Page 47 of Angel

Chapter Fourteen - Angelo

I considered phoning her for the entire drive to Atlantic Beach the next morning. I even picked up the phone and let my thumb hover over her name a few times. There was no point. Not enough time had passed. Paige couldn’t have gone to bed hating my guts and woken up realizing she had it all wrong.

I didn’t blame her. All the apologies in the world couldn’t prove to her I wasn’t an asshole. Only one thing could prove what I thought about her. I had to get her out of this arranged marriage bullshit. Even if she didn’t let me off the hook.

Taking the familiar route through the neighborhood caused a jab of pain in my chest. The weekend I spent here with Paige was better than just a good time. There may have been some confusing and painful developments, but it felt real.

This chat with Pops had to work.

Getting Dominic on board would help. He was level-headed, not quick to make decisions. Pops trusted him.

The driver got me to the house quickly. I hurried up the driveway, keeping my eyes in front of me. The prize. The end result. Releasing Paige.

Even if getting her out of this meant losing her too.

“Hello?” I yelled into the front hallway. “Pops?”

“In here,” came Dom’s answer.

I followed his voice to the living room.

Pops sat in one of the leather armchairs, one leg folded over the other. His casual demeanor contrasted with Dom’s, who paced back and forth in front of the fireplace, hands clasped behind his back.

I averted my eyes from the photograph that started the rift between me and Paige. The one that brought back her memories.

“Angelo,” Pops greeted me. “How was the drive?”

“Not bad.”

Dominic stopped pacing and looked at me. His jaw twitched.

I went over and gave our father a kiss. Settling onto the couch cushion closest to him, I waiting.

He looked across the room, gazing thoughtfully at a spot on the wall.

I couldn’t just sit there and wait. “Is Mom here?”

“She’s around somewhere.”

Dominic came to take the seat across from me.

Our father looked from him to me. “So, sons… This is an interesting situation.”

“Yes,” I agreed.

“Not too surprising.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked.

“The Bianchi girls. It makes sense that you’d fall for one of them.”

“That’s not what this is about,” I argued.

He lifted his hand in that slight dismissive gesture of his. I shut my mouth.

“Dominic filled me in, but maybe you want to make your own case.”

I eagerly leaned forward. “There’s more than one reason we need to stop this marriage. First of all, Paige doesn’t want it. She knew nothing about this arrangement until a few weeks ago, and it’s destroying her.”