Romeo The Mafia Casanova

Romeo’s [POV]

A quick grimace crossed her face. It was subtle, but I noticed.

I noticed everything, the entire room became heightened to some sort of cosmic energy. I knew everyone was there, that it wasn’t just Tristian, Eden, and I, though that’s how it felt. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat, knowing this wasn’t going to end well. It wasn’t going to start that way either.

My glance slid to Tristian, and he fucking grinned. His eyes darted around the room, and he smiled with bright white teeth. Teeth I wanted him to swallow after my fist knocked them down his fucking throat if he was getting ready to announce what I think he was.

Once my eyes landed on Eden’s, it was all over. I didn’t need to turn to the clinking to know I was right. Tristian raised his champagne glass in one hand and a fork in the other.

The metal clanked off the glass, mimicking a ringing bell. “Hello! I’d like to have your attention!” he announced, making sure all eyes were on him. Everyone but mine. The entire room silenced at an eerie speed as he spoke, “Have I told you how happy I am to be a father? You see, a family is all I’ve ever wanted.”

My gaze stayed intensely absorbed in Eden’s. Hers stayed fixated on mine. This trance was different than anything I’d ever felt with her before. We’d been doing this dance with our eyes for as long as I could remember.

This one was different, this one held so much emotion.

So much hurt, Pain & Regret.

This one would destroy.

Tristian thanked the room for being quiet and continued with his speech. “I would like to start by saying that I love my wife very fucking much. She is all I ever wanted. This life. Our son. She’s mine. To this day, I think I love her more than I did when we got engaged and married. Became a family. I have done everything I can for her. I’ve given her my heart and soul. Hell, I’ve given her every new car she could ever want, every designer purse.” He chuckled. “There is nothing on this damn planet that this lovely woman wants. Except…” He reached for her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and tugging her close to the side of his body.

Our eyes stayed locked together; nothing or no one for that matter could ever break that between us.

I had that.

It belonged to me.

I knew the second the words fell from his lips, that would be it. Our glass house would shatter around us. The last tether would be cut for good.

“Does my wife love me?” Tristian snidely questioned. “More than she loves m-”

And just like that, the rope was cut in two.

Except it also sliced…

My heart was in two.

“Tristian!” I chimed in. “I think you’ve had enough to drink!”

“And here comes my baby brother, the hero to the rescue!”

Juliet added, “I think Romeo is right. Can someone please take the mic from him, please?”

Well shit…

I guess not only did our mother know what was happening, but our baby sister did as well.

Tristian pushed away one of the associates when he tried to grab the microphone out of his hand.

Did he have a death wish?

In six long strides, I was yanking the mic out of Tristian’s hand myself.

“Always the fucking hero,” he belligerently snapped.

I grabbed ahold of his head from the back of his neck and whispered in his ear, “You won’t even remember this in the morning, and by then, the damage you’re trying to inflict will already be done. It’s not her I’m trying to save; it’s you.”

I didn’t allow him the chance to fight me; I gripped his arm and dragged him into his office. Pretty much throwing him on his ass.

“What the fuck, man?” I snarled through a clenched jaw. Before I could shut the door behind me, Eden followed us in. Slamming the door behind her.

“How could you be such an asshole?” she roared, getting in his face. “Do you have any idea what you could have done? It’s our son’s birthday party! Do you have no decency?”

“Decency?” he repeated, obviously offended. “You want to talk to me about decency?”

“Yes! I do!” she bit back. “I’m sick and tired of you blaming me for something I haven’t done!”

“Haven’t done now? Or haven’t done since we said our vows?”

“For the love of God, Tristian! What are you accusing me of?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about!”

“Then just say it! I’m sick of playing these games with you! Just say what you want to know!”

“Eden, don’t-”

Interrupting me, Tristian seethed, “DID YOU FUCK MY BROTHER, YOU WHORE?!”

I fell back from the impact of his words, his question, his wrath.

Eden’s fist was in his face, cold clocking him right in the jaw. His head swooshed back from the force of her assault.

“Don’t you ever speak to me like that again!”

With his hand on his mouth, he moved around his jaw, realizing she had just hit him. He gripped the front of her dress, and that was when I stepped in and made him let her go.

“She didn’t fuck me, Tristian,” I lied, having enough of this. She didn’t need to pay for my sins. “There. Feel better now? Let it go.”

“I’ll let it go when you let her go,” he asserted, standing tall and proud. “She’s my wife, and I’ve waited long enough, don’t you think?”

Eden affirmed, “It’s in your head, Tristian. When are you going to let this obsession go? I’m married to you. We share a son. What more do you want from me that I’m not already giving you?”

“I don’t believe Romeo for a second; I want to hear you say it. Tell me, say the words. Did you fuck my brother?”

Her eyes widened as if she was standing on trial, and in a jaded way, she was.

We both were.

I never imagined it would be my brother who was handing out our execution.

“Here’s your chance, Eden. Tell me the truth.”

With her stare solely concentrated on him, she uttered, “What does it matter? I married you, didn’t I?”

“Is that a yes then?”

“Eden, don’t-”

“Mind your business, Romeo. This is between my husband and me.”

I stayed silent, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

He was going to lose his shit; there would be no coming back from this if she told him the truth. Our lives would be forever changed, our paths forever altered.

This would be the moment he’d lose himself, and there’d be no hope for him.

She stepped toward him, once again getting close to his face. “Tristian, I love you. You know that I love you. Why does it matter to you? I married you. We’re a family. I’m here. I’m right here. Standing in front of you, begging you to let this go and just let us be happy. You’re punishing me when I chose you.”

“Chose me, Eden? Or settle for me?”Eden

I couldn’t do this anymore.

I was exhausted from trying to save my marriage. Trying to pretend like I hadn’t already lost him.

I think he was gone before we even said, “I do.”

This wasn’t the man I had grown up with. The one I was supposed to live happily ever after with. Spend the rest of my life by his side. This person was someone I didn’t know, recognize, or want any part of. This wasn’t the home I wanted to raise Naz in. It was unhealthy, and he was too young to see it for what it was, but soon we wouldn’t have that leisure.

The last thing I wanted was for him to think this was what love was supposed to be.

It wasn’t.

Not even close.

“What more can I do to have the old Tristian back? Huh?” I pleaded. I wasn’t on my knees, although it felt like I was. “Please…” I reached for him. “Come back to me.”

“You didn’t answer my question, Eden. Did. You. Fuck. My. Brother?”

I inhaled a deep, solid breath.

This was my chance to set us free, in hopes that it would be the end of his drinking.

His anger.

This downright uncertainty we were both living in.

I gave him what he wanted, explaining, “It was before we were married.”

I could feel Romeo burning a hole in my back.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

If Tristian was shocked, he didn’t show it in the least.

He didn’t show me anything.

“When?” he simply asked.

“I just told you. It was before we were married. You got what you wanted, what you’ve been adamant about knowing. Now, can you please let it go?”

He stepped back, away from me. Making his way toward the door.

“Careful, Eden… words can be sharper than knives, and truths can slice you open.”

He took one last look at me, shifting his eyes toward Romeo.

Surprising us both, he spoke with execution…

“The night of our dinner rehearsal, you left your jacket in her suite. May want to ask her what she did with it. It was a nice fucking jacket.