When Vinnie reaches me, she sinks down on her knees. Her dress balloons out around her as she grabs my hands. Taking the decanter from me, she sets it aside before lacing both of our hands together.
Immediately, I can feel the metallic band around her finger.
Ripping my hands from hers, I stand and step over her, careful not to harm her as I do, and move further down the wall-length window.
“Sly,please. Talk to me,” she pleads, catching my arm.
“What is there to say?” My voice comes out strangled, as though she’s holding her hands around my throat.
It feels like she is.
Her eyes fill up with tears. “It wasn’t what it looked like!”
Those words hit me like a sucker punch to the gut, physically knocking the wind from my lungs.
Reaching down, I grab ahold of her wrist, yanking it until her hand is eye level between us.
The diamond glints in what little light streams in through the windows.
Taunting me.
Taunting us both.
“YOU’RE WEARING HIS RING, VINCENZA!”
Dropping her hand like it scalded me, I take a step back and rake my fingers through my hair, furious at myself for shouting at her.
But it hurts so fucking bad I can’t contain my rage.
“I…” She looks down at her hand, her eyes widening as if she’s just realized the ring is on her finger. Tugging it off, she shoves it into the pocket of her dress. “Everything happened so fast, I went into shock. I didn’t know what was happening… I didn’t say yes!”
My head snaps up, eyes locking with hers. “You said no?”
“I… I didn’t say anything… I was in shock.”
Her words barrel into me like a wrecking ball. Knowing she said nothing is somehow almost worse.
My jaw tics as I choose my words carefully, forcing myself to suppress the exasperation that wants to fuel my speech.
The silence rings deadly—the calm before the storm.
Rivers of quiet tears stream down her face as she looks at me, not knowing what to say. I’m sure she can see the monster within me now, the savage demon that reminds her of all the other men in her life.
“Please leave, Vincenza,” I mutter, the words sour on my tongue.
A small gasp leaves her, and she takes a step toward me. “What? No.Please. Let's talk about this.”
“Anything I say now will be words I regret in the future. I can hardly look at you right now. Please allow me to process this before I end up saying something we cannot come back from.”
Her eyes search mine as her tears fall one after another, ripping the last fragments of my heart into shreds.
She opens her mouth like she’s going to say something, but I cut her off—the fragile organ behind my rib cage barely beats as is.
“Please, just leave, Vinnie. I will seek you out in aday or two, and we can talk then.” Then, as much as it kills me, I turn my back on her.
Looking out the window at the Manhattan skyline, I focus on an incoming plane, its flashing lights barely visible in the distance.
Tears burn my eyes while I stare at it, listening to the sound of Vinnie’s heels click against my floor as she crosses the apartment.
