I want to know the truth,” I said and Antonio took a step back. I looked back at my father and he showed me a wicked smile, continuing.
“He was going to take you that day,” my father explained. “He and his brother were ready to do godawful things to you.” My stomach dropped. What? “It’s what the De Luca brothers were known for—”
“That was Alexander, not me,” Antonio cut him off.
“You knew?” I whispered.
“I knew who he was, but I didn’t know that you and him had a past.”
“So that makes it okay?” I breathlessly asked and he looked torn. “Just go on,” I encouraged my father.
“I don’t know what changed that day, but when he came downstairs, he said that he had changed his mind and that he had other plans for you. I’m assuming it’s this,” my father chuckled but started coughing out blood again.
“You were just going to let him take me?” I sorrowfully asked.
“I didn’t stand a chance against him. If I refused, he’d kill me and torture you because of it.”
I felt my throat close up. “Antonio, he—no he wouldn’t,” I shook my head.
“Yes, he would. Do you think he loves you? Do you think that Antonio De Luca, aka Diavolo is capable of human emotions? And if you think he killed his brother, then you’re fucking naive, Nirah.”
My heart dropped and my head snapped up to Antonio. I saw Nereus out of the corner of my eye, dropping his head and Antonio’s face softened apologetically.
“You killed him, right?” I asked, tears stinging my eyes. “Antonio—tell me he’s dead,” my voice cracked.
For the first time since I met him, Antonio held regret in his voice. Guilt. “No, tesoro .”
My stomach dropped and my vision blurred. With weak knees I stumbled back and both men rush towards me but I held the gun up, daring them to come closer.
“You lied to me, all this time?” I asked and he slightly tilted his head to the side, hurt washing across his face.
“That’s not the whole truth,” he shook his head. “Alexander isn’t dead but he is in a coma.”
“If you kill Antonio,” my father choked out. “You, Nereus and I could be a family again,” his voice cracked. “If you say yes to marrying him, you’ll be branded with the De Luca name, and I’ll have to see you as an enemy. Nirah, I don’t want to hurt you. Or Nereus.”
“Just for the record, I’m not marrying him, which means I’m not a De Luca,” Nereus chimed in, and my head snapped to him. “Sorry, carry on,” he stepped back.
“And if Sylvester had done his job right the first time, I wouldn’t have had to corrupt Antonio’s idiotic brother to find you,” my father explained.
“ El demonio …” I murmured, and he grinned. “It’s you.”
“It can’t be,” Nereus scoffed in disbelief. “Father? Seriously? This guy is pathetic—he showed up here without any protection.”
“That’s because I expected to kill Antonio and take Nirah with me without any complications. I hadn’t realized how tough she’d gotten to be able to pull a trigger.”
“Oh…” Nereus slowly said. “Makes sense,” he casually nodded. “Do, carry on,” he stepped back again.
“But Sylvester has been torturing me before Antonio and I got together,” I said in confusion.
“That’s because I also needed to find Nereus, and I knew you weren’t going to give up his location. I figured I’d use Sylvester to scare it out of you.”
“You’re sick—I’m your daughter!” I shook my head.
“I realize my mistake, but let’s start over, be a family.”
“I don’t want to be your family anymore.”
“Nirah, please—”
“No,” I held the gun up. “I’m done with you, and this fucked up family. You’ve put me through hell, and I’m sick and tired of it.”
“Don’t you dare pull that trigger.”
My body tensed as a feminine voice stopped me. Slowly lifting my head, I saw a woman rush over, crouching down next to my father. She lifted his head, having him lay on her lap.
“ You’re here too?” I sarcastically laughed. “What is this, a fucking family reunion?”
“Oh, don’t be so sentimental,” she rolled her eyes. “And treat your mother with respect, would you?”
“ You don’t get to call yourself my mother ,” I shook my head. “You’re both fucking dead to me,” I cocked the gun back but Antonio grabbed my arm.
“Nirah, they’re your parents. Think about it,” he softly said and I swallowed hard. “Do you want their blood on your hands?” he asked. I wasn’t a killer… a murder… I didn’t have blood on my hands, and I didn’t want to start now.
I looked over at Nereus, who stood with his hands behind his back, casually looking around. “Oh,” he said with wide eyes. “No, go ahead. I’ve been an orphan way longer than you, so I won’t stop you,” he showed me an assuring smile.
“Nereus!” Our mother gasped in shock.
“Yes, mother ?” he bitterly said.
“You can’t possibly be allowing this!”
“You always did say you wanted us to have more things in common,” he grinned, walking to my side. “Now, we do. Hating you.”
He threw an arm around my shoulder, and she looked at us in disbelief. “Nirah, don’t you dare kill my husband,” she warned.
“Your husband aimed his gun at mine. What’s fair is fair,” I shrugged my shoulders. “Plus you both ruined my—June— fucking —wedding!” I snapped. “Do you know how long I’ve waited for this!”
They all stared at me in shock, and I took a deep, calming breath in, slowly exhaling. After everything he’s put you through, he doesn’t deserve your mercy or your kindness. End this. All of it. Your hardship started with him, and now it’ll end with him. Your blood. Do it.
With one last breath, I pulled the trigger. She screamed, clutching onto my father as she cried out to him, and bile rose in my throat.
I watched my father’s blood taint her shirt and droplets dripped into the sand. She cried out to him, and I stepped back, taking deep breaths in.
Antonio pulled me into his arms, and I handed him the gun with trembling hands. I just killed my father…
“You need to get off the island before the scary man puts a bullet in you too,” I heard Nereus say. “You have till the count of three,” he said, and Antonio’s arm lifted from me.
“Don’t point that thing at me,” my mother said in disbelief.
“One,” Antonio started, and I heard movement. “Two,” he threatened, and she started begging for them to spare her life.
“No one here cares,” Nereus said, and she scoffed in disbelief. “Don’t forget your purse,” he humorously said, and I heard her snatch it from him.
I buried my face in his chest, preparing for the gunshot, but my mother finally gave in. After she left, Antonio had some guys carry my father’s body away.
I wrapped my arms around him, feeling hurt and betrayed. “Why did you lie to me?” I choked out. “I fucking trusted you.”
I clutched his shirt in my hands, pressing my face into his chest. Because even though he was the one who hurt me, I desperately craved his comfort. It was ironic, really. And painful. Really—fucking—painful.
“Will you let me explain—”
“No—” I cut him off as I pulled back. My voice was tremulous. “Tell me that you still love me. Tell me that your love was the one truth you told me, so that I have something to hold onto.”
He gently took my face in his hands, his eyes softening with sadness.
“I love you, Nirah Joy. I have never lied about loving you,” he shook his head and I raised my hands to hold onto his wrists. “Loving you was one of the first real things I truly ever felt.”
I stared up at him with a million thoughts racing through my mind. I glanced over at Nereus, and he gave me a single nod. I chewed my bottom lip with teary eyes. “Then let’s get on with this wedding before our priest runs for the hills.”
I heard Nereus chuckle, and Antonio nodded. We all turned to find the priest, glued to the sand in fear as his eyes stayed wide open. Antonio took my hand, and the three of us walked back to him. “Don’t fuck this up,” I warned and he swallowed hard.
“Yes. Of course,” he nodded and Antonio and I stood in our previous positions, holding hands.
I nearly beat a man half to death with a sledgehammer. I burned a man alive, and watched his body go up in flames. I killed my father. And I don’t feel remorse.
I think my mother was right when she sent me to that hospital. I think I am fucked up in the head.