Death Between Your Lips

Apologise to My Wife

"Where were you?"

I stopped by the stairs and slowly turned to my father. He had somehow gotten home before me, but to be fair, I wasn't sure how long I had been outside for.

"Out."

"With Leone?"

I swallowed hard, my eyes closing. "What do you think, Dad?"

He took a step closer, his brows furrowing. "You were with him?"

I could feel my anger heightening, my body slightly shaky.

"Why don't you answer that question for yourself, Dad? Were you hanging out, dancing under the rain, and stealing loving glances with the boy whom your father tried to kill years ago?"

He rolled his eyes, then stepped away. "For goodness' sake, Ginevra. One meeting with him riled you up this much? Did you forget that we already talked about this?"

"Did we?" I asked, tears filling my eyes again. "Did we really talk about this, Dad?"

He said nothing and grabbed a cigarette. "Whatever it is, Don Luciano gave me his word. It's only four days to the wedding. You need to..."

"You are a fool, Dad."

He stopped, then turned to me. "What?"

"You are a f*****g fool!" I screamed, my emotions getting the better of me. "You chose not just a man you hurt, but a man who has way more power than you ever could have and decided to ally? What did you think?"

"Ginevra, don't you dare..."

"He f*****g knows, Dad! Leone knows everything. He remembers us, he remembers you! This marriage isn't an alliance to him, ot is leverage! They always had the upper hand and you were too blinded by your greed to see it! They are wiser, stronger, richer and you... You are just a f*****g pawn in their game!"

He went silent, his eyes wide, his chest heaving. "So? So what? As long as.."

"As long as nothing! You failed! You are a failure! You failed Mum. She died because of you! She died because you were mean, greedy, f*****g selfish, and now... now you want to kill her only daughter too!"

He covered the distance and slapped me hard across the cheek, causing me to reel back, my back hitting the edge of the stairs railing, tears running down my cheeks fast and hard.

"How dare you talk to me like that? I did everything for you!"

"What did you do? Groom me to always be by your side? Make sure that if I step out of your wings, I will be left unsheltered. Or leave me to become the target of brave hearts after my mother?! What were you thinking? That because you have "forgiven" Leone, he has forgiven you too? That because you hold no grudges... Leone doesn't?"

"You were the one who brought that boy to us in the first place. You were a foolish sixteen-year-old who dared to do stupid things! If you hadn't brought that lowlife to my doorstep, if you had done nothing, we wouldn't be here! I wouldn't have had to do the extreme! It was all your fault! You let an ambitionless eighteen-year-old sway you. You have an empire to rule! Yet... yet you went chasing sunsets with the child of f*****g paupers!"

"An empire? You call what you have now an empire? You still live in the past. You have nothing, and that is why you are hoping on the very boy you call a lowlife. Guess who the lowlife is now, Dad."

"Ginevra!" He yelled, veins popping on his forehead, his eyes wide.

I shook my head slowly, and before I could stop myself, I made my way towards the door.

He never called my name. Not even once. And I never turned back.

I stepped into the rain again, my clothes immediately soaking, my hair sticking to my neck.

I stood outside the mansion, my eyes looking up to the dark skies.

I had already made it out when I realised I didn't bring my purse or my phone, as I had dropped them when he slapped me. My face still stung, and I was far too proud to go back in there for anything.

With a deep sigh, I slowly started to walk on my bare feet, my hands wrapping around my body, my lips quivering from the cold.

Maybe it was my fault. Maybe it was all my doing.

I turned around the corner. It was empty, and I felt a bit of fear start to creep into me. This wasn't the best position for someone with enemies like me, especially now.

I gritted my teeth, and for the first time, I considered turning back. I could make it home in a few minutes if I ran.

I turned away. No. There isn't much of a home in there.

I walked slowly forward. The rain only seemed to get heavier, and I gave up and sat on the curbside, my legs crossed under me.

What are you doing, Ginevra? You aren't a child anymore.

My eyes closed and I rested my head on my knees. It was cold, and my teeth clenched tight.

Suddenly, the bright lights of a car hit my eyes. Maybe I could ask for help? But to where? I don't have any money to even book a hotel. Maybe to the penthouse.

I stood up, but before I could even wave, the car sped past me, leaving me in darkness again.

I cursed under my breath and sat back again, my eyes closing. s**t.

I wasn't sure how long it was, but soon enough, the lights came back again, this time from the opposite direction.

My brows furrowed. A black RR.

It was the same car. Fear crept up my spine and I stood up and started to walk away, but the car was faster, and like I had feared, it stopped right in front of me.

I turned and started to run, when the single, cold voice reached me, stopping me in my tracks.

I turned, my wet hair sticking to my face, my lips parting.

Leone was standing by the open door of the driver's seat, his eyes shielded by his hair, his lips pursed.

"What are you doing here?"

He said nothing as he opened the car door, and pulled my father out of it roughly. I watched as he pushed my dad towards me, forcing him to his knees.

"Leone."

His eyes held mine, and tore my gaze off him to look down at my father.

"Dad."

"Say it," Leone said, his voice low but somehow audible despite the rain. "Apologise to my wife."