Luca, I’m sorry I questioned you and made things so much harder for you than they needed to be. Maybe I was trying to prove that I should have been in your seat instead of you. Maybe I was jealous of what you had with Molly and the kids. Either way, take care of them and get out while you can. I never told you this, but I don’t agree with dad. I think even once you’re in, you can get out.
Marco, I’m proud of you for looking out for yourself and your family before us. Our expectations of one another are selfish and dysfunctional. It kills me that I never got to see you again and meet my baby niece, but it makes me happy to know that you’ve found an island of serenity in this tumultuous sea.
Gabe, I hope you keep developing confidence and learn how to become your own man. Maybe consider finding your own special someone. Keep her away from the life, and treasure her above anything. You won’t regret it.
Willow…
Willow…
Thank you for defining me, for giving me a reason to breathe, and for giving me a reason to move. Thank you for smiling at me and laughing with me and loving me. Thank you for trying to give me a chance that I
didn’t really deserve. Thank you for being my everything, always. I’ll love you even in my grave.
The pop of a gun left me waiting for pain, if not death, but instead, a body collapsed to my side. I looked down and saw Colton on the ground with a bullet hole in the back of his head, already bleeding out. I whipped around, and my jaw dropped. Standing in front of me, like he had every right to be there with no announcement, was Marco, smoking gun in hand, and his hair humorously dyed blond.
“Marco.”
“Goddammit, you better be glad Kelly made me go on a fucking diet.” I glanced up behind him and saw the small, slotted window that Marco must have squeezed through to get in. “You are a lucky son-of-a-bitch.”
I couldn’t control myself. I threw my arms around him. “Fuck, am I glad to see you. How did you know I was here?”
“Ricky texted me.” He put a hand on my head. “Are you okay?”
Make that two of the Varasso brothers whose lives Marco had saved. “I’m okay,” I responded.
“Are you sure?” He punched me in the shoulder. “It looked like you fucking gave up.”
“I think I did, I—”
Another round of gunshots ricocheted upstairs. Marco and I both pulled out our guns and started up. I tiptoed around the corner, my pistol aimed in front of me, but when I walked into the living room, I was filled with even more relief. The remaining bodies of the Binachi family were scattered around with Luca standing amongst them. I didn’t even feel like I deserved to approach him. I’d acted like such a haughty asshole.
“Luca,” I murmured. “I…”
“Got possessed by dad for a second there, didn’t you?” he grumbled.
“I think so. Maybe the old man’s spirit hasn’t left yet.” I stayed standing in place, but eventually, Luca walked up to me.
He wrapped his arms around me in a hug. “I’m glad you’re okay, but if you ever pull some shit like this again, or talk about my wife the way you did, you and I are going to have a serious problem.”
“You talked about Molly?” Marco said, stepping into the room. “I’m surprised she didn’t kill you.”
“Hey there, brother,” Luca greeted. “Nice do.”
Marco fake puffed it. “Thanks.”
“Where’s Gabe?” I asked.
He nodded back toward the door. “Outside with Ricky and Willow.”
My heart came to a screeching halt. “Willow’s outside?”
Luca stepped to the side. “See for yourself.”
My heart started pounding even faster than it had when I had a gun to the back of my head. I was embarrassed to even face her after what I’d done. I’d put myself in danger, I put my family in danger, and by her being there, I’d put her in danger, too. What did I even have to say to her? Sorry that you overheard that I was going to do this terrible thing, but if it makes you feel any better, I went out and did a doubly terrible thing? I was never going to get to be with Willow again. The sooner I made my peace with that, the sooner I’d be able to move on in a way that wouldn’t leave me storming through the streets of Los Angeles like a one-man army.
I stepped outside the front door, and sure enough, Ricky and Willow were there, talking to Gabriel and Horatio. I let out a sigh of relief that someone found him in the back of that car and let him out. Willow turned and looked at me, and moments later, she was racing toward me at full speed. I stopped and held out my arms, and she leaped into them without a single moment of hesitation. I closed my arms around her, holding as close to me as atoms would allow.
“I thought I was going to lose you.” She pulled away and gave me a kiss on the lips, and I was blown away and confused, but not complaining.