by Rina Kent
I pull off her and yank my clothes on, my mood darkening in a split second. She had to fucking ruin it.
“I take that as a no?” She wraps the sheet around her shoulder, voice cracking.
“Paolo killed my fucking family, Georgina; I can’t just forget about it. Did you forget about your mother’s death?”
“You’re not being fair.”
“Not being fair? Do you know what’s not fair? Being this entangled with you when you’re my enemy’s daughter, when I should’ve killed you instead of —” I cut off, running a hand through my hair.
“Instead of what?”
“Instead of wanting to fucking take you with me to my family’s land.”
She folds her arms. “If you won’t forgive my father, then maybe we should remain enemies.”
“We should, huh?”
“I’ll never ever forgive you if you hurt my father, Jasper. Ever.”
I see it then, the determination in her despite the tears in there. She means every word, and she already made her choice.
She chose her dad.
Blood runs thicker than water.
Paolo’s words from the other time mock me.
He’s right.
No matter what I do, she’ll always drift back to her father, her fucking family name.
She’s a Costa after all. A Costa heir.
“Goodbye, Georgina.” My shoulders drop as I turn to leave.
For the very fucking last time.
20
Georgina
I wipe the tear sliding down my cheek as I stare at myself in the mirror.
My dress is long and elegant. My hair and makeup are done professionally, giving me a finesse I would’ve never accomplished myself.
Today, Dad will introduce me to the world as his heir — the Costa heir.
While my heart beats fast at that idea, at the fact that I’m going to officially be a mafia princess and the continuation of Dad’s legacy, it’s not the reason behind the tears.
It’s the goodbye Jasper said a few days ago, the finality and the brutality of it.
He seems to have meant it this time. Whenever I recall the look in his eyes, all I want to do is break down and cry.
But leaders can’t cry, can they?
Besides, Jasper is still hell-bent on hurting my dad. He’ll never stop his mindless revenge.
I don’t know why I was naive to think he’ll stop for me or that he’ll put an end to the madness.
For a moment, I wanted to leave all of this behind and go with him to Sicily. I wanted to be the woman who elopes with the man who stole her heart and mind.
But I can never be an item with someone who’s planning to hurt my father.
A knock on the door wrenches me out of my thoughts.
I clear my throat, touching the collar one final time before I speak. “Come in.”
Dad walks inside with a huge smile on his face. “My beautiful daughter. You look so much like your mother.”
He kisses the back of my hand and I force myself to stay strong and not cry.
“Thank you, Papa.”
“I want you to know that there hasn’t been a day I didn’t miss you and your mother.” He strokes the back of my hand. “I’ve been slowly dying until you showed up in my life again.”
“I’m so happy I found you.” I kiss his cheek.
He offers me his elbow. “Are you ready?”
“Always.”
As we walk down the hall, I take deep breaths. I’m not a fool. I know a woman can’t rule in a world of tradition, and that eventually, potential men will ask Dad for my hand — if they haven’t already.
The thought of being married to anyone but Jasper makes me choke on my own breaths.
It’s stupid to think of him as a husband when we haven’t even officially dated.
I’ll fight the marriage talk as much as I can. Even though this whole thing is new, I have faith that I’ll be able to get through this with Dad and his men’s help. They care for me and they answer all my questions when I ask.
It’ll take time but I’ll get there.
But first of all, I need to get this night out of the way.
Deep breaths. I can do this.
I imagine Jasper by my side, smiling at me, and I know, I just know that this is only the beginning of the suffering.
21
Jasper
It’s strange how your plans can fail or soar in a matter of seconds.
If I look back on the events that started since that day Lucio told me to look for Costa’s heir, neither of us imagined we’d be here.
We used to be on the same battlefield, now we’re not only separated but we’re also out to destroy each other.
From then to now, there’s only been one constant — my little Petal with her metallic eyes and fake smiles.
It has returned, the smile that reached her eyes but not her heart, the smile that says she’s hiding a lot more than she’s showing.
And yes, I’ve been watching, only from afar. I’m an addict, and addicts need to ease off the drug before completely cutting it off.
I’ve been watching how Paolo has been turning her into his own mafia princess, his legacy and heir. I’ve been watching how she stood in front of the mirror and touched her fingers to the collar.
I wonder if she thinks about me as much as I think about her, or if touching her collar has become a habit.
If she wanted to remove it, she could’ve asked for her father’s help and it would’ve been done, but she didn’t.
She didn’t even attempt to get rid of it herself, even when she escaped, almost as if wanting me to find her wearing that collar.
Tonight, my little Petal and I will have our final and real goodbye. I’ll make her worst nightmare come true, and she’ll hate me for fucking eternity.
She’s wrong. I can’t just let go.
Every time I sleep, all I see is my mother’s dead eyes and the blood soaking her chest after Petal’s fucking father, uncle, and grandfather killed everyone I had in cold blood.
Because of that, I turned into this bitter person with no attachment, trust or fucking belonging — aside from being a dog to my family’s mass shooter.
“Ready?” Enzo asks from beside me in the car.
We’re both wearing tuxedos to mingle with the rest of the crowd at Paolo’s party. A party where he’ll introduce my little Petal as his rightful heir.
A party I’ll burn down to the ground.
“Is Angelo in position?” I ask.
“Already in.”
I button my jacket as I step out of the car. “Let’s do this.”
We go into the house, flashing fake invites that the guards gobble up. They don’t suspect Enzo since he’s been a Costa ally his entire life, but the guard at the entrance must be new considering he doesn’t recognize me either. If he did, I would’ve gotten rid of him, so he’s lucky to live a few more minutes.
Enzo and I don’t waste time between partygoers — the fuckers in tuxedos and the women in expensive gowns and jewelry who are pretending they’re here for my little Petal. They’re only here for the Costa’s power. While Paolo is old and frail, his name is enough to attract the entire fucking city.
We go separately to corners and disable as many alarm systems as possible without triggering the control room.
Once I determine we crippled the outside security enough, I retrieve my phone and text Stephan that it’s time.
Sure, I could’ve brought what remains of my men and went in an all-out war against the Costas, but they have more manpower than me and the city is their turf. All my men would end up dead, and I’d be captured, tortured and probably killed.
Going all in would’ve only hurt me and my men, and the people who look up to me back in Sicily.
So I did the next best thing; using their manpower against each other.
With Stephan’s help on Lucio’s side, I’ve managed to convince the younger brother that his only way to ru
le is to get rid of Paolo and Georgina when they least expect it.
Lucio has been restless lately, thinking all his efforts will go to waste and he’ll lose the king position when he’s so close to tasting it.
But being a Costa, he never actually wanted to kill Paolo. He’s fine with finishing off Georgina and her mother, but not his brother. It’s his fucked up way of picking the only family member he has left.
However, now that Paolo is threatening his life, all I need is a devil — in the form of Stephan — to whisper over Lucio’s shoulder and convince him that Paolo will kill him, so he might as well do it first.
What’s the best way to catch Paolo off guard than at his own party?
The moment Lucio ambushes him, Paolo’s men will fight, and I’ll watch as they kill each other.
Angelo will take Petal to a safe place until this whole shitstorm is over. Once her father drops dead, she’ll hate me; she’ll despise me, she’ll want to kill me.
I’ll take it.
After all, she would’ve never been fully mine with the way things are heading.
She’ll always be a Costa and I’ll always be a Vitallio.
We’re not little Joseph and Jasper from the boarding school. We’re not two young souls finding refuge in each other, now we’re enemies and it’s all because of her fucking family.
Remaining near the windows, I pretend to talk to Enzo while we stare outside.
A few of Lucio’s men have started to filter inside. Two of Paolo’s men at the entrance drop to the ground after being shot at.
The war has already begun.
Enzo toasts his glass of champagne with mine, a slight smirk on his lips.
He’s the type who doesn’t only love the taste of revenge but also chaos. Watching people die darkens his eyes in a sick type of sadism almost similar to mine when I used to be a cleaner dog.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my home.” Paolo’s voice echoes from the top of the stairs. He’s wearing a tuxedo and raises a glass of champagne.
Your very last, old man.
“I’m happy you decided to join us for the introduction of my long lost daughter as the rightful Costa heir. Please raise your glasses to Georgina Costa.”
I smirk, imagining his disappointment when she won’t show up.
Fuck him basically.
Angelo must be taking her outside and —
A petite woman puts her fair hand in Paolo’s as she stands beside him. She’s wearing a black dress that reaches her knees. Her black hair falls in waves to the middle of her back.
My mood darkens in a fraction of a second.
What the fuck is she doing here? She’s supposed to be gone. I told Angelo to drug her, because there’s no way in fuck she would’ve gone with him willingly.
The hall erupts with toasts as my phone vibrates with a text.
Angelo: Sorry, boss, she was already with her father when I got there.
Fuck.
Fucking fuck!
That woman always ruins my plans. Fucking always.
I steal a look outside, but it’s already too late.
As the people inside toast to Paolo’s new heir and she smiles like a princess on her father’s throne, my other plan goes into motion as smoothly as a boat in a calm sea.
Enzo takes cover to watch the chaos unfold.
I run upstairs. To her — my fucking damnation.
Paolo’s face contorts upon seeing me and Petal’s features morph in both relief and surprise.
Before either of them can do anything, Lucio’s men barge from the grand double doors.
Screams and gunshots echo in the air as loud voices tell everyone to go outside.
Lucio wouldn’t hurt his investors and money bringers. The only one he has an interest in are the two people standing in front of me.
I grab Petal by the arm and pull her behind me.
“Jas...what are you doing?”
“Saving your fucking life, which would’ve happened without all this drama if you followed Angelo.”
“Papa…” She struggles against me despite my steel hold. “I have to get Papa.”
“No.”
“Jasper!”
“Shut the fuck up and follow me, Petal. Lucio won’t hesitate to kill you.”
“He’ll hurt Papa.” Her voice is emotional, angry, but also sad.
“Let go of my daughter right now, Vitallio.” A click of a gun sounds behind me and I stop.
Slowly turning around, I find Paolo oblivious to the whole mess around him, to his guards being killed, to Lucio walking in with a smug grin like a king in another man’s country.
Petal shakes her head at her father. “Don’t, Papa. Don’t shoot him.”
At this moment, something inside me unlocks.
At this moment, I know I won’t kill Paolo and make her look at me with that disappointment, hate, and eventually revenge. I won’t restart the vicious cycle with her.
For now, her safety is the most important thing. I pull her by the arm, but Paolo clicks his gun. “I’ll kill you, don’t doubt it.”
“Papa…”
All of us pause when Lucio reaches the top of the stairs and points a gun to Georgina’s chest.
I push her behind me, but it’s already too late.
Lucio pulls the trigger and a loud bang echoes in the hall.
22
Georgina
The sound of gunshots echo in the air, but there's only one that matters.
The one aimed at me.
One second, Lucio is pointing the gun at me and the next, Dad is in front of me and then the sound of the gunshot fills the space.
I shriek as he falls to the floor.
A red spot oozes from his jacket and stains his shirt red.
Lucio’s face contorts, realizing what he’s done.
I fall to my knees by Dad’s side, pressing trembling hands to his bleeding chest.
“Call an ambulance,” I scream at the top of my lungs. “Someone call an ambulance!”
I’ve treated many gunshot wounds to know that patients don’t survive after losing this much blood, especially if their lungs are weak like Dad, but I refuse to believe that. I refuse to look at the logical side of things.
His face turns sticky white and he places his hand atop of mine, his lips turning blue.
“No, no, Papa, stay with me.”
“I-I’m so happy I got to meet you before I died, Georgie…”
“No, Papa. You promised to be with me every step on the way. Stay, please. We didn’t spend any time together.” Tears fall down my cheeks as I press harder.
He winces, but the blood won’t stop. Not even a little.
My dad is dying. I feel it and my heart is slowly but surely breaking because of it.
“P-Papa…”
“I love you, Georgie…” he whispers as his hand turns heavy in mine and his eyes stare at nowhere.
“Nooo, Papa!”
“Paolo…” Lucio’s haunted voice cuts through my grief like a knife. “It’s all because of you.” He points the gun at me. “You’re the reason he’s dead.”
Jasper appears by his side and I know, I just know that he will take the bullet for me like Dad did. He’ll die for me.
I can’t have him do that. I can’t let Lucio take any more people from me.
Rage wooshes inside me like a current. I let it take complete control as I snatch Papa’s gun that fell to his side, aim at Lucio’s chest and fire.
No hesitation. No trembling of my fingers.
As he drops to the ground, his face contorted between shock and horror, everyone else around us seems to freeze for a second.
That man took my mother and now my father.
He ruined mine and Jasper’s lives and now he pays with this.
He pays with blood.
23
Jasper
By the time everything ends, Petal is beat.
She’s still in the same dress from the doomed party, her hair
disheveled and her mascara has streaked to the side of her eyes.
Paolo’s men listened to her when she asked them to clean everything up. Even some of Lucio’s men, who now have no place to go, have decided to stay.
Enzo and Angelo are keeping an eye on them in case they change their minds or come after my little Petal.
They wouldn’t have a reason to, and both Stephan and Marco died in the gunfight that took place, so there’s no loyalty to Lucio; there’s only loyalty to Costa, and at the moment, my little Petal is the only Costa alive.
The only Costa alive.
I let that information soak in as I watch her.
She asks one of Paolo’s senior guards to go to the morgue and that she’ll shower and meet him there.
He’s a big man with tattoos and a beard and gives me a quizzical glare when he sees me following her, but thankfully, he keeps his mouth shut.
My little Petal is a bit dazed as she goes into her room. I follow her, closing the door behind us.
For a second, she just stands in the middle of the room, the light coming from the bathroom casting a soft hue on her pale skin.
It’s like she’s taking her time to process what happened, to deal with the loss of her father, with being the only Costa alive. All of it.
My little Petal might have lived a hardened childhood, but nothing could’ve prepared her for what happened tonight.
Every particle of my being is telling me to go there, grab her by the neck, kiss her, make it all go away, but I force my hands into my pockets instead. Even I recognize she needs the time to deal with this on her own first.
A few minutes pass with her standing there, emotionless, almost like she’s in a trance, then suddenly, her hand shoots to her back and she struggles with the zipper, groaning in frustration when it doesn’t come off.
I walk to her and wrap my hand around hers, softly peeling it away and pull down the zipper to the middle of her back.
Her skin comes into view, pale and a bit scratched at the top from all the struggling that happened. In the silence of the room, I allow my fingers to trail over her skin. She’s trembling, her teeth chattering as if she’s cold.