CHAPTER 89: DO WE JUST GO IN?

Valerio shot a look over at her. "What did you just say?"

Evelyn snorted, "Did I ask you to get better for me, Valerio? Did I ask you to work your ass off? No, that was all your own decision. I never asked you for anything. I don’t need you, nor do I need whatever money you made. My father made sure that I’d be perfectly fine with or without anyone’s help. Don’t you get it? He wouldn’t die, not unless he made sure every one of us was steady on our own. What made you think I needed you? Did I look like I was in need of anyone’s money? I have enough to want nobody’s dime. So what was it you think I needed from you?"

Silence fell between the two of them.

He stared at her and then started chuckling. "You didn’t need anything from me, yes, but I worked hard for you. Why can’t you see that?"

"I didn’t ask you to," she said.

He balled his fist. "What even is it about Zayne Mancini? What has he done for you? Why do you choose him over me?"

Evelyn gazed at him. She blinked her lashes and slowly smiled.

"Valerio," she called. "I have a question."

"Tell me."

"Has anyone ever taken a bullet for you?"

The question made Valerio pause for a second, thinking. But still left confused regardless. "What do you mean? Why would anyone take a bullet for me?"

"Exactly," she said. "Why would anyone take a bullet for anybody?"

"But he did for me," she added. "Zayne Mancini took a bullet for me when he barely even knew me. I didn’t know him that much, yet he saved me. He didn’t think twice, taking a shot because of me. That’s what he’d done for me."

"But you see..."

She continued.

"That is not even why I fell in love with him. Even if he hadn’t saved my life or taken a bullet for me, I would’ve still fallen in love with him, so it really has nothing to do with any of this. I just simply like everything he is as a person. How he doesn’t make me change the kind of person I am. If anything he enjoys it, even though he pretends he doesn’t. I like how he makes coffee for me in the morning before I even wake up. I like how he smells, and I like what he feels like next to the bed with me. In short...I like everything about him. And he’s handsome too. Really handsome."

She chuckled and threw her head back on the bed, sighing.

Valerio narrowed his gaze on her. "You’re not begging me anymore."

She looked at him. "No."

"Why?"

"Because I just realized I don’t care." She scoffed, "The man I love doesn’t really love me. Actually, I only came to see you so I could keep him off my mind. Thinking of him felt like my chest was being ripped open and I wanted a distraction. But even seated in that restaurant, he was all I could think of. So whether free from you or not, I’m never going to be happy. Not without him. I always lose everything I love, I think I’m starting to get used to it. I even feel numb. So really, who cares?"

She smiled at him. "What are you going to do though? Kill me? Suit yourself really. I’m too tired to scream or cry or beg. If you keep me alive though, don’t ask me to love you. Because I won’t. I can’t even if I want to. There is no place for you in my heart, Valerio. It already belongs to someone else. And I can’t take it back from him."

Valerio couldn’t speak. In fact, he didn’t even know what to say anymore.

All he could do was smile, lean in, and try to kiss her forehead. Evelyn moved her head, shooting him a repulsed look. "Don’t touch me."

His knuckles balled too tightly; they turned almost paper white. But he controlled himself, getting to his feet.

"You should get some sleep, Evelyn. I’m sure you must have a bad headache. Let’s talk about this another time, yes?"

She didn’t answer him, turning her head to the other side. "Get these ropes off me."

"I’m afraid I can’t do that. If you need anything. Just call. I’m not far from you. I’ll always hear."

Then he turned, leaving the room. He slammed the door after, pausing to stare at the wall on the other side.

The fake smile he held dropped off his face and he angrily began to punch the wall, hands growing bloody with every hit.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

He burst into laughter.

"No place for me in your heart? Bullshit. All I have to do is make you. Kill you? You’re overthinking it, Evelyn. I want you. What would be the use of hurting what I desire?"

He glanced over at one of his men who stood by the door. "Check in on her every thirty minutes and report to me, understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

He stormed off.

—————

Zayne pulled up the car, stopping a bit distance from the mansion that was on the island. It was absolutely secluded. There was no living soul or even other houses there. It was just that one mansion that Valerio had purchased.

He pushed the door open and stepped down.

Dario followed after. They crossed gazes, but he looked away first, no trace of emotion on his face.

When Alessio told him Zayne needed his help, he couldn’t say no even if he could have. No matter how much he piss him off, he couldn’t bring himself to say no. At the end of the day, they were still brothers and brothers couldn’t say no to each other in bad situations. At least, that’s what they had been taught.

"So, do we just go in?" he asked.

Alessio stepped down with his computer. He moved over to the back of the car, popped open the trunk, and proceeded to take a seat.

"You two should wear these." He handed small wireless earpieces to them. "You have to communicate with each other and with me using this. That way you can each know if the other is doing okay during the search. By the way, wear these trackers too, so I can be able to track your movements there."

"What about their security?" Zayne asked. "Were you able to hack into it?"