Death Between Your Lips

Did He Not Know?

Tears immediately stung the back of my eyes, and I broke eye contact, my chest slightly heaving. My fingers grabbed a handful of my dress, and for a long while, the silence stretched.

What does anyone say to that? It is just as he had said ten years ago. I am pretty good at sweeping everything under a carpet in my mind.

And it seemed it was exactly what I did. I buried the thoughts of the man who used to look at me like I held galaxies in my eyes being the same man who looked at me like I was the second worst thing after death.

"What do you want me to say to that?" I managed to say, lifting my eyes to meet his.

He was leaning back, a glass of wine dangling elegantly on his fingers, his eyes cold. His eyes held mine, and he let out a small sigh before turning away.

"It was ten years ago," I said, pushing my hair back. "Forgetting might be the act of the brave by now."

He laughed. Not a chuckle. Not a smirk. A deep, dark laugh that spoke more of danger than humor, one that made fear run down my spine.

"Oh, Ginevra. You are quite comical. Bravery? Did you see bravery in the little t**t you are hiding away from your own father in that penthouse?"

My lips parted. "Leone."

"What? Does he know that I remember him too?"

I sniffed hard. "Yes."

"Why was he still so careless?"

"What do you mean?"

Leone watched me for a long minute, before he reached for his pocket. I expected a gun, but he pulled his phone out, made a few swipes, then set it on the table.

My eyes held his for a minute longer, before I tore my gaze away from him to rest on the phone in front of me.

The screen was divided in two, and on the right was a live footage from what I instantly recognized to be the penthouse Andrew was staying in.

I immediately leaned forward. Of course I knew that Leone would easily find the penthouse. I just didn't think he would do it this fast.

"Pretty decor," said a man, and slowly, I saw two of them come into view.

They stopped right beneath the stairs, and it took a few seconds before Andrew was led down the stairs, a gun to the back of his head.

"Leone!"

He gave a small chuckle. "Keep watching, sweetheart."

I raised my eyes to him, but then went back to the footage.

Andrew was now on his knees, and flowers, quenched candles, food, plates and wine glasses now littered the floor.

"You were expecting a guest?" Said the first man again, but Andrew did not answer.

He was visibly shaking, his hands clapsed behind him, the round tip of the gun still resting on his head.

"f*****g answer me!" The man yelled, and before Andrew could even reply, he hit him hard across the cheek, sending him reeling to the side.

"Andrew!" I screamed, my hand cupping my mouth, my eyes darting up to Leone who was now back to eating again.

"Yes," Andrew finally replied once he was dragged back up to his knees. "Yes, I was."

"Who?"

Andrew swallowed hard. "It... It is my girlfriend."

Leone chuckled, but I didn't spare him a glance.

"No name?"

Andrew swallowed hard. "Who are you?"

"That's not the answer to my question!"

Another slap.

At this point, I was grabbing the table cloth with all my strength.

"Ginevra," he finally said, spitting blood. "I was going to see Ginevra Matteo."

"Do you not know she is engaged?" The man asked, leaning down to Andrew. "Your girlfriend is an engaged woman?"

"I... I..."

"Were you never taught to stay away from committed women?"

"I am the one she loves!"

"f*****g bullshit!" Another slap.

"Leone!" I screamed, standing up, my chest heaving hard. "How can you do this?"

"Do what?" Leone asked slowly, his eyes still focused on his food. "Is there something you dislike, sweetheart?"

"Why would you do this? Why are you doing this? You know we have an arrangement. You know he is the one I love, so why are you doing this?"

Leone met my eyes, and I could almost see the cold persona fall off to reveal blinding rage. Before I could say a word, he was on his feet, the wine glass he was holding shattering at his feet.

"I hate double standards, Ginevra. Did he not do the same to me?"

"That was ten years ago!"

"You think there's a statute of limitations on my feelings?! Did you for once, yell at him when he held me down in that dirty bathroom stall, and made me f*****g drink from the toilet?"

"Leone."

"Or did he not know... that at the time, Ginevra... that I was the one you loved?"

My lips parted, my heart beating wildly in my chest. Everything felt like a blur in front of my eyes, and hell it wasn't because of Andrew. At least not anymore.

I opened my mouth to talk, but no words floated out.

"Answer me, Ginevra!"

Before I could talk, he had covered the distance to me, his hand wrapped around my neck as he pinned me back on the wall.

I let out a small gasp, a single tear running down my left cheek, my hands slowly wrapping around his hand.

"Or..." Leone started again, ice building in his expression. "Was he not aware because you never did? Which one was it, Ginevra?"

My lips quivered hard, my hands tightening around his, his gaze sharpening.

"If you are going to kill me, just do it."

He gave a small chuckle. "Like how you intend to do on the wedding night?"

My brows shot up. "What?"

"Everytime... every f*****g time you show up in front of me, you get worse. Every time I hear the name Ginevra Matteo, it is f*****g bad news."

I didn't even bother asking how he knew. Of course he gave me a ring. Had I really expected him to hand me a diamond and call it a day?

"What are you crying for? Are there no guns on you?"

His voice was eerily calm. Almost too calm.

He leaned further to me, his eyes darting between both of mine. He was so close that I could feel his breath on my skin, his essence digging into mine, sending electricity through my nerves.

His eyes were just like I remembered them. Like how it had been right before I broke the enchantment of what could have been our first kiss.

"You disgust me," he whispered, before letting me go. My knees were far too weak to carry me, and I just let myself fall to the floor, my hair falling on either sides of me.

"I will be keeping your little boy toy for research purposes, and for when you decide to be stubborn enough to get rid of the ring."

I looked up, just as he turned to look at me, his eyes sweeping over me once.

I watched as he walked to the door, and it opened, allowing him to leave.

"He didn't know," I managed to say, my voice breaking.

He stopped and turned to me, his brows furrowed. "What?"

I slowly stood up, then grabbed my purse. "Ten years ago, he didn't know. I lied to everyone and myself."

His eyes squinted, the tension in the room, despite the now open door felt suffocating.

Leone watched me for a long minute, before he turned away, leaving me standing alone.

I took the opportunity and ran out of the mansion, then made it to the car. Thankfully, it was still there, and I collected the key from the driver.

I drove out of the compound, my grip on the steering wheel tight, my body shaky with emotions that I couldn't name.

I thought I would go to Andrew. Or home. But when my eyes cleared up, I found myself parked in front of the school. Right where everything started. Right where Leone tried to run to that night, and my dad almost finished him off. It was right where it ended too.

Like the heavens could hear me, it started to rain. I watched as the rain slid off the glass, and my heart broke under the weight.

My eyes closed, and tears filled them fast and hard. I had forgotten the last time I cried. But now the tears showed me no mercy, and they ripped through me like a knife, tearing away at the confidence I had built as Ginevra Matteo.

In the end this was all I was. A girl stuck in her sins of ten years ago.