“I know.”
Fina motioned at a bench nearby. “Why don’t we sit down for a bit and talk?”
We sat down, and for a moment silence reigned between us. It was strange being together again. I’d secretly hoped it would be the same between us, as if distance and time hadn’t touched our relationship, but that had been foolish. We had changed, so how could our relationship have remained unchanged?
“How are things between you and Danilo? You’ve been married for what? Eleven months now?”
I nodded. Our anniversary was in a week, which was perhaps why I’d felt the need for this meeting to really bring this year to an end. “Good,” I said. There was so much more to say, about our struggles in the beginning, about my occasional worries and doubts, and how much it had taken for me to overcome them. But my loyalties lay with Danilo, so sharing our former problems was out of the question. Danilo had done nothing to make me doubt myself these last few months, but the seed of doubt had been planted long ago, and it was far more difficult to burn out than I’d thought.
Fina regarded me. “That’s good to hear. I was so worried about you, and I felt terrible because you had to take my place. It felt as if I’d stolen part of your life by choosing not to marry Danilo.”
I linked our fingers, shaking my head. “Nonsense. You know I had a crush on Danilo. For me to be promised to him was the best thing that could have happened to me.”
And it was. Every day, Danilo and I became stronger as a couple. I loved him and I couldn’t imagine loving anyone else, so ultimately Fina’s decisions had given me what I wanted. If she’d stayed in the Outfit, her presence would have been a ballast for my relationship with Danilo. Now, she had a chance at happiness with her family in Vegas and I could be happy with Danilo in Indianapolis. It was the best option for both of us.
“Are you and Danilo already trying for a baby?”
I shook my head. “Not yet. We needed to get to know each other first. That wasn’t really possible before our wedding.”
“Yeah,” Fina agreed. “With all of the social rules, people are forced to enter their marriage as strangers.”
I could hear the blatant disapproval for the system in her voice. In the past, she’d been a master of the Outfit’s rules, but she’d obviously grown out of them. Living in Camorra territory probably left her no choice. “What about you? Don’t you want more kids?”
Fina’s eyes widened and she laughed. “Maybe one day. Nevio’s still keeping me on my toes. If I get another one of him . . .” She laughed again.
I giggled. “I get that.”
Another car pulled up and my stomach plummeted when I recognized a familiar face behind the steering wheel. For a moment, I was frozen, unsure of what to do.
“Oh no,” Fina whispered. “This is going to get ugly.”
I pushed to my feet when Danilo got out of the car. Remo shoved open the door of his car and exited. The men looked at each other like predators about to rip into each other. Danilo’s face flooded with rage and utter hatred as he regarded the other man. My pulse sped up, and my mouth dried up. I staggered forward, not sure how to prevent a bloodbath. Fina rushed over to her husband. When I reached Danilo, he’d already drawn his gun and was pointing it straight at Remo, who had his own gun directed at us.
Danilo dragged me behind him the moment I was within reach. Anger and disappointment flashed in his eyes. “How could you do this?” he growled.
“I needed to see her again. I missed her.”
Danilo shook his head, and his attention returned to Remo and Fina. I followed his gaze and suddenly dread took hold of me. Fina’s blonde hair whipped in the light breeze, and with her white flowy boho dress, she looked like an angel. She glowed, an apparition straight out of the past, a memory that had haunted me, my family, and Danilo for years.
In the last few months, I’d started to believe that Danilo had gotten over Fina, that he was happy in our marriage, that he loved me, but what if this set us back? What if seeing her again reminded him of what he’d lost? Of buried feelings? What if this destroyed everything? I couldn’t live through months or years of feeling like a replacement again. I was done being the consolation prize, done being second best.
I searched his face as he stared ahead but couldn’t read the look in his eyes. His face was twisted with fury. I clutched at his arm. “Let’s go. I got what I wanted. I got the chance to talk to Fina. Let’s leave now before this ends badly.”
Fina was obviously appealing to Remo to keep this peaceful, her palms pressed to his chest. His expression didn’t give me much more hope than Danilo’s did. The hatred born from hurt pride didn’t dominate his features, but bloodlust and the determination to eliminate a possible threat were unmistakable.
Danilo’s eyes flashed. “You got what you wanted, Sofia? Is that so? What about me and what I want?”
I dropped my hand, my heart shrinking to the size of a tiny ball as his words sank in. What he wanted? Did he still want Fina? Was this his chance to kill Remo and take my sister for himself?
I was being ridiculous. That would never work. But was Danilo being rational or driven by old hurt and pride?
I swallowed hard. “I’m done.” The words cut me as they moved past my aching heart and throbbing throat.
Danilo glowered at me. “What?”
“I’m done with this, with us, with you. If you still want her, I’m done. I’m not doing this again. I’m not a consolation prize.”
“What the hell are you talking about, Sofia?” he gritted out, looking
