Chapter 198 THREE DAYS OF GRACE

Chapter 198 THREE DAYS OF GRACE
UNKNOWN'S POV

The ocean was quiet when it happened.

Matteo sat beside Martin on the low wooden deck with his back resting against one of the pillars and his legs in front of him.

With a glass of piña colada in his hands, exile on this island didn't seem so bad.

Martin took a slow sip of his own with his gaze fixed across the sea for as long as he could see it.

Or maybe he just didn’t want to look at Matteo.
He wasn't so sure of what to tell him especially with his disappearance for a year.

Matteo exhaled slowly with his gaze dropping to the sand below.

“…It’s been shit.”

Martin didn’t respond or move but Martin knew he was listening.

“It’s been a fucking shit show without you,” he continued.
“You’d think I’d get used to it, right? After everything too.”

A humorless chuckle slips out of him.
“Turns out I don’t.”
He takes another sip.

“I kept thinking…” Matteo went on taking another sip, “that maybe if I just did everything right, everything the Family wanted that things would go back to how they were.”

His jaw clenched.

“They didn’t.”

Martin shifted slightly beside him but he still didn’t speak so Matteo swallowed.

“And Shawn…”
“I treated him like shit.”

There was no defense in his tone, just resignation.

“I knew what you were doing to him,” he admitted with his voice dropping further. “I saw it…” his throat tightened.

“And I still didn’t stop you.”

A tear slipped down his cheek before he could stop it.

“I told myself it wasn’t my place and it was between you two. That if I interfered, it would just make things worse.”

He laughed softly.
“Bullshit.”

“I just didn’t want to deal with it,” he said, “because if I did, then I’d have to admit something I didn’t want to admit then.”

His gaze finally shifted to Martin with a wry smile on his face.

“That we were the problem and I was just jealous.”

Martin frowned slightly with unease creeping up on him even though he didn't know from where.”

“…Matteo,” he started slowly, “what’s going on?”

Matteo didn’t answer immediately but he just looked at him intently like he's memorizing his face.

“Do you remember Lily’s place?” Matteo asked instead.

Martin’s brows knit together.

“…Yeah?”

Matteo nodded slightly.

“Before we left,” he continued, “her right hand came up to me.”

Martin stilled.

“And he had a phone with him.”

Matteo’s smile didn’t reach his eyes.

“On that phone…” he said softly, “was Noah West.”

Martin’s body tensed immediately.

“Why would–”

“He said he was angry,” Matteo cuts in gently as Martin falls silent.

“He said a few days ago, he was… vengeful,” Matteo continued like he was telling a story.
“Furuius and thinking of ways to kill us both.”

The ocean breeze picked up slightly on them.

“But then he said something changed.”

Matteo’s fingers tightened on his glass.

“He said spending time with Shawn calmed him down.”

Martin’s lips parted slightly.

“He said he didn’t want to leave his presence,” Matteo added quietly. “And that Shawn makes him feel… settled.”

Matteo’s gaze darkened for just a fraction.

“And because of that… he said he was even feeling generous.”

Martin sat up straighter now, something was terribly wrong.

“What are you–”

“He gave us three days,” Matteo said finally with a sigh.

“To get rid of ourselves.”

Silence as Martin took it in.

“…What?” he whispered.

Matteo didn’t answer as the realization slowly hit Martin.

Martin’s eyes widened as panic began to crawl in him.

“It’s been…” he trailed off as his voice started shaking. “Matteo–it’s been three days.”

Matteo nodded slowly.

“Yes.”

“No–no! That’s–” Martin shook his head quickly and started scrambling to sit up.

“It’s fine. It’s fine, we’ll leave–we’ll go somewhere else, we’ll–!”

“I’m tired Martin.”

The words stopped him cold.
Matteo’s voice wasn’t loud or desperate, it was just… tired.

“I don’t want to run anymore,” he said softly.

Martin stared at him as fear started showing on his face.

“I’ll protect you,” he said quickly, reaching for him. “We’ll figure something out, we always do–”

Matteo smiled sadly.

“You can’t protect me from this brother.”

Martin froze at the certainty of his tone.

“…Matteo,” he said slowly as dread started creeping in, “what did you do Matteo?”

Matteo didn’t answer with words but as his gaze dropped slowly, Martin followed his gaze to the glass in his hand.

To the half empty piña colada.

His fingers trembled.

“No…”

Matteo’s silence was confirmation that made Martin’s breath hitch.

“…No,” he repeated, a bit softer now as a tear slipped from his eyes.

Matteo reached out as his hand brushed gently against Martin’s cheek.

“It’ll be okay,” he murmured as Martin let out a broken laugh.

“Okay?” he echoed weakly.

Matteo nodded with his own tears falling freely even though he was shaking.

“In the next life,” he said with a trembling voice, “I’ll come back as your brother again.”

He swallowed.

“Or… maybe I’ll even come back as a woman.”

A shaky smile came up on Martin's face at their inside joke.

“So I can marry you properly this time.”

Martin let out a soft shaky breath.

“You’re insane,” he whispered but there was no anger in it.

Only sadness, resignation and… love.

Matteo’s hand tightened slightly against his face.

“I’m sorry,” he said as his voice started breaking. “For everything. For Shawn. For you. For all of it.”

Martin looked at him slowly as he felt his chest slowly start to constrict.

And slowly, he leaned forward and pressed his lips gently against Matteo’s lips.

A soft and final kiss.

When he pulled back, there was a faint smile on his lips.

“I love you,” he said quietly.

Matteo choked on a breath.

“I love you too.”

Martin’s eyes fluttered as his body swayed slightly and then…
He went still.

The smile never left his face even after he died.

Matteo caught him as he slumped, pulling him close with his arms wrapping around him tightly.

“Hey… hey,” he whispered even though he wanted to scream. “It’s okay.”

His own vision blurred as he felt his chest tightening but he never let go of Martin.

“I’m right here.”

Martin didn’t respond or move even when Matteo pressed his forehead against his with his tears falling freely.

“I’m coming,” he murmured softly as his grip only got tighter.
As if he could take him with him.

“Just wait for me.”

The world around them faded into nothing as the sound from the ocean grew distant and quieter.
Matteo felt his body growing heavier by the second as he took one last look at the ocean with a smile.

It was a soft and peaceful one mirroring Martin's smile.
For the first time in his life, no one, not even the Family could separate them ever again.
He would no longer be alone ever again.

“It’s okay,” he whispered one last time.

And then–

Matteo De Luca Moreau went completely still, lying in Martin De Luca Moreau.

The waves kept moving, the world kept turning and the wind continued blowing.

But the both of them remained very still.