His Return

16~

"Whatever life I've led for the past eight years, I promise it was misery."

Michael's POV

Misery- that was one was to describe the past eight years. Agony was another.

I spent eight years in agony, praying that I could get away. Praying I would be able to see my wife and children again - without bringing a target onto their backs.

"Valentino," A voice I hadn't heard in six years, since he left me for dead in an alleyway, causes my head to dart upward. My chest clenches- it's over. I've spent six years in a dream land, and now my real life nightmare was here for me. "Il too tempo é in piedi." (Your time is up). Sebatiano's stance widens, and he pulls his leather jacket back to reveal the revolver that rests behind his belt. "La vacanza è finite. Padre chiede il too ritorno. O ti farà premiere da solo." (Your vacation is over. Father demands your return. Or he'll get you himself.)

He spits the word vacation, as if he hasn't spent the past six years believing I was dead.

"Lo vedo." (I see). I stand from the desk in the empty class room, careful to keep the panic out of my eyes and my wedding band from his line of vision. They know where I am, where I work, it was naive of me to think I could do this - be happy. I gulp thickly, swallowing down the fear, panic, and heartache that starts to drown me. "How did you find me?" I attempt to stall him while I slowly use my thumb to push my wedding band up and off my finger, before tightly clenching it in my fist.

Sebastiano shrugs. "What matters is that you're alive and if I don't bring you back, neither of us will be for much longer."

"Buono." (Good.) I watch as he squints, his eyes that I know match my own darken.

"I knew you were in this town but I didn't know where." He steps toward me, just a few steps, then he stops, resting his hand on the gun. "Luck was on my side this morning when I saw you in that café where you bought two cups of coffee." His tone drops threateningly low. "Should I go to the hospital and figure out were the other cup went."

Don't show emotion. Don't let him know. I know for a fact that Seb doesn't follow code, he'll kill Kate if he finds her. Despite knowing, that according to code, he can't touch her.

"Non pensavo di sì." (I didn't think so.) A cruel grin crosses his face. "You know what I can do, so I suggest you move." He motions to the door, and I move toward it, walking out of the classroom. Nodding to my students who give me an odd look as I walk aside my brother, I continue to the front of the school. The black SUV waiting outside causes my stomach to roll, my ride to hell has tinted windows so I can't see who's inside. I can only pray that HE's not, not now.

"Get in." Sebastiano shoves me toward the door, and I obey him. He'll shoot up this school, if I even think about disobeying.

Once he closes the door, I quickly put the ring in my shoe, pulling my wallet from my pocket and getting the two photos I keep in there. The small one from Kate and I's wedding day and the folded one from Christmas last year, they quickly follow my ring. Then my wallet is shoved back into my pocket just as Seb opens the door.

From where I sit, I can see the preschool playground. I watch the children, my twins specifically, race down the small set of slides.

'I'll come back.' I silently promise. 'One way or another, I'd find my way back to you.'

I've gained so many scars over the years, more than I had as a child, but none of them ever hurt- not really. By the time I was back in New York, I was numb. I was never supposed to have a wife, I was never supposed to even consider having a family. Kate changed that, the moment she knelt over me, I was actually convinced the lamp light behind her was a halo, she was my saving grace. She was the hope I had never felt before. And now, she can't look at me. I may be lying about a lot of things at the moment but not about the divorce papers, I would never. The PI she hired, preyed on her emotions, lied to her, and convinced her that he found me when he didn't. I also didn't lie when I told her it took me three weeks to find her. The letter I left her, told her to stay put, that I'd be back.

Dread like I'd never felt before filled me when they weren't home.

Then jealousy, an emotion I had never even felt, just about killed me the night I finally found her - asleep on the couch with Sam. The sight caused me to stumble. She was mine. At first, I didn't care if I had to take her from the white coat, she was my wife. The moment Arianna stepped out on the porch, I felt as if my whole world was burning. For the split moment that I thought she was white coat's, I was in more pain than I'd ever been - despite all the forms of torture I've experienced. No knife, no bullet had cut deep enough to hurt like the thought of my wife moving on. Despite the fact that she deserved it, and despite the fact that I, in the letter, had told her that she could if I was gone for too long.

But Arianna was mine, and she was the best thing to happen to me in eight years, in fact the only good thing. Kate couldn't know what's transpired over the past eight years, but I could promise that this time, I'd never have to leave again.

I have been obsessed with this woman since the moment my eyes were able to focus on her in the hospital and I have loved her for almost just as long. Before, I had never felt a thing for anyone except my mother. When my father killed me mother, I refused to feel anything

So, if I can get her to forgive me, we can move on, we can be happy again and that's just what these papers will do. Help her to forgive me.

"Kate," I hold out the stack of papers. "Please."

***

Um, yeah... so that...