The Game He Played With My Heart
On my five-hundred-and-twentieth flight into Chicago, my boyfriend finally came to the airport for me.
He held a bouquet of air-flown Blue Moon roses, and the diamond ring inside the velvet box caught the terminal lights.
The moment he dropped to one knee, I heard the shocked gasps around us.
“Eliana Lowe,” he said, his gray-blue eyes lifted to mine. “Marry me.”
My fingers tightened around the handle of my suitcase. I held out my hand, my voice already shaking. "Luca, we--"
The ring had barely slid over my finger when Luca laughed. He wasn't looking at me anymore. He was looking over my shoulder at the row of black SUVs idling by the curb.
"Told you she'd say yes. Hand over the key to Warehouse Three."
Laughter burst from the SUVs. Luca's circle spilled into view: casino managers, dock supervisors, rich kids who lived off the Moretti name, and Vivian Gray at the front in pale fur, laughing hard enough to wipe at the corner of her eye.
“No wonder she stayed at your heels for ten years. If I had a pet this obedient, I wouldn’t have the heart to throw it out either.”
Luca smiled and patted my head soothingly.“Eliana, it was just a joke. Don't be angry. I’ll make it up to you later.”
I looked at the ring on my finger, then at the people laughing behind him.
For ten years, I had played along with his games.
This time, I didn’t want to anymore.