Book two of 'The Vengeance Duology'
Five years ago, the lads and I made the biggest mistake of our lives-a reckless decision that shattered everything.
We destroyed what mattered most, but my deepest regret is how much I hurt her.
Every moment of pa...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
As soon as my bedroom door closes, the tears start. I walk to my ensuite and splash cold water on my face, staring at my reflection in the mirror. "Fuck, Valentina, this is for the best," I say to myself, but I don't believe it. Why do I feel like this? It doesn't make any sense.
I step out of the bathroom and head into my wardrobe, grabbing a sports bra and some shorts, quickly changing into them. My fingers brush over the new tattoo on my hip—"Valencia" in elegant cursive, adorned with angel wings. I love it, a small piece of me that I got just last week, right after I shot Alessio.
I have a few tattoos now; the other two is the swallow on my other hip and butterflies on my arm—reminders of a different time, a time when everything felt simpler.
I'm about to crawl into bed when I hear a knock on my door. "I don't want to talk to anyone, Jacques. Leave me alone, please," I call out, another tear falling down my cheek, which I quickly wipe away.
"Princess, this is something you need to hear. Please come downstairs," he replies, his voice firm yet gentle.
I hesitate, my heart racing with anxiety, but deep down, I know I can't ignore him. With a resigned sigh, I push myself off the bed and make my way to the door. Opening it, I see Jacques standing there, worry etched on his face.
"What is it?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Just come downstairs," he urges, and I can see how serious he is.
Reluctantly, I nod, my stomach churning as I follow him down the stairs. Each step feels heavier than the last.
When we finally make it downstairs, I see the guys still sitting on my sofa, their expressions tense. Lucas has Phantom on his lap, stroking him absentmindedly. "What's going on? I just want to sleep, to be honest," I say, trying to keep my voice steady and mask the fact that I've been crying. But Alessio catches on immediately, giving me a knowing look that makes my stomach twist.
"You might want to sit down," Lucas says, his tone serious.
"Has something happened to Dad?" I ask Nicco, my heart racing. He shakes his head, but the uncertainty in the room makes my anxiety spike.
"Okay, then what's going on?" I say, lowering myself into a chair, the weight of their stares pressing down on me.
"It's about that day," Alessio says, his tone heavy with memories I'm not sure I'm ready to face.
"I don't want to talk about it, quite frankly," I shoot back, anger flaring as I stand up. "You stabbed me in the back, and I hate you all for it!"
Jacques gently puts a hand on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks. "Princess, I think this is something you'll want to hear," he says softly, his gaze steady and reassuring.
I look at him, searching for any hint of insincerity, but all I find is concern. "Trust me," he whispers, and I feel my resolve begin to crumble.
With a heavy sigh, I lower myself back down into the chair, "Fine. What do you want to say?"
