And Then They Died

Chapter 16

Allegra's POV

Vince looks me up and down before he starts.

"I'm sorry for everything. I love you... I miss everything we had. I miss everything I had the privilege of having..." His voice sounds sincere but he was never good at apologizing was he?

"You kidnapped my best friend.... You cheated on me. You lied to me, you betrayed me. How can you say that you're sorry when you...... you didn't choose me." Finally seeing him brought up so many emotions that I kept hidden. It was only when that feeling at the pit of my stomach moved that I knew for sure that I wasn't over him. I still loved him and I hated it.

"I won't hurt Ace. Just like how I won't hurt you."

"Won't hurt me? You shot a gun at my face, you dragged me to the edge of a fifteen story building, you have kidnapped me. You have hit me, choked me, threatened my life and-" I pause.

Is he seriously staring at my lips right now?

"And you only want me for my body" I slap him across his cheek and he finally gives me as much attention as he was begging for.

"Ok I deserved that. We both know I only did those things because we were fighting. That's what enemies do".

"I didn't want you to be my ENEMY I wanted you to be my LOVER" My voice breaks as I shout the word at him realizing what I had just admitted.

Vince did not mock me or laugh. He just stood there with an unrecognizable look on his face.

"You don't think I want the same?" His voice sounds sincere and vulnerable.

"Clearly not because in a few days I will either kill you or you me."

"You can kill me now."

"What?" His statement caught me off guard and I almost don't believe the words that came out of his mouth.

"If it makes you feel better you can just kill me now.... I would rather be dead than live without you." His voice deepens a tone and he steps closer to me.

Instinctively stepping back I shake my head no.

"I don't want you dead."

"Then tell me. Allegra." He states my name prolonging it. "What is it that you want?".

I want him to sincerely love me. I want to stop fighting. I want to be on the same side as him.

I want us to be together. I want him.

I want to cry because of the pressure forming in my chest because this may be the last time I see him where we don't fight.

"I want you to leave". I mumble, not meaning a word of it. I should hate him. I should want him dead. I should be kicking him off the damn balcony, but all I can do is look at him.

I can only look at his tattoos that are visible due to his sleeveless tee. I can only see his lips that I vividly remember making me feel good. I remember the nights we spent in each other's arms. The nights we stayed up laughing at some stupid comedy show........

All I can do is remember that one night when I thought I would lose him. We were on a mission and he got shot twice. I remember that crushing feeling in my chest. I remember how those tears rolled down my face like waterfalls.

I remember how I prayed for the first time that he would be okay and thinking about how I couldn't live if he wasn't here.

Now I realize, that kind of love doesn't just go away. And if it does it definitely takes more than three years. We had broken up four year ago technically. We stopped talking all together three years ago and we started fighting two years ago.