I nod as I consider our options. “What if I hang out with her a couple of days? Maybe take her to Ivory and keep an eye on her. Take her to dinner. Take her out so she feels like she’s not trapped but keep an eye on her.”
Bash looks over to me as he considers my proposal. “It would work if you can convince her. She won’t trust why you want to spend time with her all of a sudden.”
“Just trust me. I will convince her it’s in her best interest. Maybe Matt can join me one of the nights. She seems to have taken a liking to you.”
“No,” Bash spits out.
“Whoa.” Matt holds up his hands. “No worries, boss man. Your sister is beautiful and a great person, but I do not need the trouble that follows her. I only see her as your little sister.”
Bash relents. “Fine, but you will not be alone with her.” He points at Matt.
“Agreed.”
“Then it’s settled. Thanks, Gio. You’re taking one for the team.” Just as Bash finishes his sentence, the girls pile out of the house with the smores.
“You haven’t even started the fire. Come on, Bash,” Sofia complains.
“I’m doing it now,tesoro. Be patient.”
She sighs and rolls her eyes, but he doesn’t notice. He has already moved to the firepit. Minutes later a fire is started. As everyone moves around to roast marshmallows, I simply watch from the side. This is my family, the people I’m closest with. Yet I can’t help but feel unsettled. Everyone is moving on with their lives, and I’m still stuck in the past. I can’t seem to move on. My eyes fall on Izzy,vita mia cuore mio.
If I could only convince her to give me another chance, my life might finally be complete.
Chapter Four
Isabella
“Iz? Where are you?”
I step out from behind our tree. “Right here. Where we said we would meet.”
I watch as the panic on his face melts away into a smile. He runs over to me and wraps me in his arms. “Cuore mio, my beautiful love. It’s time.”
I pull back and look into his face. “Really? We’re going?”
He chuckles. “Yes, cuore mio, we’re going. Right now. Are you ready?”
I pull away slightly and go to sit in our spot against the tree.
“Cuore mio, I thought this is what you wanted?”
“Of course. There’s nothing I want more.” “Wait here then. I will go grab the car.”
I watch as he runs off with a smile on his face. I can feel the same smile light mine. I let my mind drift off into daydreams of what our future will look like. Giovanni coming home to a home-cooked meal. Our children running to meet him at the door. Me standing in front of the oven with my apron on. The perfect, happy family.
When I come out of my daydream to look for him, I realize he’s been gone too long. And when I go searching for him... life is never the same again.
A sharp pain pings in my abdomen. My hands clutch at it as I gasp through the pain.
“Gio!” I cry out for him as a second pain causes me to collapse.
I look around, but no one is there. I am alone.
I wake up and find myself breathing heavy. I work to catch my breath. It isn’t until I’m completely calm that I realize I’m crying. I hate crying, but whenever I think about my past and things I used to want, this tends to be the result. I hate it, yet I can’t help it.
The images lingering from the haunting dream get to me. It always starts off as something I once wanted. Then it turns into the nightmare that I could have never guessed.
I look at the clock and shake my head. Six in the morning, earlier than I wanted to be up, but there is no way I can go back to sleep now. I pull myself out of bed and go through the motions of getting ready for a run while my head stays stuck in the dream.
