Page 26
Story: Blood and Redemption
Rage.
Urzo isn’t the one who threatens me before I can settle. Instead, she’s the one standing up. She doesn’t wait for him to join her; instead, she cuts the distance between us.
“Eliza–”
I can’t even tell her I’m sorry before she’s swinging her fist at me.
All used to her violent nature, I’m smart to move out of the way.
Ren’s smart to drag Aurora away from my side to avoid getting caught in this little family reunion.
“Eliza,” Urzo growls behind us, not tearing his eyes away from her. “You promised Camellia you’d be good.”
Scowling at him for his words, I don’t dodge the next swing. Despite the pain flooding my face, I’m mindful to grab her wrist.
My sister has every right to be angry, and I deserve a punch to the face from her. Hell, I deserve more. But seeing him wrap his fingers around her arm has my own anger flaring up.
She huffs as she shakes the pain from her fingers. Glaring at me, she scoffs. “She really wanted you to come.Shedid. Don’t think I’ve come close to forgiving you.”
I work my jaw, tasting blood. Behind me, Ren watches with detached amusement, while Aurora’s fingers twitch like she wants to reach for me—but stops herself.
“You know Ren,” I mutter, nodding toward them. “And this is Aurora. My fiancée.”
Eliza’s spine snaps straight. For a second, pure fury burns behind her eyes—then it hardens into something colder. “Tell me you’re not marrying her just to spite us, Rocco.”
Us.
The word sears through me. She just said “us.” Like she’s one of them now. Like the Bertellis didn’t tear our family apart.
“No, I’m not.” Gritting the words out, I don’t even imagine a world where I’d use Aurora for my benefit. “My sister, Eliza.”
She doesn’t smile at them. Hell, I can’t even remember the last time she smiled. Maybe she’s forgotten how to.
Instead, she turns toward Urzo, and I see it, cracks in her hardening gaze. Her fingers brush against his chest. “My husband, Urzo.”
Husband.
I wanted to marry her off to Ren, a man who would’ve taken care of her to help us. Just to spite me, she married one of them.
No. Not in spite. The way she looks at him…
It’s how I look at Aurora.
She loves him. If I tried to pull her back to our family, I’d be tearing her away from someone she cares about. Someone whocankeep up with her.
Eliza wouldn’t put up with someone who treated her wrong.
If I needed any more proof that Camellia is the same, this is it.
I instinctively offer my hand to him. My eyes meet his, and I take in his scowl. “Thank you for taking care of her.”
He looks at my hand like it’s a test, but it’s not. He’s bigger than me, a brute like the rest of them. I’m willing to believe he’s killed a handful of my men with his bare hands.
Finally, he shakes it, grunting in reply.
From how Eliza watches us, she’s still cautious.
She won’t forgive me for everything I’ve done today. Hell, it might take months before she fully forgives me, but I’ll work my way toward being a better man.
Urzo isn’t the one who threatens me before I can settle. Instead, she’s the one standing up. She doesn’t wait for him to join her; instead, she cuts the distance between us.
“Eliza–”
I can’t even tell her I’m sorry before she’s swinging her fist at me.
All used to her violent nature, I’m smart to move out of the way.
Ren’s smart to drag Aurora away from my side to avoid getting caught in this little family reunion.
“Eliza,” Urzo growls behind us, not tearing his eyes away from her. “You promised Camellia you’d be good.”
Scowling at him for his words, I don’t dodge the next swing. Despite the pain flooding my face, I’m mindful to grab her wrist.
My sister has every right to be angry, and I deserve a punch to the face from her. Hell, I deserve more. But seeing him wrap his fingers around her arm has my own anger flaring up.
She huffs as she shakes the pain from her fingers. Glaring at me, she scoffs. “She really wanted you to come.Shedid. Don’t think I’ve come close to forgiving you.”
I work my jaw, tasting blood. Behind me, Ren watches with detached amusement, while Aurora’s fingers twitch like she wants to reach for me—but stops herself.
“You know Ren,” I mutter, nodding toward them. “And this is Aurora. My fiancée.”
Eliza’s spine snaps straight. For a second, pure fury burns behind her eyes—then it hardens into something colder. “Tell me you’re not marrying her just to spite us, Rocco.”
Us.
The word sears through me. She just said “us.” Like she’s one of them now. Like the Bertellis didn’t tear our family apart.
“No, I’m not.” Gritting the words out, I don’t even imagine a world where I’d use Aurora for my benefit. “My sister, Eliza.”
She doesn’t smile at them. Hell, I can’t even remember the last time she smiled. Maybe she’s forgotten how to.
Instead, she turns toward Urzo, and I see it, cracks in her hardening gaze. Her fingers brush against his chest. “My husband, Urzo.”
Husband.
I wanted to marry her off to Ren, a man who would’ve taken care of her to help us. Just to spite me, she married one of them.
No. Not in spite. The way she looks at him…
It’s how I look at Aurora.
She loves him. If I tried to pull her back to our family, I’d be tearing her away from someone she cares about. Someone whocankeep up with her.
Eliza wouldn’t put up with someone who treated her wrong.
If I needed any more proof that Camellia is the same, this is it.
I instinctively offer my hand to him. My eyes meet his, and I take in his scowl. “Thank you for taking care of her.”
He looks at my hand like it’s a test, but it’s not. He’s bigger than me, a brute like the rest of them. I’m willing to believe he’s killed a handful of my men with his bare hands.
Finally, he shakes it, grunting in reply.
From how Eliza watches us, she’s still cautious.
She won’t forgive me for everything I’ve done today. Hell, it might take months before she fully forgives me, but I’ll work my way toward being a better man.