Andino + Haven: The Complete Duet

by Bethany-Kris

  Yet, that stupid invitation was still sitting there, and fucking taunting her. Nonstop. She couldn’t seem to get rid of it. Even though it hadn’t come from him, it was something. Just like all those other stupid notes of his were still stuffed in her journal—pressed safely between the pages where no one but her could read them.

  “Haven?” her mom asked.

  “I met someone,” she whispered.

  Mae sucked in a fast breath. “Did you? Who?”

  “His name is Andino. It was supposed to be fun, you know? And then it turned into something else entirely. I love him, but he hurts me. I can’t do that anymore. It doesn’t matter. Point is, he wasn’t who I thought he was, and … he was the worst mistake I ever made.”

  “Nothing is ever a mistake, Haven,” her mom was quick to say. “Love is not ever a mistake.”

  Haven felt that familiar prickling behind her eyes. The telltale sign her tears were about to make another show of themselves, the fucking things. She hated crying. She was so sick and goddamn tired of crying.

  Hadn’t she done enough of that?

  “Love can’t be a mistake when it’s one of the few things in life that can change us irrevocably in a second, Haven,” her mother said. “Love is a lot of things, but a mistake is not one of them.”

  “Feels like it right now.”

  “Because you’re hurting. That’s not the same.”

  Haven let out a shaky breath of air. “He just comes from a different world than me, Mom. There’s a wall there that I can’t get over, and every time I tried, I ended up a little more broken when I fell. I’m tired of falling. I don’t fall. I climb.”

  “Oh, Haven.”

  “What?”

  She hated the pity in her mother’s voice. The sadness there. This was exactly why she didn’t want to bring Andino up to her parents. They loved her so much. And it didn’t matter what she did, or what she chose for her life … they were going to say, go on, girl, and live your best life. Be your best person. Be happy.

  Because they were wonderful.

  She did not deserve them.

  “How are you ever to learn if all you do is succeed?” Mae asked softly. “We learn best when we are challenged, and when everything seems the most impossible … when we are able to drag ourselves broken and bleeding out of despair, that is when we become the best version of who we are. You can only be a fraction of that person if the only thing you’ve ever done is succeed. Why would you think love was any different?”

  “Love shouldn’t hurt, Mom.”

  “Maybe not,” her mother agreed. “But love is crazy, dolly. Love is unlike anything else, and it is worth a second chance. It is worth pain, and hurt, and everything else that comes along with it if you can still drag your broken and bleeding body out of the rubble it leaves behind. When the fire finally goes out, and all that’s left is ash, what does the Phoenix do, Haven?”

  “Mom.”

  “What does it do?”

  “It rises.”

  “It rises,” her mom echoed. “And so does love, and so will you. If that’s what you want.”

  Because it was her choice, she realized. Her choice to go back, and ask why. To finally give him that chance to explain. To decide to leave the rubble alone, or with him.

  Except … none of that mattered.

  Today was the day.

  That date written on the wedding invitation. The day he was no longer hers.

  “It’s too late,” Haven said.

  Mae laughed softly. “Haven, it is never too late.”

  Haven had never been a Sunday service, church dress, big hat kind of women. Sure, she believed in God. She had faith in a higher power, and trusted that at the end of someone’s days, the good went where they were intended to go, and those who were bad went where they deserved to spend eternity, too.

  But organized religion?

  Praying every day?

  Church on Sundays?

  That had never been her thing, or her family’s. She was baptized Protestant as a baby, but the last time Haven remembered stepping inside a church was when she was seven, and her only sibling—a baby boy her parents named Caleb—was laid to rest in a small, pale blue casket after dying from SIDs at only fourteen days old.

  Her parents never had more children.

  They’d never gone back to church, either.

  Haven suspected that was because her parents’ relationship with God had been severely tested from the death of their son. Up until that moment in her life, she remembered spending every Sunday in church sitting between her parents in a pew. But after that? They spent Sundays living.

  Because wasn’t that what life was for? The living?

  Maybe that was why as an adult, Haven had never found herself drawn to church. God was still on the back of her mind, sure. And maybe that was just her personal way of keeping connected to him in the privacy of her own mind. Prayers that no one knew she was saying, and faith that no one could question.

  He knew.

  Wasn’t that what counted?

  Haven’s awkwardness at standing on the steps of the church could certainly be attributed to her tenuous relationship with organized religion, but that was only a part of it. A lot of it was the fact that she knew the love of her life was about to be married inside this church.

  And he was not getting married to her.

  She looked no different than any of the other guests rushing up the steps. She was dressed up in the most suitable thing she had been able to pull from one of her suitcases. A pale yellow dress that hugged her curves, and fell just below her knees. Certainly church and wedding appropriate, even for a Catholic ceremony. She used a large similarly colored sun hat that Valeria had left behind when she left to pull off the outfit. Plus, it might keep her face hidden.

  Win, win.

  If only …

  Haven was too late. She didn’t need to be told to know it was true. She could tell by the way the last few guests were rushing up the stairs of the church, and the fact that a car was already waiting at the bottom with painted-white tins tied to the bumper.

  If the ceremony had not already started, it would soon.

  She was too late.

  She thought, maybe, she might get there in enough time to see Andino before all of this took place, but it seemed like she hoped for way too much. And now she was only left heartbroken all over again.

  Turning on the stairs, Haven moved to leave altogether. She didn’t need to be there to see her future walk away, too. This was more than enough.

  “Late too, are you?” came a familiar voice.

  Haven’s gaze lifted to find a hazel-eyed, grinning Marcello standing just a few steps below hers. Andino’s uncle.

  Lucian.

  “I’m not here for … the wedding,” she said lamely.

  Lucian nodded. “I don’t want to be here for it either, frankly.”

  Yet, he was.

  Like her.

  The man tipped his head to the side, and drew a hard puff from the cigarette in his hand. He eyed the cancerous stick with a keen eye. “My wife hates these fucking things, and for the most part, I gave them up years ago. Like a lot of other bad habits. But on days like today, it gets me out of shitty situations that I don’t want to be in for at least ten minutes while I have a smoke. Lucky me, huh?”

  Haven blinked. “I should go.”

  “Why?” Lucian asked, glancing back at her. “Because you think he’s actually getting married today?”

  That lump in her throat was back, and harder than ever. She swore it stuck to her throat like hot, sticky tar. Burning, and refusing to budge no matter how many times she tried to swallow it down.

  “Isn’t he?” Haven gestured at the car at the bottom of the steps with the words Just Married painted on the rear windshield, and then waved the invitation in her hand. “I’m too late, I guess. Not that it would matter. I wasn’t what the rest of you wanted for him, anyway.”

  Lucian smiled softly. “On
that, you are most wrong. Things always appear one way to those who are on the outside looking in on our life, and for that, we can’t apologize. But I assure you that when Andino says you are what he wants, then you are what we will give him.”

  “Has he?”

  “What?”

  “Said that. Has he?”

  Lucian flicked that cigarette down the steps, and climbed the last few stairs to come stand at Haven’s side. He offered his arm, and she only stared down at it. “Go ahead and take it. You and I will sit in the back together, and watch just how my nephew decides to tell the world—and the rest of them who haven’t figured it out yet—exactly what kind of man he is willing to be, and all the things he wants, Haven.”

  She still hesitated. “I don’t understand.”

  “I was told you didn’t give him the chance to explain. Might that be why you don’t know?”

  It definitely was.

  She was regretting that now.

  Haven took Lucian’s arm even knowing that it might mean more pain. She took his offer to find out the things she hadn’t bothered to ask. Even knowing that it would mean she was likely going to miss her flight, and all over again, upset her entire life and world.

  She took his arm because what did she have to lose now?

  She’d already lost it all.

  Haven just wanted to get it back.

  Sitting in the pew with Lucian beside her, Haven was momentarily distracted by the size of the church. Sure, the place had looked big from the outside, but not this big. The vaulted ceilings seemed to go on forever. There were at least a hundred rows of pews. Maybe that was being a bit dramatic, but there was a lot. She could see the altar from her position, but just barely.

  Lucian smiled over at her. “I remember that feeling.”

  “Pardon?”

  “The first time I walked into this church as a boy, I was overwhelmed. I was so small, and it was so big. Large spaces bothered me as a child for reasons that don’t matter right now. And even though the place scared me because of its size, it also … well, it comforted me. I have found the greatest comfort behind these walls. I may not seem like a God-fearing man, but we all are. Every Marcello has their own unique relationship with God, but especially this church.”

  Haven glanced upward again. “It’s your family’s church?”

  “It is.”

  Oh.

  “I don’t really do church,” Haven admitted. “At least, not since I was a girl.”

  Lucian chuckled. “No worries. You’ll get used to it pretty quickly.”

  Her brow furrowed at his statement, but he was no longer looking at her. He was glancing down the aisle at something else as though he was entirely unaware that his simple words had made her heart clench in her chest like someone’s fist wrapped around it with no warning.

  You’ll get used to it.

  Like it was to happen.

  No question.

  “What do you mean by—”

  “Showtime,” Lucian interjected with a smooth smile.

  A door opened at the back of the church. Haven’s gaze swung in that direction as Lucian stood from the pew, and everyone else around them followed suit just as fast. Given Haven had already noticed the fact that the altar was empty but for the waiting priest, she knew who would be coming through those doors.

  It still shocked her.

  Seeing Andino after all this time—dressed in his tux, and with his mother on his arm—was like a punch to her chest. It ached, and took her breath away at the same time. She didn’t have time to think on it for long.

  Andino and Kim only stayed at the entryway for just long enough to scan the crowd of people standing in the pews before they were moving again. His mother stared straight ahead with a soft smile while Andino’s face was a blank slate.

  Nothing was there.

  No happiness.

  Nothing.

  It certainly wasn’t the face of a man who was happy to be getting married. Why did he look like that?

  Andino’s gaze shifted their way briefly, and landed on Lucian first. The man standing in front of Haven moved slightly. Just enough to make her visible to Andino. She swore the life that had been missing in his gaze was quick to make itself known when he saw her. His lips edged higher at the corners.

  A ghost of a smile.

  That smile was enough to kill her right there on the spot.

  It didn’t last long, though. Andino and his mother were moving again. Haven had to stand on her tiptoes to watch him walk Kim to her seat before he dropped a kiss on her cheek, too. The moment Andino made it to the altar, the people started to sit again. Haven was pulled back into the pew by Lucian with a chuckle.

  “We don’t want anyone seeing you here just yet,” Lucian said. “That wouldn’t be good for us when we’re waiting for another show to start.”

  “What?”

  “Just wait for it.”

  Everyone was sitting when a hush fell over the pews. The doors at the back of the church had been closed again, likely so the rest of the procession could shortly begin.

  “Three bridesmaids should be coming through any time now,” Lucian said dryly.

  No one came.

  The doors stayed closed.

  Whispers started to move through the pews, but up at the altar, Andino stayed stoic and waiting. His gaze was nailed to the doors, but for a brief moment, they passed to glance her way, too.

  It distracted Haven, but that daze was quickly broken when the back doors where thrown open. The man she recognized as Darren Calabrese—the same one who had dropped that fucking invitation off to her a month ago—stormed down the aisle. In the front pews on what Haven considered to be the bride’s side, a man stood up.

  “Kev Calabrese,” Lucian informed. “Darren’s brother—Ginevra’s, too. You know, the bride. Remember his face, he’s not as important as he wants to think he is, but he’s important enough to cause us problems. Never trust him.”

  Haven sucked in a fast breath. “Why would I have to worry—”

  Lucian glanced her way. “You know exactly why.”

  Haven went back to staring at Andino. He was staring back at her again.

  She supposed she did know.

  This wedding was never meant to happen.

  He’d only ever wanted her.

  “What?” she heard Kev roar from the front of the church.

  “Showtime,” Lucian said, smiling in that sly way of his again. “Do try to blend into the crowd once things pick up, Haven. Andino will find you once he can, I am sure. If not, find his mother or father. They expected this as well.”

  Expected what, exactly?

  “She’s gone?” Kev asked loudly. “Where the fuck is she?”

  “Gone, Kev.”

  “Gone?”

  “Yeah, g—”

  “Find her!”

  The whispers were getting louder. People from both sides of the aisle were standing and starting to talk instead of whisper in hushed tones. Haven’s heartbeat was kicking so loudly, she thought it might start to hurt.

  Andino was already stepping down from the altar, and fixing the sleeve of his tux like he didn’t have a single care in the world.

  There was no missing the grin he wore.

  Sly.

  Knowing.

  Happy.

  SEVENTEEN

  There was a great sense of satisfaction that came with watching a plan all fall together just as you hoped it would. To watch everyone else around you struggle to understand what just happened, and how to react while you were a calm pillar in a raging storm was … divine.

  Andino hadn’t realized that this was how it was going to feel. That it would be this satisfying and amusing at the same time.

  The echo of confused voices around him only picked up while he remained still and silent leaning against the wall. His gaze scanned the familiar faces of his family, and those of Ginevra’s. They’d been looking for a half an hour now. Searching the church, and surround
ing areas. They were unwilling to admit she was actually gone.

  He had news for them.

  Ginevra was getting closer to the Canadian border with every passing second. With freedom at the tips of her fingers, there was no way in hell that woman was turning back around now. As she shouldn’t, he supposed.

  He needed her to stay gone.

  It had been pandemonium at first when they realized Ginevra was gone. Complete fucking chaos. Now, they were finally starting to calm.

  That didn’t mean they were happy.

  Too bad, so sad.

  “Nothing?” Kev asked desperately.

  The enforcer shook his head. “Nothing, boss.”

  “Nothing at all?”

  “Kev, we’re wasting time here,” Darren stepped in.

  Oh, they were having a right fit, and Andino found it all hilarious. He didn’t show it other than the small smile that continued to edge its way over his lips. He couldn’t help that. Satisfaction was hard to fucking hide.

  And besides …

  Well, he supposed a part of him wanted them to know, too. He wanted these fucking snakes from Brooklyn to know exactly what he had done. That he was the one who ruined their plots and plans because he could. Because he didn’t trust them, he never had, and he was never going to.

  There was no way in hell he would bow to them.

  Ever.

  “Where is Siena, then?” Kev demanded. “She should know! She was supposed to be with her the whole fucking time!”

  “She’s dealing with Greta and—”

  “I don’t give a fuck. Get her!”

  Andino readjusted his stance, and leaned his shoulder against the wall as the Calabrese struggled to find a new angle to which they might use to find Ginevra. It was all rather pointless, he figured. The woman wasn’t coming back, and there was no way they were going to be able to find her unless they ripped the truth out of his mouth.

  Unlikely.

  Marcello people weaved in and out of the panicking Calabrese. Andino mostly paid them no mind because they were only here for him. The one he did care to watch was his uncle—the boss.