We fought it for so long, but my little Petal and I share a connection, an inkling no one else is able to have.

Sometimes, it’s fucking damnation, all the shit I feel for her, but other times, like now, it’s fucking everything.

In no time, I have her and myself naked and then I’m thrusting into her in slow measured jerks.

“Oh, God.” Her body contracts all around me while she holds on to me as if I’m her world.

Just like she’s mine.

I don’t stop, fucking her slowly, so slowly that tears rim her eyes and she stares up at me as if knowing exactly where this is going.

“What are you doing to me?” she breathes. “Take me rough, hard. I’m your slut.”

“You’re more than my slut. You’re my fucking world.”

She cries out then, clenching around me with all her might, calling my name over and over.

“You’re my world, too, Jas. My one and only.”

I come.

Just like that, I empty my seed in her womb and a strange thought comes to mind.

I’m stealing her fucking pills and putting a baby in her.

Our baby.

She’s breathing heavily as she holds onto my arm, staring up at me with that small smile and a dazed expression.

I brush a kiss at her temple and she moans softly.

“Come with me, Petal.”

Her brows furrow. “Where?”

“To Sicily. We’ll start fresh, a blank page. Just you and I.”

Her eyes widen in surprise and her mouth opens then closes without saying anything.

I understand. Even I surprised myself with that. All I know is that I need this fucking woman in my life.

“W-what?” she stutters.

“You heard me. Come with me, this time, not as a captive, but because you want to.”

“Jas…” her eyes soften.

“We’ll even take the fucking cats.”

She chuckles, the sound easy and music to my fucking ears.

Then, her expression drops. “Are you going to forget about your grudge against Dad?”

I pull off her and yank my clothes on, my mood darkening in a split second. She had to fucking ruin it.

“I take that as a no?” She wraps the sheet around her shoulder, voice cracking.

“Paolo killed my fucking family, Georgina; I can’t just forget about it. Did you forget about your mother’s death?”

“You’re not being fair.”

“Not being fair? Do you know what’s not fair? Being this entangled with you when you’re my enemy’s daughter, when I should’ve killed you instead of —” I cut off, running a hand through my hair.

“Instead of what?”

“Instead of wanting to fucking take you with me to my family’s land.”

She folds her arms. “If you won’t forgive my father, then maybe we should remain enemies.”

“We should, huh?”

“I’ll never ever forgive you if you hurt my father, Jasper. Ever.”

I see it then, the determination in her despite the tears in there. She means every word, and she already made her choice.

She chose her dad.

Blood runs thicker than water.

Paolo’s words from the other time mock me.

He’s right.

No matter what I do, she’ll always drift back to her father, her fucking family name.

She’s a Costa after all. A Costa heir.

“Goodbye, Georgina.” My shoulders drop as I turn to leave.

For the very fucking last time.

 

 

20

 

 

Georgina

 

 

I wipe the tear sliding down my cheek as I stare at myself in the mirror.

My dress is long and elegant. My hair and makeup are done professionally, giving me a finesse I would’ve never accomplished myself.

Today, Dad will introduce me to the world as his heir — the Costa heir.

While my heart beats fast at that idea, at the fact that I’m going to officially be a mafia princess and the continuation of Dad’s legacy, it’s not the reason behind the tears.

It’s the goodbye Jasper said a few days ago, the finality and the brutality of it.

He seems to have meant it this time. Whenever I recall the look in his eyes, all I want to do is break down and cry.

But leaders can’t cry, can they?

Besides, Jasper is still hell-bent on hurting my dad. He’ll never stop his mindless revenge.

I don’t know why I was naive to think he’ll stop for me or that he’ll put an end to the madness.

For a moment, I wanted to leave all of this behind and go with him to Sicily. I wanted to be the woman who elopes with the man who stole her heart and mind.

But I can never be an item with someone who’s planning to hurt my father.

A knock on the door wrenches me out of my thoughts.

I clear my throat, touching the collar one final time before I speak. “Come in.”

Dad walks inside with a huge smile on his face. “My beautiful daughter. You look so much like your mother.”

He kisses the back of my hand and I force myself to stay strong and not cry.

“Thank you, Papa.”

“I want you to know that there hasn’t been a day I didn’t miss you and your mother.” He strokes the back of my hand. “I’ve been slowly dying until you showed up in my life again.”

“I’m so happy I found you.” I kiss his cheek.

He offers me his elbow. “Are you ready?”

“Always.”

As we walk down the hall, I take deep breaths. I’m not a fool. I know a woman can’t rule in a world of tradition, and that eventually, potential men will ask Dad for my hand — if they haven’t already.

The thought of being married to anyone but Jasper makes me choke on my own breaths.

It’s stupid to think of him as a husband when we haven’t even officially dated.

I’ll fight the marriage talk as much as I can. Even though this whole thing is new, I have faith that I’ll be able to get through this with Dad and his men’s help. They care for me and they answer all my questions when I ask.

It’ll take time but I’ll get there.

But first of all, I need to get this night out of the way.

Deep breaths. I can do this.

I imagine Jasper by my side, smiling at me, and I know, I just know that this is only the beginning of the suffering.

 

 

21

 

 

Jasper

 

 

It’s strange how your plans can fail or soar in a matter of seconds.

If I look back on the events that started since that day Lucio told me to look for Costa’s heir, neither of us imagined we’d be here.

We used to be on the same battlefield, now we’re not only separated but we’re also out to destroy each other.

From then to now, there’s only been one constant — my little Petal with her metallic eyes and fake smiles.

It has returned, the smile that reached her eyes but not her heart, the smile that says she’s hiding a lot more than she’s showing.

And yes, I’ve been watching, only from afar. I’m an addict, and addicts need to ease off the drug before completely cutting it off.