Chapter 33 #2
“Look, Francesca,” He sighed. “You’re one of Maria’s best friends. You’re one of my best friends. But you can’t get involved between me and Matteo. It’s not your place.”
I didn’t move, didn’t soften. “Maybe not. But it’s mine to ask you to see where he’s coming from. He’s not perfect – no one is – but he loves you. More than you think.”
Zach swallowed, the smallest crack in his armor.
Before either of us could speak again, the door nudged open.
Maria peeked in, eyes flicking between us with instant intuition. She stepped inside fully. “Zach… Francesca’s right.”
Zach blinked. “You’re taking her side?”
“I’m taking both your sides,” Maria said softly, moving to stand between us. “You’re my love. I’ll always be here for you. But Matteo… He’s trying, Zach. Maybe meet him halfway?”
He looked away again – stubborn.
Maria’s presence helped – but only a little.
Zach’s shoulders were still tense, jaw grinding like he was holding back more than he wanted to say.
She reached for his arm, slow and gentle, running her thumb along the inside of his wrist the way only someone who truly knew him would. It grounded him, barely.
But then his eyes met mine – furious, wounded.
“There were periods where I didn’t see him for years at a time,” he said, voice dangerously low with the weight of it. “Did he tell you about that?”
“He did,” I whispered.
Zach let out a sardonic breath.
“Do you have any idea how that feels? Losing your parents, and then your brother?” His voice rose – not loud, but raw.
“Except he’s not really gone. He’s living it up in Miami or Vegas.
Taking meetings, throwing money around. Doing everything but visiting.
It’s not that he doesn’t have the time! He just didn’t want to see me. ”
Maria rubbed comfort into his arm, eyes soft with sympathy.
“That’s what you think?”
The room froze.
Matteo stood there – shoulders square, expression unreadable, something dark flickering behind his eyes. His presence alone sucked the air out of the space. Zach stiffened, hand coming up to scrub through his hair in a restless, frustrated drag.
Maria immediately slid her hand down to lace Zach’s fingers with her own – quiet support.
Zach didn’t turn to look at Matteo.
“Alright,” he muttered, voice tight. “I’m going to go back–”
“That’s what you think about me?” Matteo asked again.
Zach’s jaw clenched. He finally faced him, just barely – head tilted, eyes shadowed with hurt that ran deeper than years.
“It’s the truth. You can try as hard as you want now. It doesn’t change anything. You weren’t there when I needed you – when I was still grieving. We were supposed to be there for each other.”
A beat of silence.
Zach swallowed hard. “It’s done. You can’t undo that shit.”
My heart ached for both of them – two brothers who loved each other too much to admit how badly they’d hurt each other.
I stepped forward when he tried to push past me, but something inside me snapped – years of silence, guilt, and distance tightening like a wire around my ribs.
“How could I stand in front of you knowing I was a failure?”
Zach stopped cold. He turned slowly, confusion flickering across his face. “What?”
I swallowed. For once, the truth was right there – no sharp edges, no pride to hide behind. Just the ugly, broken parts.
“How could I look you in the eyes,” I said, voice low, “When I hadn’t avenged them?”
His brows furrowed, anger thinning into something else. Pain.
“You looked at me like I was invincible. Like I could take down the world if I wanted to.” My throat burned.
“But I couldn’t. I was sixteen. I was barely holding myself together.
And every time I thought of seeing you… Every time I flew to New York and stood in front of the Su Mansion’s gates…
I couldn’t do it. I knew I wasn’t enough. Not until I did what I had to do.”
He shook his head slowly. “You’re my brother. I didn’t need you to avenge them, Matteo. I just needed you to be there.”
The words hit me harder than any bullet ever could.
I drew in a breath, chest tight. “I’m sorry.” The two words came out unsteady. “I was ashamed. Embarrassed. I didn’t want you to look at me and see someone weak. Someone who failed them. Someone who failed you.”
“It hurt when you didn’t come to see me in New York like you promised.” His eyes weren’t angry anymore. “I thought you didn’t give a shit about me.”
“But I did–”
“I was six, Matteo. What was I supposed to think?”
I didn’t let him look away from me – not this time.
“I cared too much,” I told him quietly. “So much it scared the hell out of me. I’m sorry for disappearing. For making you feel like you were alone. For every time you needed me and I wasn’t there.”
Zach blinked fast, trying to hide how he felt.
I pushed through the tightness in my voice. “I love you, Rafael. More than anything. C’mon, you’re the only family I got.”
His mouth twitched into a crooked little smirk, but real. “You’re a married man now. You got a new family too.”
My eyes slid to Francesca – leaning against the doorway with Maria, soft gaze fixed on the two of us, like she’d been holding her breath since the conversation started. My chest tightened in a different way this time.
“I’m sure Francesca won’t mind you being around more,” I said.
Zach huffed out a laugh. “Yeah… Probably not.”
Then – finally, after years – he stepped forward and pulled me in a hard hug.
I froze.
I hadn’t hugged Zach since he was small enough I had to crouch down to be at his level.
Slowly, like I was afraid he might vanish, I hugged him back.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too,” He breathed, voice muffled.
“I love you, Rafe.”
He chuckled, then sniffed, little embarrassed. “Love you too, bro.”
Pulling away, two soft laughs slipped from the girls – relieved, warm, proud of us like we were something worth rooting for.
I slid my arm around Francesca’s waist. She leaned into me without hesitation, fitting against my side like she belonged there.
Maria tucked herself against Zach, rubbing his back. “We should probably all get back to the party,” she said gently.
I nodded, exhaling a laugh. “Yeah.”
Zach slapped my shoulder on his way out, his smile real this time. “Monday. Renato basketball court. Ten A.M.” He pointed a finger at me with a grin. “Don’t be late.”
I felt my own smile stretch wide, stupid and proud. He wants to see me. Not obligation. Not duty.
“Alright,” I said, laughing a little.
Zach disappeared with Maria, and just like that – the air didn’t hurt to breathe anymore.
When I looked at Francesca, her lashes lowered like she was choosing her words carefully.
“Matteo,” She began softly, “I’m sorry for going to talk to him behind your back. I just thought maybe – ”
I didn’t let her finish. I stepped forward and wrapped her in my arms, pulling her against me like she was the only steady thing in my life.
“Thank you,” I murmured into her hair.
She stilled, surprised, then pulled back just enough to look up at me. The amber light caught her eyes, making them glow. “You’re not mad?”
I shook my head, brushing my thumb over the curve of her jaw.
“Never. Thank you for helping me do what I haven’t had the courage to do for years.”
Her hands framed my face – warm, grounding. I leaned into her touch, feeling like I’d been starved of affection.
Then she rose onto her toes and kissed me. Slow. Deep. Like home.
My hands settled at her waist, her heartbeat steady beneath my thumbs. When we finally parted, our foreheads rested together, both of us smiling like fools in love.
She brushed her nose against mine, voice a whisper. “Ready to go back?”
I stole one more soft kiss from her mouth. “With you? Always.”
We laced our fingers together and headed back toward the lights and laughter of our friends – like everything in the world suddenly felt right again.