Marked by Crime Rivalry Book2 [✓]

P7

CARTER chuckled as he faced the window. "You don't want to be around Teresa once alcohol is in her system"

Her mouth dropped and she smacked his arm in annoyance. "Hey" She put her hand out like a mom preparing to lecture. "I get a little out of character but I am happily ma-" Carter rose an eyebrow, halting her sentence and then her eyes scanned her family who all awaited for her to finish the sentence.

But she didn't. Instead, her hand dropped as she huffed remembering what they all knew. "Engaged." She whispered. "Happily Engaged"

Her eyes averted in disappointment and she heard Nina sigh which brought the water to her eyes. Damn her sensitivity. Georgia and Nina both hugged her, rubbing her arms and Teresa just felt worse.

It wasn't a drop of a heart, it was the contraction. Squeezing so harshly at the disappointment, it hurt. Because she wanted so badly to be married to the man she loved. The one she wanted to wake up too early in the bright beautiful and peaceful morning. To kiss him and smile as if they were high in heaven's clouds. In his arms of security every second of the day.

A dream.

She shook her head, her thumb coming up to catch her tear. "I-I just look at the ring every single day and it's on my finger, I'm wearing it. It's mine but not really. I'm not married. I'm not even fucking engaged!" Her eyes closed tightly as she sniffled.
"I mean I only wear it because..." She tossed her hands in the air. "It doesn't even matter. I just want this prolonged bullshit in our lives to end so we can move on. I need him to get better so we...so we can get better."

Rome and Carter watched as the women comforted her. Carter knew what she felt, when she returned to Italy, no one could care for her as he did. They couldn't hold her, kiss her tears away, rock her in their body and try to convince her she was okay. That could make a smile appear on her face, and keep her laughing enough to distract her from her bullshit unfortunate life. They wouldn't understand. They couldn't because they never saw her at her lowest. Not Adriano, not even Luciano. Just him.

So as he sat there, he refrained from being that man for her again because she had a family too. "Big sis you know Luciano loves you to death" Rome smiled and Carter smacked his head making him cough out in embarrassment. "No pun intended. Sorry" He decided to stay in the back after that comment but Teresa shook her head, unaccepting an apology.

"No" She sniffled. "You shouldn't have to say no pun intended. That's the problem. What he did was not fucking acceptable, it was ludicrous and selfish and so fucking reckless!" She bellowed in tears. She wielded her pain as if it was a sword. So bravely and powerful. Sometimes a sword would need improvement over time, give it high maintenance, and just like Teresa's pain, and her emotions, they needed therapy like a blade needed a bladesmith to make them better.

However, a blade was interchangeable. Need a new part? One could be made, added and the sword would wield perfectly. Luciano wasn't interchangeable and that's why it was so difficult.

What he did scar her for life. She wouldn't ever forget the blank stare in his empty eyes. Wouldn't ever stop seeing the pills on the ground, there were 6 of them. She wouldn't forget the colored lights of the ambulance or when they carried him on the stretcher.

Still, even knowing this, Carter understood Luciano. He hadn't agreed with his lack of coping mechanism but how could he truly understand what went inside his head? So he laid his hand on Teresa, his voice soothing and low in a whisper as he said, "Maybe you should ease up on him" Her eyes widened.

Yes, shocking, he was on Luciano's side.
"Teresa, you can't possibly understand how he, as an individual felt or what he went through without you. Yes, you had been nearly destroyed as well, but you had me. You had your children. What did he have? He went through literal hell, he felt damned without you, Teresa. He lost hope and I mean he thought he found it when he found you, and in no way is it your fault but when he realized you hadn't wanted this life anymore, wanted him, it was gone." Carter had begun to realize her tears running faster. He never wanted to seem like it was her fault but Teresa needed reality.