Page 15 of My Sweetest Obsession

Ididn’t know how long I sat out on the patio, my eyes fixed on the horizon as the sun dipped below the trees, painting the sky in hues of crimson and gold. Despite the beauty of the scene, I was unable to find peace, as my heart was burning with seething hatred.

Hatred for not believing Gigi when she needed me most.

Hatred for shoving her into the basement, binding her like a traitor, as if she were the enemy instead of the woman I loved.

Hatred for letting my adversaries infiltrate my thoughts.

Hatred for the way they stole her from my home right under my watch.

Hatred for the unspeakable horrors I couldn’t shake from my mind—what might be happening to her, alone and terrified.

I gripped the railing with a ferocity that threatened to splinter the wood.

Feelings.

No matter how hard I tried to ignore them—these pesky feelings. I was the goddamn mafia don, a person to be feared, yet here I was, grappling with emotions I hadn’t allowed myself to feel since Selena. It was as if Gigi has woven some kind of spell around my previously dead heart, and despite every instinct telling me to break free, I found myself tethered to her in ways that defy logic. I’d built an empire on strength and control, yet she slipped through my defenses. Why did she have this hold over me? I should be untouchable, but with every glance, every shared moment, I felt the walls I’d constructed beginning to crumble.

Whenever I closed my eyes, my thoughts were overwhelmed with memories of our time together. It was in those moments that reminded me of the weight of my choices and the pain I caused her. I was meant to safeguard Gigi’s heart, to cherish it, yet instead, I tossed her into the inferno, allowing the demons to ravage her soul. How could she ever forgive me? How could I forgive myself?

I was so deep in my turmoil that I didn’t hear the doors slide open or register Luca’s voice until he was right beside me.

“We’ll find her.” His words were firm, a promise forged in the crucible of our shared pain.

I pulled back, attempting to muster a laugh. “Look at me, falling apart like a little bitch.”

“You’re hurting, Nico. It’s okay to feel. You’re not Superman. Even heroes can break.”

I scoffed, bitterness rising in my throat. “I’m no fucking hero, Luca. I’m the fucking villain in this story.”

He shrugged, his hands shoved into his pockets. “You may be the villain, but even a villain has limits and can break.”

I shot him a side-eye, my heart heavy. “You think my angel needs someone with a black heart in her life? She’s in thisposition because of me!” I slammed my fist against my chest, the impact reverberating through me.

“Your heart is no longer black or dead. She brought it back to life, Nico. That's why you’re shitting out all these feelings.”

A smirk tugged at my lips at his insight.

He was right. My girl brought me back to life.

“So, the question remains,” Luca said, a serious edge to his tone.

“Which is what?” I asked.

He turned to face me fully, his eyes locked on mine. “What the fuck are you going to do about it?”

Just as I opened my mouth to respond, soft piano notes drifted through the air. We stepped into the music room; Alphonse sat at the piano, his fingers dancing over the keys, lost in his own world of sorrow.

“Where’s Dante?” I asked, scanning the space.

“He stepped out to make a call,” Luca explained.

Suddenly, the same older woman who greeted us at the door entered with a warm smile gracing her lips.

“Would you like something to eat?” she offered, her voice gentle.

I shook my head, but Luca interjected before I could voice my refusal. “Actually, yeah, that would be great.”

I shot him a glare, but he met my eyes, unwavering.