Maria's Pov- Lucien gently tugged at my arms encasing me in his hold with a tight squeeze, pinning me to his chest and leaving no room for me to fight. “I’ve got you” he whispered. “I’ve got you now” he repeated over and over, and I broke into a million pieces as I cried into his chest to thoughts of the night, thoughts of Lorenzo, Aimee and even for some unknown reasons… Vince. A loud pain filled groan pulled me back to my surroundings and I shot away from Lucien’s chest my eyes instantly finding Rocco who was trying to roll his shoulder, the shoulder with the bullet wound. “Get him a doctor” I fired rushing to Rocco’s side, yet again being too caught up in my selfishness that I had let this man bleed for God knows how long while I so selfishly cried a meltdown. “I suppose I’m fired sweetheart” he winced. “Don’t move” I scolded panic stricken as Lucien silently came to my side obser

Maria’s pov- “I am not leaving her in the hands of the likes of you” “The likes of me?” I shot up at the sudden loud crash, my heart racing with panic and dare I say it fear.my body was in pure agony and with my head spinning I could barely focus my eyes. “You can’t keep her safe, none of you can” I whipped my head to the direction of the familiar voice to see Carlos and Lucien in an intense stair down, a mess of broken items at their feet the obvious sign of a tussle. “How I protect my woman is no concern of yours” Lucien fired “That may be but do not make the mistake brother, she is my concern she has been since the night I found her locked in my cousin’s bedroom” I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply in the attempt to calm my beating heart. The crash and the sound of fist to skin that I knew was coming after Carlos’s words echoed around the room. I winced opening my e

Maria’s pov- I was shamelessly killing time to avoid the inevitable confrontation of telling Lucien our news. I didn’t know how he would react, how he would take the news of becoming a father let alone the news that we can leave. He was always so defensive with excuses every time I brought up us leaving the current life that we live. And as for the other thing, I believe being a parent is something he has pictured before but no matter how hard he tries to hide how much that thought scared him I could see it. I have taken a shower and a bath, with a visit to Rocco and Dr Grim in hopes to avoid the conversation I am mere seconds away from having with Lucien, according to Marcel he was in the living area of our floor five minutes ago. I’m praying he is still there because all this walking to avoid the inevitable was killing not just my leg but my whole entire body. “You are not capable of keeping her safe, how many times must she suffer because of your blata

Epilogue Eighteen years has passed since you both took your leave. Every day I miss you both. Diego too, when you guys made your leave from this world and I made mine from that hell, I had made the sacrifice to leave him behind. It was a painful sacrifice, but he had the right to choose his own path just like I did mine. I don’t know if you can hear me, maybe its wishful thinking but I pray every day that you watch over him for me. I have had no contact with him or any other from that life in eighteen years, but I did it, I finally got out. I faced those struggles with you all in my mind, through the good times and the bad. Sometimes I let my mind wonder in imagination, with the what ifs and the possibilities of what could have been if you both could spend one more day down here. I know Marcus could use an uncle or aunt to vent too. He takes after his father, so handsome with his dark hair and strong mind but sometimes I feel as though a mother just won’t cut