Chapter 82 Loyal to One
❦ Rosalind ❦
The earth above my father’s grave was long settled, but standing here still felt like pressing against a fresh wound.
I’d imagined how I would present myself, my speech ready and with the knowledge that I’d made him proud even in death.
I thought I would come bearing news of conquest. His murder avenged, his legacy secured.
But I came confused. Afraid. Ashamed.
The bouquet of red and white roses felt heavier than it should have as I knelt before his grave, the marble letters staring back at me like a vow I still wasn’t ready to break.
“I miss you, papa,” I whispered, my fingers extending to trace the marble, but curling back hesitantly.
“I’m sorry for not coming earlier. I kept putting it off until I could come with confidence that you would be proud of how I handled things.”
A soft wind blew through the overhanging branches of the willow tree above. It rustled the natural curtain, permeating my grief.
“I avenged you. It was Marcus, you trusted him with everything, but I guess the enemy is always closer than we assume.”
I twisted my clasped fingers. Even though he couldn’t hear me, the confession I came to make tightened icy claws of trepidation around my throat.
In childhood, I had always been able to speak to papa about anything. But somewhere during puberty, I drifted, hoarding all my feelings to ease his load.
I knew he never really got over mama’s death; I didn’t want to intrude on that raw wound.
But now, if I didn’t tell him, if I didn’t say it out loud, I wouldn’t be able to move forward.
“I still don’t understand what you meant when you signed that contract, papa. I have a feeling you trusted my ability to navigate the turbulence. I hope I have delivered in that regard… so far.”
Silence met my ramblings. The wind coaxed my inner thoughts.
The first sob broke through me like a cleaver.
“I love him!”
The world quieted at my admission.
I loved him.
It hadn’t been instant, it hadn’t swept me off my feet. No.
It had taken over the very air I breathed. Snaking into my orifices like curling smoke.
Pressing my forehead to the cold marble, I sobbed.
Shoulders shaking, lungs fighting for air, my chest constricting.
“Forgive me, papa,” I cried. “You’d have preferred I destroyed him from the inside. Ruin the Marino family for what they did to us. But instead, I’ve fallen in love with him.”
The cold breeze dried my tears as they fell, my cheeks stiffening.
“He’s broken, and so am I. But somehow, we fit. Each broken piece finding its place in the jagged edges of the other.”
I closed my eyes, imagining the warmth of his hand on my back.
“Will you be mad if I choose for myself henceforth? I avenged you, didn’t I? In fact, we avenged you together. Isn’t that evidence of good teamwork? That this could work?”
The willow’s shadow spilled across his headstone, and with it came the angst I hadn’t expected, a hollow ache pressing against my ribs, demanding answers the dead could never give.
“What did they have over you? What secret was big enough that you let them take and take? That you let them take even me?”
I pressed my eyes shut, my limbs suddenly heavy. Exhaustion stiffened my every breath.
“I forgive you. Whatever it was. I forgive you for it, and I forgive you for letting it have such a hold over you. We all make mistakes. And all I want is to exercise my right to make some of my own. Even if Viktor is a mistake, I want to experience him. I want to try. I hope you can forgive me as I’ve forgiven you.”
With a press of my lips to my father’s engraved portrait on the marble, I righted the flowers and left.
I left feeling freer than I had in the past months. And now that my head was clear, I had agendas.
A prickling sensation stopped me short by the car. One of the bodyguards who opened the car door held it open, waiting for me to step inside.
But I stood still, unraveling the dread that coiled in my chest.
The Hotel.
Dominic had already listed it on his Dark Web auction site. The auction would take place in exactly one week.
Shit.
Someone was actively trying to murder my husband. The hotel was his biggest lead, with threads he could use to bring down that syndicate he spoke about.
In my anger, I’d put it up for sale. Even without asking, I knew it was impossible to cancel the auction now. My only choice was to buy it back myself. That wasn’t allowed, but I could use another account, a different identity.
Tilting my face to the cloudy sky, I groaned loudly.
As I slid into the car, I noticed a ghost of a smile on my bodyguard’s face.
Oh, he didn’t know the half of it.
Viktor was getting discharged today.
Entering the hospital, I wiped my hands down my sundress, a light charge of excitement simmering in my veins.
Now that I’d named my emotions, confronted my fear of papa’s judgment, and forgiven myself for going off the rails, I felt free. Light. New.
I hurried to the room. Adrian had urged me to make haste while I went to the house to freshen up and visit papa’s grave. He had business to handle.
Adrian was being very efficient, and I loved it for Viktor. It was rare to have a friend and business partner who didn’t turn on you the moment you were down.
I’d had doubts, but watching Adrian watch Viktor day after day while juggling business, I knew I had nothing to worry about in that regard.
Though I still needed to win his trust on my part.
The four muscled bodyguards in the hallway stood at attention, and coupled with the small army spread around the vicinity of the hospital, Viktor was the safest he could be.
When I stepped into the room, though, Adrian wasn’t there.
As I set my bag on the floor to sit beside Viktor, Jacques, the bald soldato, turned to me.
“The underboss had to urgently handle some business.”
“Oh… okay.” I felt a little miffed that Viktor had been left without me or Adrian to watch over him.
I sat in my usual place beside him, gently taking his still hand in mine.
I would have whispered to him that I loved him, God knows it was almost bursting out of me, but I would wait for him to wake up.
Most of the bandages were off now, stitches replacing them. The parts of his head that had been shaved had grown into a buzz-cut length.
He was asleep, his chest rising and falling steadily. He’d lost some weight, but he was still the tall, sexy, handsome Don I was in love with.
The door opened slowly. A nurse came in.
Her scrubs were neat, her blond hair artificial, her movements hesitant. Something about her felt… off.
“Good morning, Mrs. Marino. The doctor will be in shortly to process the discharge. I just need to set this up first.”
“Alright,” I said, watching her every move.
She was a new face, not one of the two nurses I was used to seeing take care of Viktor.
I watched her hands hook the IV bag. At first, I chalked it up to nerves. Jacques loomed nearby, and any nurse would be intimidated. But then, something pricked the back of my neck.
“Stop,” I barked. She froze. “What’s in it?”
“It’s a multivitamin IV, riboflavin,” she said, monotone.
My fists clenched. The needle was already in Viktor’s arm. She just had to connect the bag.
“Care to explain the orange tint?” I snapped.
Her pause lasted too long. She turned, her tone patronizing. “It’s just a multivitamin, ma’am.”
“It should be clear or bright yellow, nurse,” I said, nodding to Jacques.
“I could call the doctor if you’re bothered about it. But it really is just an IV bag, ma’am.”
Still with her back to me, her right hand slid into her coat, the movement too fast for comfort.
“Jacques!” I shouted.
The nurse spun toward the bed, a pistol in her grip.
Time stilled.
I lunged, covering Viktor with my body.
Jacques, too far to grab her, flung something at the hand holding the pistol.
The door opened simultaneously, but my eyes were shut tightly.
Pop.
Crash.
My ears rang.
Nausea churned in my stomach.
Pain bloomed, a forest fire spreading through my body.