“You had ten days.” Mark growled from behind the wheel. “Ten bloody days to make up your mind but you chose the last fucking minute that you want him back.”“Uncle Mark!” Emmy shrieked in horror from the back seat. “Language!”“It’s okay, Em. Your mother’s a grown woman.” He said, giving me a nasty side glance. “Although she doesn’t act like it all the time.”“Emmy.” I said, “Sit back and relax. We’re driving way too fast.”“Not fast enough.” She said, pouting, “Enzo’s flight would be leaving soon.”That was right. By the time we decided that we ought to get him back, Mark reminded us that Enzo must have flown away. But I was not ready to accept it. Something told me that we were not late. That there was still hope. That if we got to the airport in time, we could still meet him. “You’ll have better luck calling him, Cassie.” He said, “I’m already overspeeding. I can’t go faster than this.”“You think I haven’t tried that?” I said, groaning, as I looked at the ten missed calls to hi
I woke up to someone tugging my hand. They were tiny, familiar hands, the warmth of which I could never miss. “Emmy?” I said before I even opened my eyes to look at her. Her eyes were widened, as though she had seen a ghost. Instinctively, I pulled the duvet up to my chest, overing myself. Shit. “Emmy, darling.” I said, my voice still groggy. “What’s the matter?” “Mommy!” She said, “Where the hell is Enzo?” I frowned, looking over my shoulder. The bed was empty. I remembered very well that he fell asleep beside me last night. “Um,” I said, rubbing my eyes, “Perhaps, he’s in his room. Did you check it?” “I did!” She said, and she was close to wailing. “He’s not there. Grandpa didn’t see him either.” Emmy’s eyes filled with tears, making me sit up straight all at once. I was taken aback. What was happening? Did she already grow so attached to him that his absence was making her cry? “His stuff is gone too.” She said. My heart stilled. I wasn’t sure I heard her right. “What?
Something about the way he said it seemed to have altered my brain chemistry. Because the next thing I knew, I pulled his head down to meet my lips aggressively. The need to be with him, connected to him in any way was more than ever before. I needed him. And I needed him now. “Then take me.” I said, “Claim me, Enzo. Because I only belong to you.” He did not need to hear more. Crashing his lips with mine, he mounted on top of me. Gripping my hips, he hoisted me up in the air until I landed almost near the pillows. Stacking them up behind my back, he pushed me toward them until I was reclining. And then, he drew my panties down my legs. He climbed out of the bed then and started fumbling with his pant button. All of a sudden, his fingers froze. I frowned up at him, “What’s wrong?” He looked up at me, eyes wide. “I haven’t got a condom,” he mumbled, “Have you?” I shook my head, “No.” “Fuck.” I wet my lips, “I just had my period.” I said, “The chances that I… it’s very unlike
I gazed into his eyes, refusing to break away. I did not know if it was the chill in the air, or the intensity of his gaze that made the hair on my body stand erect. I could feel my skin burning with anticipation as my heart thumped away at my chest in an agonising rhythm. And ever so slowly, Enzo moved. But when he finally did, he was swift. He swift as he appeared before me, just inches away from my legs. He was swift as he unhooked my legs from each other and instead tugged them toward me. He was swift as he effortlessly raised me by my hips and planted me in his hips. “Just so you know,” He said, staring into my eyes, “All those nights I spent in silence, I wished I could be with you too. No, I craved to be by your side. Every. Single. Night.” I smiled, “Somehow, I find that very hard to believe.”“That’s because you don’t trust me.” He said, “You don’t trust me when I say you’re still the only woman that has my heart. But that won’t stop me from loving you. It never did. And
My heart sank. Was I hearing him right? “He what?” “He booked the flight tickets.” he said, “He’s going to fly out soon. And as far as I’m aware, he has no plans of returning.” I shook my head, refusing to believe him. “Maybe you’re mistaken.” “I’m not.” he said, “We had an argument about it this morning. You can ask him yourself. If he still respects you, he’ll be honest and tell you the truth.” I glanced through the floor to ceiling glass walls that separated the backyard from the dinner room. Enzo was still painting with Emmy, humouring her in every way he could. He did not look like a man who would be ready to leave his daughter forever. He seemed like the man that wanted to stick around. “Trust me, I don’t want to break your family either.” Franco said, “But sometimes, a broken family is better than a troubled one. I know how you struggled to cope with Enzo’s absence. But you’ve come so far. You managed. Don’t let him take away that progress with his fake promises.” “He.
“Enzo!” Emmy screamed from the dinning table as we opened the door. She was sitting with a stack of papers in front of her and multiple paint bottles. In front of her was Ryan, his eyes stuck to the paper in front of him. “Come on here! We’re painting.” It almost made me jealous how everytime she looked at Enzo, her eyes sparkled. She completely ignored the fact that I was beside him too. Enzo chuckled in amusement and made his way to her. Oh, he was definitely enjoying this attention he was getting. I was the one that took care of her toddler tantrums and he was the one that got all her love? Life was unfair. Leaning over her chair, he said, “Damn is that a bird?” “No, silly.” She giggled, “It’s a fish. Can’t you see the water?” He frowned, “A fish… with wings?” “It’s a special fish.” “Darling, I don't think you know the meaning of special.” I held back a smile, and walked toward Ryan instead. He was painting some random lines on his paper. “Aunt Cassie!” he said, throwing