Finding Beauty in the Darkness

“Yes, Aria. I’m real.”

“You’re saving me again,” I choke out, raw emotion stuck in my throat. I let my eyes close, knowing I’m safe once again in the arms of Gio, and blocking everything around me out, I fall back asleep.

Chapter Thirty-Four

GIOVANNI

The minute I told my dad I needed to find Aria and who had her, he sprang into action. I knew the only reason he was calling in any favors he had was because I had inadvertently agreed to let her go once she was found. He placed a call to Victor Lorenzo, Sebastian’s father. It turned out, Sebastian had gone behind his father’s back and made a deal with the devil himself, Weston Hightower. In exchange for helping him get Aria back, he would give him a piece of the trust fund, and with that money, Sebastian would be able to come to us to buy back their territory.

Victor ordered his son not to make the deal but Sebastian didn’t listen. After he found out Weston was dead and his money train had come to a stop, he lost it. His dad told him to let it go and when he didn’t, he pretty much disowned him. When my dad called and told him he was holding Aria, Victor was willing to throw his son under the bus in exchange for the ownership of the territory back. My dad, the businessman he is, agreed with the clause we can use that shipyard for all of our shipments at no charge.

Victor agreed and gave us the location to their Miami safe house. With a single call to one of my dad’s enforcers, we were able to get in and out. Sebastian was killed with a shot to his head before he even saw it coming, and Aria was on a private plane back to Nevada with Dr. Fox waiting for us at the house.

She gave Aria a sedative so she would sleep and checked her out.

Tearing of her anus.

Sperm.

Bleeding.

Damage to the vaginal walls.

Dr. Fox had concluded that Aria had been violently raped in every way possible.

Aria’s words hit me like a ton of bricks. You’re saving me again.

I lost it. I went down to my office and destroyed it. The computer went flying into a wall, papers were thrown around. I don’t know what else I did, but my knuckles were bleeding when Johnny walked in and sat next to me on the floor while I cried like a fucking baby.

You’re saving me again.

I did this! I saved her and then brought her into this life. I swore to protect her and keep her safe and I broke my promise. In my world, people kill over broken promises.

Johnny sat with me in silence for who knows how long before I let out a sigh and got to work figuring shit out. I made several calls and called in a lot of favors, and while it felt like my chest was being crushed the entire time, making it hard to breathe, I knew I was doing the right thing. When I was done, I started to clean up my destroyed office, until Vivian knocked on the door to let me know Aria was waking up. I nodded and stood to go upstairs.

Now I’m standing in front of the bed, staring at Aria. Her eyes are open but they look distant and lost. She blinks slowly but doesn’t say a word. She’s the strongest woman I’ve ever met but even the strongest, break, and my girl is broken. I put a call in to her psychiatrist and she’s going to be here soon.

I sit next to Aria on the edge of the bed. “We need to talk.”

She looks up at me with unshed tears. “You don’t need to say it. I already know.”

“Know what?”

“Sometimes you have to love someone enough to let them go.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

GIOVANNI

One year later

“Giovanni! Earth to Giovanni!” Natalie waves her hands in front of my face, snapping me out of my daydream.

“Yeah. Sorry. Just a lot on my mind. What’s up?”

Natalie gives me the same look she always gives me when she catches me spacing out. “Your mom is here. She’s at the bar having a drink.”

“Okay, thanks.” I stand from behind my desk and close the file I was supposed to be looking at but wasn’t really paying attention to. That seems to be the story of my life this past year. My numbers are down, memberships have decreased, and I don’t really give a fuck about any of it. I head out to the front to meet my mom, looking forward to having a drink more than conversing with her.

“Scotch neat,” I tell Edgardo as I sit next to my mom, who’s sipping on her usual fruity drink. I don’t bother starting a conversation. She’ll do it for me.