Vera

chapter 7

S O R E N
P R E S E N T   D A Y

Dinner was surprisingly pleasant. Vera and Emmy were missing from the dinner but I got to meet Cassio's brother, Donnley who was an assassin in training. He was only eighteen years old but he seemed highly passionate about his training. He was the only person I paid attention to because I couldn't focus on anything but Emmy and Vera.

I'm gonna go after my Capo's fiance. Am I prepared for this? No. Do I know what to say to Vera when I get her alone? No. Is this even going to work out? I hope so.

I opened the door to my new home for the next couple of months, flicking the lights on. My eyes immediately land on the figure sitting on my bed with her legs crossed, while she leaned back on her arms that were pressed into the bed behind her.

"Mancini."

"Vera."

My eyes trail her body, she had leggings and a sports bra on. Her hair was tied into a ponytail and I had the sudden urge to wrap my hand around it and pull her. She rolls her eyes, already knowing what I'm thinking about.

"Why are you in my room?"

"You can't tell Emmy you're her dad." Great, straight to the point.

I hated the idea of not telling my little girl that I'm her dad, that she has one and he's here for her. I wanted to argue, I couldn't because I could've killed my little girl and her mother.

I let out a long sigh, "When's her birthday?"

"July 1st."

"Her birthday is in three weeks?" I ask and she replies with a simple nod. She's almost four years old. Almost four years that I've missed out on her life. Fuck.

"Were there any complications because of the..." I trailed off not being able to mutter those words out of my mouth.

She shakes her head, "No, I went full term. I only needed a blood transfusion and it was already there by the time I arrived at the hospital."

I didn't want to ask this question, but I needed to know. "How did you survive?"

The corners of her lips tug up a little before they flatten as if she doesn't want to let me see that soft smile of hers again. I didn't deserve it but I still wanted to see it. "My cousins were trailing me for a while because my dad had suspected I was sneaking off to see a guy. They found me and took me to our hospital where I got revived."

She used to talk a lot about her cousins, how they were like her own siblings because she didn't have any. I'm so glad they found her, so glad she's breathing and alive. Both of them.

"I'm sorry. I really am, Vera." I step closer to the bed, and her eyes flick up from the ground so she's on guard. Her eyes are calculating, and process every bit of emotion a person shows. She knows my apology is genuine but her eyes remain cold.

"I've forgiven you a long time ago, Soren." I internally wince when she called me by my first name. Never in the three years, I knew her did she call me by that name. It was always Mancini, Ren, or something along the lines of asshole, bastard, or dickhead. God, I missed it so much. "But I'm still mad."

"I understand."

"I– fuck." She mutters to herself, "I'd like for you to be around Emmy."

My heart jumps and flips in my chest with excitement. "Why? I mean yes, I'd like that too but why?"

She shrugs, "It seems like it is the right thing to do for all of us."

"Kohl won't mind?" The fact that I even asked this question, makes me want to hit myself. Like I care what he thinks. The only person I'd seek permission from so I can be around my daughter is Vera.