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We left the store, and I went in search of her honey-roasted nuts As I walked the few blocks back to the house to drop her stuff off beforeht it, I knew that the battle was already half lost Still, knohat I know aboutwithher all the truth And that’s the tricky part There’s no way I can tell her or anyone what I have planned and why

Before her, there was no question as to wherestood in the way of what I had to do; I’ve always knohat that was and never regretted or resentedwas sorateful for, and I never asked for nor looked for more But she makes me want more

She makes me want to shed who I am and be someone who deserves her beauty… “Gabe Gabe, what’s thethere in front of the door, not even realizing that I had stoppedto tellyou?”

He looked so worried “Did I ever thank you for being my brother?” See, this is why I didn’t want any part of her or what she’s doing to me Even he looked taken aback byyou need to thank me for It’s an honor to be your brother” I just nodded as he patted my back before alked inside

I still hadn’t made up my h the late lunch we shared with the family While everyone was their usual boisterous self, I reht On the plane ride ho her hand because she was still afraid to fly, but without saying a word to her

Even e landed, I was still on the fence It hen Pop pulled ot into the car for the ride to the house that I was pushed to ate for the last hour or so They say he’s been co by all weekend” It was then I realized Gianna hadn’t once mentioned him all weekend and if she’d called him, which she could’ve done had she wanted, then he wouldn’t be staking out the house Just how fucking alone in the world is she?

“What do you want to do?”

“Let’s go through the back gate I’ll take her inside, then go see him”

“You want me to take care of him?”

“No, I’ve got it”

“You know if you turn hi a precedent This isn’t soet serious”

“Yeah, I know, but… I can’t send her back there, not right now”

“Your ate parents; that way, you won’t need to be involved” Is he testing me? Yeah, he is

“She’s mine to protect Pop”

“Then do what you want, no ot you By the way, Tony said to tell you he put the stuff in your rooive the driver new instructions, and I felt a weight lift from my chest

GIANNA

Back to reality As soon as the plane landed, I felt the change All day, I’ve been avoiding thinking about this, about going back toit now Although I sat in the car with the Russo family, I already felt the loss The weekend is one I’ll store away in my mind for those rainy days to come because I’m sure I’ll never have another like it

Even the s Gabriel had bought h; I should’ve never lost sight of the fact that after all the glitz and glamour of the weekend, life in ht I didn’t even realize ere going in another direction until we pulled through a different gate on the other side of the estate

No one was speaking, and I kinda got the feeling that everyone knew soot out of the car, and Gabriel pulled ot a sick feeling in ive me the brushoff Maybe he’d come to his senses and realized he’d been too kind to me