Page 37 of Revived (Lucky Ones #1)

Chapter twenty-seven

Elena Rossi

I t’s been six days since I got the text about breaking up with Sully.

Six days, and now my house has burned down.

That’s not a coincidence. He’s reminding me how serious he is.

I have to break up with Sully. Of course I have to; there was never any other option here.

We've been cursed our entire lives. I thought that this time we were able to have a real shot at us, but instead of being revived, we’re being brought to ruin.

After leaving Sully’s house, I called Kenzie and headed straight over.

I’ve been crying on her couch for the past twenty minutes while she just sits with me quietly.

She lets me feel what I need to and say what I want to disclose without pushing or judging.

That’s why she’s such an amazing person.

I love the guys, and I love Addy, but they’re all strong willed and have no problem voicing their opinion. That’s not what I need right now.

I know what I have to do, and I don’t want to be talked out of it. I’ll figure all of this out as soon as trials are over. That’s it. I just have to get through the next week and a half. My watery eyes come up to Kenzie as I voice the one thing that I don’t want to do.

“I have to break up with Sullivan.” My bottom lip trembles with emotion .

“Okay.” She takes a moment to gather her thoughts. “Are you sure? You guys are so happy together.”

“I am. I just don’t know how to do this. My house just burned down, Kenz. I have nowhere to go.”

“As long as I have a house, you’ll always have somewhere to go, Elle.” She wraps her arms around me and lays the side of her head against mine. “We’ll figure it out, and we’ll kill it at trials in the process.”

Elle: I’m sorry to do this over text, but we need space.

Sully: You can have space. The space there is from the house to the gym. Don’t test me, Elena.

I’ve been rotting away on the couch and watching the saddest romance movies that we could find for hours.

I did the shittiest thing I could possibly do and ended it with Sully over text.

My phone has been ringing off the hook from everyone ever since.

From Sully all the way to his sisters-in-law and everyone in between.

I leave them all to ring through. It isn’t until a couple hours later when my Papa calls that I finally answer.

“Hey, Papa.” My voice is hoarse from how much I’ve cried today. I feel like someone has torn my chest open only to pour gasoline inside. It’s my own doing, and I know that, but it doesn’t make it hurt any less.

“Oh, principessa. What’s going on?” The tenderness of his tone almost completely breaks me.

“I– uh– I broke up with Sully.” My voice breaks.

“Why? Did he hurt you? Are you okay?” In a single sentence he moves from my sweet Papa to the ruthless mafia leader that he is .

“No, he didn’t hurt me, and yes, I’m okay.” I practically whisper.

“Why, bambina?” He pleads to understand why I’m hurting myself like this.

He can’t know. It’s not safe, not for him or for me. Not for anyone. I don’t want to do this to Sully or I, but I have to. This guy is obsessed with me. This is my responsibility to fix it and pray to whoever controls what happens after this life that he’ll understand and take me back in the end.

“I just need to focus. Trials are right around the corner, and then the Olympics after that. I just need to cut it all out so I can concentrate.” The lie burns like acid on my tongue, but I choke it out anyway.

“Okay, bambina. I can respect that. As long as you still answer your old Papa’s calls.”

“I’ll always answer your calls, Papa.” A small smile pulls at my lips.

“Where will you stay? He called me in a panic that you won’t answer the phone for anyone, and your house just burned down last night.

I have to be honest with you, principessa.

It’s killing me not to come down and get you right now.

I will respect your wishes though, as long as you keep your sugar under control and answer when I call. ”

“I’m staying with Kenzie. You remember her, right Papa? And I promise I will. I just need to concentrate. I promise.” I push my voice to a cheerful tone that I don’t feel.

“Yes, I remember her. She’s a sweet girl.” He goes quiet for a few seconds before cursing under his breath. “Bambina, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you later, okay? Ti amo.”

“Okay, Papa. Ti amo.” He ends the call just as a knock comes from Kenzie’s front door. We look at each other with wide eyes.

“Did you tell anyone you were here?” She asks in concern.

“No, did you?” My heart rate skyrockets. I can’t face him, there’s no way that I can .

She shakes her head, “No. I haven’t talked to anyone.”

Kenz gets up and tiptoes to the front door, only for her to look at me in confusion when she turns around. “No one’s at the door?”

“That’s weird. Are you waiting for a delivery?”

“I don’t think so?” She pulls the door open. “Oh…” She bends down to pick something up, and when she straightens again, she’s holding a bouquet of white roses.

I watch her bring them in and set them on her coffee table before spotting the card. “Look, there’s a card. Do you have a secret admirer, Kenz?” I waggle my eyebrows playfully.

She plucks the card and reads it before her wide eyes come to mine. “Nope, but it looks like you do.” She hands me the card as my blood turns to ice in my veins.

‘Good girl, little gymnast.

-YSA’

These are the same flowers my Papa always— No. Oh no no no. The flowers. The ones I’ve been getting for years. They aren’t from my Papa at all. They’re from him.

***

I’ve just finished my last run through of my floor routine when I feel him enter the room.

I don’t even have to look behind me, nor am I surprised.

What I am surprised about is that he gave me this long.

It’s only been a day and a half, but for a Byrne man, that may as well be twelve years.

I have an hour until I have to teach my baby gymnasts.

Only after that can I go back to Kenzie’s.

I take a deep breath before turning to face him.

Sully stands tall in a pair of gray shorts and a navy TVFD t-shirt pulled tight over his muscles.

His hair looks disheveled, and under his eyes are almost black.

He looks handsome because he always looks handsome, but really he looks like death warmed up.

My entire soul aches to go to him and let him wrap me up in his arms, but I use every ounce of strength I have to resist. He takes me in as his long legs eat up the space between us until he’s standing right in front of me.

“Hey..” He smiles sadly.

“Hey.” I echo back. “Want to go talk? I don’t have too long.”

“Yeah, of course. Lead the way.” He gestures for me to move in front of him.

We awkwardly walk out of the main room of the gym and into a back hallway. I lean up against one side of the wall while he takes up residence across from me.

“Please talk to me, baby girl.” His eyes lock onto mine, and the pure anguish in them almost brings me to my knees.

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Sully.” I look down at my shoes so I don’t have to watch his feelings dance across his expressive eyes.

“Anything!” He roars, startling me. “Say anything, because anything you say will make more sense than a half assed text message ending things when we’ve been obsessed with each other since we were in preschool.”

“I said I needed space, Sully. This isn’t exactly that.” I answer him as monotone as I can.

“Space from what? ” His control is barely holding on.

“From this, you, us! I need you to let me breathe for a second.” I bring my eyes up to lock onto his just in time to watch his composure break. The next thing I know, he has me crowded against the wall with his hands on either side of my head.

I want to melt more than I want my next breath.

I want to press my lips to his and let him devour me.

I want him to punish me for the past thirty-six hours, then care for me in only the way he can.

I want to do everything except what I know I have to do.

The only thing I can do to save both of our lives.

“Heat.” I make myself hold his gaze.

Immediately Sully backs up until his back hits the opposite wall again. “What?” He asks in disbelief.

My body trembles, and acid burns my throat as I push the words out that I know need to be said. “I said heat. I’m done, Sullivan. I’ll get my things out of your house the next time you’re on shift.”

His eyes shut tightly as he shakes his head like he's rejecting my words. “No. No! You can’t do this, Elle. You can’t ruin us like this!” His voice breaks on the last sentence, and tears break free of my eyes.

“You said the safe word is for if I ever wanted to stop. You said no questions asked. Those were your words, Sully.” My voice rises as I speak until I’m yelling.

He nods solemnly. “We’re not done here, Elle.

But I’ll give you the space you’re asking for.

Just know that you can attempt to ruin us once a day for the rest of our lives, but I’ll always be here to revive us with new life.

” He holds my eyes for a few more seconds before he walks away from me.

I watch him leave, and only once he’s out of sight do I fall to the ground and let the pain and sorrow take over.

I just broke the one thing I want to die without.

But I’ll die ten times over before I let this psycho get near him.