Chapter 58
VICTOR
TWO YEARS LATER
“You’re still a fucking dick.” Vanessa clinked her beer bottle against mine; her eyes narrowed at me. “But you make her happy. I swear to god though, if you ever—”
“Hurt her again, I know. You’ll cut my balls off and feed them to me in a soup.” I sighed and stared across the pool to where my daughter was playing with my mom.
I’d never seen a creature so beautiful. Well…except for Lila, of course.
“No soup, boy. Fucking bloody and raw, just the way you’d deserve them.”
“Got it.”
“Fuck you.” Vanessa walked off, and I couldn’t help but laugh. She would forever hold it against me, and I didn’t blame her. Lila couldn’t get a better best friend if she tried, and I was so grateful she had that.
“Bet you never thought you’d have this,” a voice said from my left, and I turned to see Enzo grinning at me.
“Hey, man. No, you’re damn straight I didn’t.”
"Some things are just meant to be, I guess.” Enzo stared after my sister, and I frowned, pointing after her.
“Are you two ever gonna hook up?”
Enzo froze, and I knew why. Because he genuinely didn’t think I knew.
You would have to be fucking blind not to see the way they looked at each other and had always looked at each other.
But they’d never once crossed a line, and I couldn’t figure out why not.
It wasn’t because of me; I had no say in what Vanessa did—never had and never would.
I’d have loved for her to get with Enzo; she was the yin to his yang or whatever the fucking saying was.
“Your sister is an enigma.”
“That’s a nice way of saying she’s fucking crazy.” I sucked on my beer bottle, my eyes locked on our daughter who was splashing happily, her little giggle like music to my ears.
“She is batshit crazy,” Enzo said with a laugh, his eyes still on Vanessa.
“Too much for you?” I guessed, finally figuring it out.
Enzo gave a low laugh and shook his head. “Nah.”
“Then…what?” I frowned at him, utterly perplexed.
“Does she seem like she wants to settle down, bro?” Enzo shook his head sadly.
Oh.
Vanessa had no shortage of male attention and never had. But she hadn’t ever brought a guy home as her other half or anything.
Huh, weird.
“Here she is,” Enzo declared with a wide smile, and I turned to see Lila striding towards us in a pastel pink dress, her lips painted in the same shade. I was so lost in her beauty I didn't even greet her.
“Hey, Enzo.” Lila’s gaze moved to me, and she arched a perfectly made eyebrow. “Are you just going to stare at me, Rossi?”
“Yes ma’am,” I said, trying to hide my laughter.
“Ma’am, hmm? That wasn’t what you were calling me last night.”
Enzo nearly choked on his beer, and I shook my head, unable to believe this woman was my other half. Not officially, not yet at least, but in every other way.
“I’m going in the kitchen, or the bathroom, anywhere that isn’t here.” Enzo headed in the direction my sister had gone, and Lila slid her arm around my waist.
“I love summer,” she commented, watching Enzo make a sharp exit.
“I love you.” I tipped her chin back and gazed at her, unable to believe I had another chance with this fucking incredible woman.
Everything seemed to have slid into place; I had a truck, I could drive, and Lila had even started her own interior design business.
She worked from home which gave her loads of time with Zara.
Oh yeah, I’d won with that name. Except now Lila wants all our kids to have names that begin with Z, like my mom did with me and my sister.
All I heard was ‘all our kids’ and I was done.
Like where did I fucking sign? But I didn’t care if we didn’t manage to get pregnant again; we were getting older every day after all. Plus, we had Zara.
I’m a lucky bastard, and I know it.
But there wasn’t a day that went by where I let it slide for a second.
We still attended therapy every six months, and I replayed the video of Lila with Graham in my mind at least once a day.
I couldn’t ever watch it again, as part of our therapy had been deleting all the videos of us with other people. It wasn’t who we were anymore.
My mom had forgiven me and was now obsessed with Zara Rossi.
An angel with dark curls and eyes of the prettiest blur of brown, green, and even gold. Cinnamon hazel, Lila called it, but she seemed to love labelling things like cans of paint now.
“You better do because this baby will be here before you know it.”
I nodded then did a double take.
“What did you say?”
Lila grinned and held up a little white stick, waving it around so I couldn’t even see the result; but I didn’t need to.
“Baby, seriously? Fuck yes!”
I picked her up and swung her around, kissing her deeply as my mom shouted from the pool.
“Did you finally tell him?”
“You told my mom first?” I gaped at my mom and then Lila, who shrugged.
“We’re super close now, sorry.”
Lila’s mom stepped out of the kitchen and pursed her lips when she saw us, not that I could blame her either. Christ, I had some enemies.
“Zara, do you want a snack, baby?” she called out, carrying a tub of treats for Zara. Probably watermelon. Her favourite.
“I don’t care, baby, I’m so fucking happy I could die.” I kissed her again, and she squealed against me.
Another baby, another Rossi.
There was just one thing missing.
I sucked in a deep breath and met Enzo’s eyes from across the yard. He winked at me, and Vanessa crossed her arms from beside him, rolling her eyes at me to ‘get on with it.’
So, I did.
I put Lila back on the ground and crouched to one knee, which had actually started to ache recently. Ah well.
I held up the small velvet box, my hand trembling.
“Lila, I don’t deserve you,” I said as Lila stared at me.
“You really don’t,” Vanessa shouted from behind her, and I cursed my sister for the millionth time in my life.
“Ness!” Lila scolded, waving at her to be quiet before turning her attention back to me.
“I never did, but somehow, you took pity on me. A stupid fool who nearly lost you. Who lost you as my wife. It’s bothered me ever since that day the divorce papers came in, and I’m asking you, fuck it, on both knees,” I said, kneeling before her.
I leaned down and kissed her pretty pink toes one by one.
“Begging you, actually, to please, please be Lila Rossi again. I will never, ever, let you down again. I love you so much, but please—”
“Get up, you stupid fool.” Lila cupped my face in her hands as she nodded. “I’ll marry you again.”
I let her yank me to my feet and kiss me, and as our family looked on, my life felt complete.
“In five years,” Lila added, and I groaned.
“Oh, come on!”
“Earn it, baby.” Lila winked. “I also want a wedding in Greece, so you better get saving.”
I just grinned at her as she ruffled my hair and stood on her tiptoes to kiss me once more.
“I always did love your last name,” she whispered, her eyes shining with tears.
“It’s always been yours.”
“What a crock of shit,” Vanessa said with a yawn.
“Vanessa!” my mom hissed, and we all laughed.
Some things didn’t change, but this man had. For the one woman who deserved it.
Thank you so much for reading Shattered Promises.