Chapter 38—Tristan

I walk into Massimo’s house and sigh.

Today was long and stressful, but I got everything done. Plans are all in place for our trip back to Rhode Island.

Everything is ready, and the men we’re taking have been briefed on the mission plans. It’s just to get it done now.

I walk down the corridor and decide to go through the back passage to avoid everyone—everyone meaning Isabella. I managed to avoid talking to her all day yesterday, and being away today has helped with the distancing.

I turn the corner heading into the second living room, and it’s just my luck that I nearly crash into her. I have to steady her to stop her from falling over.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going,” she apologizes quickly.

As I hold her, I remember how much I miss her and miss feeling like she was mine. Realizing I’m just holding her and staring, I let go.

“Sorry, I wasn’t looking either.” I was, but it’s something to say.

She gives me a coy smile, and the sweet rose color fills her cheeks.

“Well, it’s nice to see you. I was just getting something to eat. Candace gave me sugar last night, and I can’t stop eating.” She sounds nervous.

“It’s good you’re eating. Regardless of what it is.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

I should go. This prolonged tension is throwing me off and screwing with me. I would like to know how she is, though. Just to see how she’s doing.

“Are you okay?”

She nods. “Yeah. It’s nice here. Everyone’s been great. How are you?”

We sound like that old married couple who are struggling to find things to talk about.

“I’m okay.”

“Are you ready for Friday?”

“Yeah, all set.”

“Good.”

“What no kiss?” comes a voice from the dark living room.

Isabella and I both turn to look. The lights come on, and Dominic comes into view with it.

My blood runs cold when I see he’s got his gun resting against the side of his head. Casual, like it’s nothing.

“Dominic,” I rasp out.

He stands, but he staggers, and his eyes have that spaced-out look which looks more pronounced when he smiles.

“I came in here, and I can’t remember what for. To polish my gun, sniff a little cocaine or watch you two,” he answers with a laugh that sounds off-key.

He’s high.

Fucking hell. Christ… this is all we need now. But there’s going to be a reason for it. I’m just not prepped.

“Dominic, put the gun away,” I demand.

“No. Not yet. I hate that fucking vase,” he says and shoots the vase in the corner. It smashes, and I move Isabella behind me. “And that fucking picture of that stupid shit.” Another bullet echoes and lands in a painting of some abstract designs.

“Dominic stop it,” I yell.

“Fuck you,” he turns to me and waves the gun around. “Look at you acting all noble. The undergoes by day, and by night you fuck the enemy’s daughter. You should be ashamed of yourself. How quickly you forget it was her father’s fault that Alyssa’s dead. Her father did that to you, and you don’t care. All you care about is your fucking dick and getting easy pussy.”

“Don’t fucking talk about her like that!” I balk. I’m numb, and I’m infuriated, but I won’t allow him to disrespect Isabella in any way. While I can’t see her, I know she must be completely humiliated.

“I saw the two of you on the island, fucking, fucking without a care in the world. Alyssa was reason enough not to go there, Tristan, but Pa…” he winces, and then I see the answer to what happened to him. He’s grieving. “Gonna deny it? Here’s proof.”

To my horror, he presses a button on his phone, and the wide-screen TV comes on with footage of Isabella’s bedroom back on the Island. The two of us are in bed having sex. The image of us is there, and our moans and groans of pleasure fill the room.

My eyes are fixed on the screen before me, of me devouring the woman I shouldn’t have had. Dominic is high and acting on it, but what he said is shit he’s wanted to say. What he’s doing is what he truly wanted to do.

Isabella grabs on to my shirt, and I dare not look at her. It was my fault we crossed that line. Not hers. I took the first step.

“Switch it off!” roars Massimo from the other side of the room. Candice is standing next to him. The two are staring back at both Dominic and the recording with dismay.

Dominic switches it off, but he smiles. “Of course, Boss, you would side with him. You’re well versed in fucking the enemy’s daughter. Maybe I should find someone to fuck too to join the club.”

“Dominic, you’re in trouble,” Massimo says.

“No, I’m not in trouble. I’m fine. I’ve never felt better. Never felt more alive. You should try it. When I’m like this, I forget the pain. I forget I have no one.”

“That’s bull shit, and you know it!” I cut in.

“Is it? You two stick together. Andreas was the loner. All I had was Pa, and he’s not here anymore. He’s dead, and I was just expected to move on and get revenge. Like that’s gonna solve anything or bring him back. We don’t talk about how we feel, not with me anyway. You both leave me out.”

“That’s not true,” Massimo says.

It isn’t true, but Dominic believes that.

“It’s fucking true,” Dominic counters and fires another shot. This time he gets the window, and the glass smashes.

“Dominic, please put the gun down,” Candace pleads.

“No.” He wails and shoots the metal panel on the wall.

I almost die as I watch the bullet ricochet off the metal and recoil into her, hitting her right in her chest.

She screams out a sound so piercing it seems to rock reality.

“Candace!” Massimo shouts as she falls to the ground. He grabs her, and Isabella rushes over to them, crying hard.

It must be shock that has me paralyzed because I can’t move. I watch Dominic as he realizes what he did.

He lowers the gun first, and then it slips from his hands. He’s shaking his head and looking at them.

“No, oh God, no. Candace, my angel,” he says. He takes one step to go to them, but I intercept.

I rush him with the rage I felt and send a punch straight to his face knocking him to the ground. He scrambles to get up but can’t. He’s stunned from my blow and the fucking drugs he’s taken.

“Fucking bastard, don’t you dare go to her. You don’t deserve her. You don’t. We all grieved when Pa died. Don’t tell us bullshit to make it okay for you to believe the lies you tell yourself.”

He’s staring back at me with tears streaming down his cheeks.

I pull out my phone to call 911.

When Massimo starts CPR, my heart breaks, there’s so much blood everywhere.

Candace isn’t moving, and she’s not breathing. All she’s doing is bleeding.

I can’t lose her. We can’t lose her.

Massimo continues CPR, but it’s not working.