Fragile Longing

“Oh no,” Fina whispered. “This is going to get ugly.”

I pushed to my feet when Danilo got out of the car. Remo shoved open the door of his car and exited. The men looked at each other like predators about to rip into each other. Danilo’s face flooded with rage and utter hatred as he regarded the other man. My pulse sped up, and my mouth dried up. I staggered forward, not sure how to prevent a bloodbath. Fina rushed over to her husband. When I reached Danilo, he’d already drawn his gun and was pointing it straight at Remo, who had his own gun directed at us.

Danilo dragged me behind him the moment I was within reach. Anger and disappointment flashed in his eyes. “How could you do this?” he growled.

“I needed to see her again. I missed her.”

Danilo shook his head, and his attention returned to Remo and Fina. I followed his gaze and suddenly dread took hold of me. Fina’s blonde hair whipped in the light breeze, and with her white flowy boho dress, she looked like an angel. She glowed, an apparition straight out of the past, a memory that had haunted me, my family, and Danilo for years.

In the last few months, I’d started to believe that Danilo had gotten over Fina, that he was happy in our marriage, that he loved me, but what if this set us back? What if seeing her again reminded him of what he’d lost? Of buried feelings? What if this destroyed everything? I couldn’t live through months or years of feeling like a replacement again. I was done being the consolation prize, done being second best.

I searched his face as he stared ahead but couldn’t read the look in his eyes. His face was twisted with fury. I clutched at his arm. “Let’s go. I got what I wanted. I got the chance to talk to Fina. Let’s leave now before this ends badly.”

Fina was obviously appealing to Remo to keep this peaceful, her palms pressed to his chest. His expression didn’t give me much more hope than Danilo’s did. The hatred born from hurt pride didn’t dominate his features, but bloodlust and the determination to eliminate a possible threat were unmistakable.

Danilo’s eyes flashed. “You got what you wanted, Sofia? Is that so? What about me and what I want?”

I dropped my hand, my heart shrinking to the size of a tiny ball as his words sank in. What he wanted? Did he still want Fina? Was this his chance to kill Remo and take my sister for himself?

I was being ridiculous. That would never work. But was Danilo being rational or driven by old hurt and pride?

I swallowed hard. “I’m done.” The words cut me as they moved past my aching heart and throbbing throat.

Danilo glowered at me. “What?”

“I’m done with this, with us, with you. If you still want her, I’m done. I’m not doing this again. I’m not a consolation prize.”

“What the hell are you talking about, Sofia?” he gritted out, looking honestly confused and pissed.

“Fina. You said what about what you want.”

Danilo grabbed my arm, his eyes scorching mine. “It’s not Serafina I want. It’s revenge. Revenge on Falcone for humiliating me and the Outfit, for trashing our pride.”

I blinked up at him. “So, you really don’t want Fina anymore?”

“I thought we’d agreed on that fact a long time ago when I told you I love you. I thought I’d proven it to you.”

We had agreed on that, and I had believed his words to be true, but until now he’d never been confronted with Fina, and who knew what that might change?

Danilo tore his gaze away from me and raised his gun even higher.

Fina had ripped away from Remo and stormed toward us. I squeezed past Danilo’s restraining arm, and got in front of him, touching his chest. “Don’t let this spiral out of control, Danilo. Things between the Outfit and the Camorra have been calm recently. If you start a shooting match with Remo, the war will turn bloody once more and none of us will live in peace.” I paused, pleading with my eyes. “If you love me, give up on your thirst for revenge. Whatever Remo has done, does it even matter now? If he hadn’t kidnapped Fina, we would have never married. I know it’s difficult to see past your pride, but isn’t our marriage a reason to look past your hatred?”

Fina stopped a few feet from us. Remo had followed her a few steps. His gun was still trained on us. Danilo gripped my wrist and jerked me behind his back once more. “Stay behind me.”

My heart sank.

“Danilo, please don’t let this turn into an open war,” Fina appealed to him, her voice compelling and smooth.

I glanced from her beautiful face to Danilo, dreading what I’d see.