Garden of Roses ✔️

Chapter 34

Dante

When I saw her scar, I felt nauseous. Not because of how it looked on her body, but because it instantly reminded me that she was still hurt. She may be healing and acting all better now, but I know it still hurts. And the mere thought of me being the person responsible for that makes me sick.

At some point, she became so important to me that I couldn't even imagine the time when I wanted to hurt her. Although, I don't know if I ever really wanted to. She was my enemy, sure, and she disrespected me and was also being quite smug about it. But I don't think I ever really wanted to bring her pain. I needed to show her that she couldn't act like that with me. I am the leader of a very powerful mafia, for fuck's sake. She needed to show me some respect. Thankfully, at the time, Camilla was smarter than me, as per usual, and stopped me from bringing her any more harm.

The way she looked now. Vulnerable, sad, and embarrassed. I didn't think she would notice my reaction to seeing her scar, but she obviously did, and now I made her feel uncomfortable. God, when will I stop harming this woman? I tried to make it better. I tried to get those thoughts out of her head and show her just how beautiful I think she is, but I only made her cry. Damn it. I just can't do it right, can I?

I have to do something that will make her happy. And like, right now. Quick, what would she like? What would she like?

"Do you like trampolines?" The thought just pops into my mind, and I blurt it out before even thinking about it. It's stupid. Why would she like trampolines? She's a grown woman, not a kindergartner. I have to think of something better. Think... what would cheer her up right now?

"Umm, yes," she exclaims and breaks my stream of thoughts. She does? I look at her and I'm beyond surprised when I see a wide smile on her face. Every hint of her previous sadness has disappeared and is now replaced with excitement. She claps her hands and looks around the gym with wide eyes, searching for the mentioned trampoline. When she fails to find it, she turns back to me with slight confusion.

It takes me a second to take in her sudden happiness, and a wave of relief hits me as she waits for me to point her in a certain direction.

"Well then, follow me," I say as I take her hand and start walking towards the gym's exit.

The huge trampoline is placed outside on the grassy area near the pool. For once, I am thankful for Camilla's need for extravagancies since she was the one who insisted on purchasing it. I had no idea why, but she was determined to get it. Who would've thought it would come in handy?

As we're walking towards the grassy area, she gasps when the trampoline comes into view. Camilla had it strategically placed on the edge of the lawn, so it overlooked the breathtaking view of the valley. More than anything, she loved to watch summer sunsets from the spot.

It was still afternoon, but soon, the sun was going to start setting, and I hoped that this ecstatic woman next to me will enjoy the view as much as Camilla does.

She lets go of my hand and speed-walks towards the trampoline, hunching down to take off her sneakers in the process.

I see two guards assigned to patrol the west side of the estate stop in their tracks and look in our direction. They aren't looking at me. No, they are looking at her. I turn to her and immediately see what caught their attention. The woman is still shirtless, only in her sports bra and sweatpants. My head snaps back to the guards. Seeing them undress the little clothing she had left with their eyes sends a raging impulse through my whole body. My jaw and fists clench and unclench furiously as they stand there still, practically begging me to snap their necks on the spot.