Damien
Istood still and watched Ezra’s reaction. Her ocean-blue eyes fill with tears at my words, even though I can see she’s trying her best not to show that I hurt her. She lifts her gaze to mine and nods briefly.
“Fine. I’ll arrange a meeting with our family lawyer.” She retorts quietly, pushes me back and opens the door.
“Ezra—”
“Don’t. We’ve said all we have too.” And with that, she turns and walks out of the bedroom.
Well done, asshole.
I don’t know why I said that, especially since the furthest from what I want. Maybe it came from that part of me deep down that knows this relationship is a lost cause. Too many secrets and lies have been told, and I know we could never make it work…not really. I need to set her free.
I follow her back toward the living room with a heavy sigh and stop when I see her tearing up the photos angrily. I need to clear my head. With that thought in mind, I grab my jacket and cellphone before I walk out of the house. I stop when I hear the strangled sob that escapes her once I close the door. I stare at it, my hands fisted at my sides, just bursting to go in there and haul her into my arms—but I can’t. How did everything get so royally screwed up again when a few days ago we were happy?
I was fucking happy for the first time in my life. I was happy, and it was because of her. I jump into my Audi and race off out of the gates. I need to be alone. I’ve spent too much time with her, that’s the problem. I need to find the version of myself before her…before she fucking ruined me.
While I drove around aimlessly, the sound of her cries keeps replaying in my head. The anguish-filled look in her eyes when I told her I want a divorce flashes through my mind's eye, and I shake it off. I need to put my plan into action and be done with all of this. I dial Jasper’s number, and he answers on the third ring. “Yo.”
“Did you send the information about the shipment like I asked to the feds?” I question, and he replies with an inaudible ‘mhm’ in return.
“I did. Unfortunately, though, neither Hugo nor Lorenzi was present when it got busted. A couple of their goons were arrested, but it seems they’re keeping their mouths shut about the supplier and distributors, but nothing tracing it back to Hugo or Jian. If I had to guess, I’d say they lost a good fifty million each.”
I grip the steering wheel tight. “I would have thought one of them would have been present to overlook such a big shipment. Could they have been tipped off?”
“It’s highly likely. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit if they had a handful of dirty feds or cops on their payroll.” Jasper answers, typing away on his computer. “You’ve got what you need to bury Hugo. What’s holding you back?”
“Timing.” And the woman I love. “I’m waiting for the right moment. Keep your eyes and ears open I want to be informed of everything that son of a bitch is up to.”
“You got it, bro.” I hang up and rub my forehead agitated. I was hoping Hugo would have been present at that dock when the shipment arrived, but the slimy bastard must have been tipped off to stay away. Your time is coming, Hugo Quintero, and if my name is Damien Wolfe, I’m going to make damned sure you get served what’s coming to you…one way or the other.
* * *
After a short drive,I find myself standing at the graveyard, staring fixedly at my parent's tombstones. “I’m almost at the finish line. I’m so close to ending this and righting the injustice that was done to you. I’ll find Aria, too, wherever she is, dead or alive.” I glance at the empty plot by their grave reserved for my little sister, and my gut twists painfully. If she has been killed, this is where she belongs—with my parents. I don’t care where I end up as long as they’re together.
“I met a girl,” I tell them sorrowfully. “She’s…everything. So unbelievably beautiful, with the purest heart, and she takes my pain away. When I’m with her, she makes me forget how lonely I’ve been how abandoned I feel.” I close my eyes and clench my jaw tight, swallowing the excruciating lump forming in my throat. “I fell in love with the daughter of the man who killed you. I fucked up. I’m sorry.” I wipe away the tear that rolls down my cheek. “We can’t have a future. I can’t be with the daughter of the man that wrecked my whole life…not when I’ll be the one pulling the trigger and killing her father.” I explain and shake my head. “Even if it kills me to scare her off, even though I’ll wreck her, I’m going to keep my promise to you.” I release a slow breath and bite my lip so hard I drew blood.
I need to show her the nasty in me, so she runs as fast and far away and doesn’t look back. I’m no good for her or anyone for that matter. I don’t deserve to be loved…especially by her.
* * *
When I got backto the guest house later that day, I found Ezra curled up on the bed. Her eyes were puffy and rimmed red. No doubt she’s been crying since I left, and I hated the guilt that gripped my heart because I was the reason behind those tears.
Our eyes meet as soon as I walk in, and she doesn’t look away, neither do I. The misery she held in the depths of those blue eyes had me wanting to walk over and wrap myself around her, begging her to forgive me, but I fight it and stare back at her indifferently. “There’s food in the fridge for you,” Ezra voices while I move to sit at the foot of the bed and rub the back of my neck tiredly.
“I’m not hungry,” I utter icily and hear her snort from behind me. I turn my head and look at her over my shoulder. She glowers back at me. “Something stuck in your throat?”
Ezra’s eyes narrow to slits, and she shrugs. “Not surprising. I don’t know why I bother.” Comes her frosty reply, and I raise a brow while I watch her.
“Why do you?” I throw back at her, and she averts her gaze, her foot twitching incessantly, showing her state of agitation. She wants to fight.
“Because unlike you, I have a damn conscience.” Ezra retorts bitingly while I stare at her. “I wish I could switch off and not give a shit like you, but I can’t!”
“And that’s my fault, how exactly? Your wounded feelings are not my responsibility, Ezra! I warned you time and time again, but you chose not to listen.” I argue back while getting up to my feet. I watch as Ezra also stands, her eyes wide and shooting daggers at me.
“Of course, as per usual, I’m the one to blame for getting hurt, right? Because everything that’s happened between us I did on my own!” She yells, picking up a scatter cushion. “I fucking abducted and seduced you!” She throws the pillow at me, and I dodge it. “I tied you up and punished you, right?!” She picks up another and hurls it at me again. Every time I dodged it, the angrier she got.
“Ezra..”