Bound to Him

Chapter 30

𝓜𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓮

He's gone. And I don't feel sad or anything for that matter. As I stand here in all black, surrounded by gloomy silence.

After Dante proposed he got a call from my brother. My father died a week after I went missing. They've been trying to contact me since then but I don't have a phone at the moment.

The bastard was sick and told no one. I'm not the least bit surprised.

"I guess I should be thanking you. You are the reason I'm happily in love now. I thought I hated Dante, but that wasn't the case, I hated you Dad. I hated that you wouldn't listen to a word I had to say, or how you only saw me as some trophy to show off to your friends."

That's how I truly felt. I was an asset he would auction for the best buyers. A prize he loved to show off.

When I turned eighteen I was no longer his daughter but an object. And I hated everything I had to go through.

"You didn't care if they were too touchy. Surely you noticed or did you just try your best to ignore it because you wanted more money in your pocket."

I take a deep breath, I feel like I might throw up just thinking back on the shit he let slide. I know he was capable of love, because he loved my mother. But to treat your wife with so much love and respect and then completely give your eldest the little scraps. It's crazy.

How can a man give so much but still so little. It was like everything before was all an a show. You made me love you, idolize you then threw me to the wolves.

"You didn't even apologize, we're you even sorry to begin with? I highly doubt it. The funny thing is I put up with all that shit because I wanted to make you happy. I'm living for me now dad, not for you."

The rain starts to fall, adding to my sour mood. How fitting. I don't even bother to move, my eyes locked onto my father grave. I can't find it in me to move.

One second I'm being soaked by the rain then there's an umbrella sheltering me. I know exactly who it is.

"Thank you for being the dad of the year." That's the last thing I say to him before Dante takes me away.

"You know if you give me a list of those men I can have them permanently removed."

I chuckle. Then release a hysterical laugh. I know he's being serious, I'm sure he would love to do just that.

"You don't have to do that. I want to put all of that behind me and live the rest of my life happy with the man I love."

He takes his jacket off, holding it out for me to put on. I slip into the larger material, instantly engulfed with his scent and warmth.

"I can do that." He places a kiss against my soaked hair.

"I feel better, kind of."

"Let it out, let it all out amore mio."

And I do. For the first time I release everything I'm feeling. I scream at the top of my lungs not caring about everyone else around us.

Now I feel like I can breathe. And I cry. I cry for the girl who had to put up with so much shit.

I cry for me.

——

"Marie were you crying?" My mother asks as I step into the kitchen of my old home.

"Um yeah,"

"Il mio topolina, I miss him too."

I shouldn't correct her and let her believe I'm grieving my father.

"I'm not crying because of him mamma,"

"How could you say that?"

Those words didn't come from my mother, but my sister, Carmen.

"He was our father and he loved us."

I chuckle. "He sure had a funny way of showing it. Carmen he may have showed you fatherly love but that wasn't the case for me." 

My mother stays quiet, the look on her face I'm not sure what to make of it. This isn't the time or place to be having this conversation.

"Listen, I don't want to have this conversation right now, Care"

She looks as though she wants to keep arguing so I motion towards our mother. She lets the conversation end there.

I hate my dad but I'm thankful that his awful parenting got me with this man. Even if Dante had something to do with it. If not for him coming to my dad that day I probably would have been married off to somebody else.

The thought alone is crazy. I can't see myself with anyone but this man. Good thing he's isn't going anywhere and neither am I.

I'm bound to him after all.

——