When The Wrong One Loves You Right 3: Forever And Always

Chapter 54: Things we could have been

Vince's POV

"No matter what Piccola." I said holding her close to me.

I felt her body grow heavy and she relaxed against me and her breathing even out as a rock the swing back-and-forth slowly. I listen to the crickets chirp and the wind move through the trees dying leaves. I understood why Sergio and Ana would've come here to run away. It's quiet. I'm sure they played in the creek every day. Ana would've splashed Sergio and he would've chase her through the fields. I'm sure they both would have found a tree and climbed as high as possible to get a better view of the sunrise and the sunset. They would have sat on a branch holding hands side-by-side glued to the others hip.
Surely Sergio would've disappeared with her forever if he'd been a couple years older. He loved her the way that I loved her. So why wouldn't he?
I should've taken her after she ran off when she was thirteen. We could've been together all this time. If I had taken her she would've spent her whole life being mine and I wouldn't have had to share her with anyone. She wouldn't have had the connection with Dante that she has now. I would have been her first. I would have been the one she chose. She wouldn't have cared if Sandro showed back up in her life. She would've been mine.

The sound of the front door opening pulled me from my greedy thoughts. Ana stirred beside me as Leo took heavy steps on the wooden porch as he neared us.

"Is she sleeping?" Leo asked as he came toward us.

I nodded.

"I've never understood how you could get her to sleep anywhere. Even when she refused to go back to sleep for everyone else, you could walk in and have her sleep in five minutes." Leo said shaking his head.

"She trusts me." I answered looking down at her.

"She trusts me, but I've never had the ability to do what you do. She won't even sleep in the same room I am in normally. You even have Sandro beat." He sighed. "I have to say I'm sorry that she was ever contracted to any of you. If she could've been allowed to make her own choices from day one her life would've been so different. She would've ended up with Antonio or Adriano but I'm sure she still would've had the same infatuation with you that she has now."

"I agree. I wish she would've been able to make her own choices Leo." I paused taking a breath. "Is that why you came outside?"

"No. I came to tell you that dinner is finished. Did you want me to take her so you can eat?"

"Yeah let me lay her down and I'll be back in about 20 minutes." I said standing carefully lifting her from the wooden swing.

"Just bring her in and put her on the couch." Leo said.

"It's too noisy inside. I don't want her to wake up." I protested.

"Vince, come on. It'll take you two seconds to put her back to sleep. Take her in the living room and go eat before it's cold." He commanded.

"Did you just tell me what to do De'Marco?" I asked raising my eyebrows and questionably amused.

"I did. What are you gonna do about it?" Leo said jokingly letting his Brooklyn accent free.

"I'll tell you what I'm gonna do about it." I said mocking him in the same joking tone. "First I'm gonna take her inside and put her on the couch. Then I'm gonna kick your ass for telling me what to do."

"Oh, you're going to kick my ass?" He smiled.

"Yeah, what are you gonna do about it." I half laugh.

"I'm gonna kick your ass, but only after we eat dinner we all work so hard to put on the table."

Ana turned closer into my chest and began laughing.