Page 7 of Bittersweet Endings (Agostino Crime Family #6)

OCTAVIA AGOSTINO

“ I t’s perfect.” I scanned the interior of the open-concept penthouse.

Thank god.

I was exhausted. We’d scoured the city to find the perfect home to escape the compound. I was starting to give up hope until now.

The place was modernized but had a lot of historical features and details still engrained in its bones. The floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city, and it had an L-shaped patio that ran the length of the bedroom.

“Building security is good.” Rocco walked around the room with me. “Locked entry points give soldatos time to get to you if needed. But keep ?em far enough away that you have some personal space.”

I stared down at the city I used to love and felt empty. This apartment was just what I needed. I’d be safe, but I’d also be alone.

Two bedrooms. Two and a half baths. Living room, dining room, and kitchen. But the main selling point was the large secret library hidden just behind a singular bookshelf.

I opened the door and smiled at row after row of empty shelves. There was more than enough space for a sofa, a desk with a chair, and so much more.

“Could be a safe room,” Rocco muttered behind me.

I nodded and turned to my realtor. “Tell them full cash offer. I want the paperwork signed now. I will be moving in today.”

His face lit up with greed, phone to his ear as he started making the arrangements. I had myself a new home. Suddenly, the vise around my heart seemed to ease. Step one to finding peace within the new me had been achieved.

“Pull the car around. We have errands to run,” I said and Rocco nodded.

***

Before I knew it, the day had come to an end and I was standing in my fully-furnished penthouse. Not a soul entered my space unless they’d been cleared by me and Rocco.

Sitting down on the sofa, a glass of wine in hand, I sighed. Finally. Content.

Rocco nodded at me. “Peaceful. It looks good on you.” Before I could comment, he walked towards the door.

“Have a goodnight, Rocco.” I tossed the blanket over my legs. “Thank you. For everything.”

He paused at the threshold. Glancing back with his mouth open before he thought better of it and left. There was something deeply damaged inside that man, and I couldn’t help him. I couldn’t even help myself.

“Away, above the world, sitting on her shelf.” I finished my glass of wine. “The little doll sat pretty… and content.”

I must’ve fallen asleep, because at some point, the sun rose and filtered in through my living room. But it wasn’t the light that woke me. My phone stopped ringing and started all over again.

I picked up the empty glass from the table, placed it in the sink, and grabbed the blaring electronic plugged into the wall. Three missed calls from Sienna. My breath hitched and my heart beat faster.

“What the fuck?” she answered. “Do I have to crawl on my hands and knees to apologize for all the shit I’ve done just to get you to answer?” She heaved. “Salvatore! Put that down right now. Jesus Christ, fake Halloween knives… He’s his father’s son.”

“What do you want, Sienna?” I tried to sound annoyed, but even now, I couldn’t stop loving her.

“Rude. What a tone to use with your favorite sister!”

“Only sister,” I muttered.

“Semantics.” A door slammed and the background noise died off. “Am I allowed to know where you live or should we just meet somewhere for lunch to catch up?”

The pause was pregnant. The old me would’ve felt guilted into inviting her over, but not the new me. I was sure Rocco had already reported on where I was. But I wasn’t ready to burst my little bubble of freedom yet.

“I’m kidding. I can practically hear the gears turning.” She sighed. “I need real food and adult conversation. Away from this screaming child and his overbearing father. Want to come?”

“Um.” What did I have to do today? “Okay. I need to do a few things first.” I paused, wondering how I was going to get there. “Can you send me the?—”

“Rocco will pick you up when you’re ready.”

We exchanged goodbyes, and I got up and headed to the bathroom.

After I’d showered, I left my hair to its wild curls— something so unlike the girl I used to be—and gave myself a winged liner. Tugging on tight designer jeans with a killer heel and my off-the-shoulder tee, I felt… sexy.

Little doll made pretty in her dresses, all to please daddy…

“Agh!” Slamming my perfume down, the bottle shattered into pieces across the sink.

His gorgeous face and toned body wandered into my mind. The teasing smirk and the hot sex…

My arm swiped all the contents off the counter. Things shattered and splattered around the room as I screamed into the mirror.

“Fuck. You!” I slammed my bloodied hand into my reflection. “You’re so stupid! Fuck! Him!” I screamed through my pain, blood smearing across the wall and sink.

Movement behind me caught my attention. Rocco stood strong at my back, just watching me through the shattered reflection. He didn’t speak. He didn’t move. His presence was just calming.

“Sorry,” I muttered, dropping my head.

He glanced at all the shit on the floor. Broken pieces of mirror, my blood smeared across the glass.

“Here.” Rocco dropped the lid to the toilet, motioning for me to sit.

Then he squatted in front of me and removed the broken perfume bottle from my flesh. He cleaned me up and wrapped a light bandage around my palm.

“Should come to the ring with me.” He smirked. “Taking it out on yourself isn’t healthy. I have men you can beat on.”

“I’d like that.”

He leaned in slightly, appearing almost conflicted. “Blaming others is easier than coping with the guilt. Blaming you keeps them from admitting they missed the signs, that they failed you. ”

“Maybe they’re right about me,” I grumbled.

“I don’t think anyone really knows you, Octavia,” he replied with a tight shake of his head. “They’re just scared and pissed off and looking for a target.”

“I’m always the target, it seems.”

His hand clamped over my leg, grounding me. “The secrets you’ve kept. The men you’ve outlasted. The way you’ve protected this family even when they didn’t deserve it…” He stood tall, his jaw set hard. “You’re a little badass, Tave. Don’t let them forget it.”

I nodded as I wiped away the tears and took a deep breath. When I was ready, I followed Rocco out to the car and we headed towards the restaurant. Of course, we pulled up outside of Vino because where else would Apollo allow my sister to go?

“Thank god.” Sienna jumped out of her seat and wrapped her arms around me. “Adult time!”

My father’s soldatos stood around the restaurant. Watching. When movement out of the corner of my eye made me pause. My heart sank as the innocent brunette wandered up to the table. Bella.

I grabbed the glass of wine that was waiting for me and took a hearty sip. A moment of guilt settled over me. While I didn’t feel upset that I’d stood up for myself, it wasn’t fair that I’d directed it at the wrong person.

Refusing to look at her, I sighed. “Bella, I’m sorry for what you overheard. I don’t blame?—.”

“Stop. I made Lucky promise to find Peiro.” Her expression hardened. “I am tired of my family getting away with hurting people.”

“Tired of men getting away with hurting people,” I added, and she nodded.

“Tired of men, in general— personally ,” Sienna added, grabbing her water glass. “And their potent sperm. One little shit who’s just like his father is enough. Two… I am going to the looney bin.”

“Wait.” I stared at my sister as Bella’s jaw dropped. “What’re you saying?”

Sienna burst into tears. “He’s trying to knock me up again.”

I tried to stifle a laugh.

“I don’t mind the practice, but I swear… The books he’s reading… the ideas he’s getting... All goddamn old wives’ tales! He wanted me to lie on my back with my legs in the air after he came.”

Bella and I were silent before falling into a fit of laughter. And just like that, I felt like the better parts of the old me had resurfaced. We tried to comfort Sienna with a smile.

“I take it he’s excited?” I felt myself stroking my own stomach absently.

“Yeah.” She rolled her eyes. “You know in his Apollo way.”

“So… off-putting, moody, and strange?” I added, and she laughed. “Just wait, he probably wants to deliver the baby himself.”

“My god, he already said that. Said he wasn’t around for Salvatore, so he’d deliver the next one himself!” She shook her head. “He is trying to make me second-guess myself, like I haven’t done this already.”

My hand remained on my stomach as I shifted in my seat. My memory throttled back to when Carmine broke my goddamn heart. Glancing at the men spread out around us, I felt my vision narrowing.

***

“I fucking hate you.”

“Not as much as your family is going to hate you.” He stalked closer.

“Think about it. We never used protection. Not once.” His eyes dropped to my stomach before flicking back up to me.

“I hope I knocked your ass up. That your parents won’t be able to bear the sight of you with a little Ragetti in that womb of yours.

Now stay the fuck out of my way until it’s time to leave. ”

“I hate you!” I screamed at his back.

***

While my period was late, it wasn’t surprising with all the stress I’d been under. But I could feel it coming between the cramps and sore breasts. Guess the powerful Ragetti doesn’t have as powerful sperm.

The afternoon turned to drinks, playing catch-up, and avoiding certain topics like the plague. It seemed like no time had been missed as we laughed about the good times and I talked to them about my new place. My new plans.

“I can totally picture you running your own business.” Sienna smiled proudly. “I might not know publishing, but if there is anything you need, just let me know.”

“Thanks. I appreciate it. Right now, it’s all in the start-up phase, but I’ve met some independent authors who could use my funding and support. Well, I met them before I…” I sighed. “My attorney is following up to see if the relationships are salvageable.”

“That’s amazing, Octavia. You’ve been busy thriving since…” Bella paused.

“Since I was stolen, broken, and put back together?” I raised my empty glass to the waiter, needing another. “Since I was an idiot and got my heart broken by the enemy.”

“Okay, I’ve waited. But…” Sienna seemed to consider her words for a moment. “What… what happened, Tave?”

Tell her. The thought slithered into my mind, uninvited, but persistent. My sister deserved the truth, didn’t she?

Sitting at the table while staring into two mirrors I couldn’t avoid, I clasped my hands so tightly together that my knuckles ached. If I bared the darkest parts of my heart, would it change anything? Would they look at me differently like the rest of the family had?

Or would it only destroy us? Because Sienna would never understand. Not this. Not Carmine.

To her, he was the enemy. It was where he started and where we ended.

That was all he would ever be to her. The man who’d stolen me away.

The reason our family had been thrown into chaos, turning their beloved sibling against them.

No amount of justification would ever make Sienna see him as anything but a monster.

Tell her. The thought hit heavier this time. If I didn’t, Sienna would never really understand him. She would never understand that while it felt like a betrayal, I loved him all the same.

“Fine.” I didn’t give them all the details, but I walked them through my captivity.

Describing the side of Carmine I saw that no one else could. How he helped me kill Rick and freed me from my internal hell, from hiding behind their walls of fake protection.

That he fucked with my mind… and my body.

“I just wanted to protect you,” Sienna said.

“And I appreciate that. Sort of.” I finished another drink, feeling the liquor settle in my limbs. “But those days are behind us and no one will control me again.”

“Lucky thinks…” Bella started at the same time Sienna said, “Apollo is…”

“I’m aware. They both think I’m hiding something. Here’s the thing you can send back home to your men.” I took a large sip of my fresh drink. “They can’t stop me from what I am planning to do.” I chugged the rest of my glass and stood from the table .

“And what are you planning, Octavia?” Sienna asked, the two of them looking concerned.

“Getting my life back. And enjoying my revenge… on everyone. ”

Their flinches were noticeable, but I turned to walk off.

“Apollo is throwing me a party. At the club.”

I paused.

“I’d love for you to come.”

“I’ll be there.” Standing tall, I said goodbye as Rocco followed me out to the idling car at the curb. The hair on my neck rose with the feel of someone watching me. I turned and froze as I watched a large man walk in the opposite direction.

A motherfucking Ragetti spy—AJ. They just couldn’t listen, could they?

Since Carmine let me go, I’ve felt like I was teetering on the edge of a cliff.

Across the canyon, Carmine was giving me his devilish smirk, challenging me to grow a pair.

Behind me, my family was desperately trying to get me to step back.

And finally, I felt like I’d tugged myself free from all of them.

I closed the distance and leaped into the air.

Their shouts and concern fell behind me as the fiery pits below opened up.

Scarred. Burned. And fucking resurrected.

Octavia, the Agostino’s little doll, little plaything, was dead and buried.

Rising from the ashes, I was a fuckin’ siren with a death wish.

No one was safe from the twisted plot I was weaving. No one. Maybe not even myself.