Onto That Dangerous World

Chapter 40

WARNING: This story contains mature themes and is intended for mature readers.

EPILOGUE.

MARIE STEPHEN (ISABELLA)

THREE YEARS LATER.

RAGUSA, SICILIA, ITALIA.

Mr. Stephen had promised me a way out, and that was exactly what he had given me. I still remember that day three years ago. We left the cemetery, only me and him. He had sent Garrett away and Garrett didn't seem to fight him. It was there that I realized, it was Edwin's father who called the shots and not Edwin himself. While Edwin had the power, his father had the final word.

He drove me to Newark airport, right onto the tarmac where a private jet waited. He put a passport in my hand and a ton of cash, it was more money than I had ever seen in my entire life.

He said he and Gianna would come and visit me, but he had promised me that Edwin would never find out where I was and in return I made him promise that nothing bad would happen to Garrett. Because when Edwin realized I was gone, he would no doubt lose it and Garrett would suffer the consequences.

Carlisle did promise me, that no matter what, no harm would come to Garrett because of this. I hoped he had kept true to his word. It would not be fair for Garrett to suffer for a decision I had made.

Carlisle had all but pushed me on the airplane and promised he would visit in a few months. I had no idea where I was going, all I knew, Cara and Eleazar would be waiting for me when I landed. At the time I had no idea who they were. The entire flight I was a nervous mess because I had no idea what I was about to be placed into.

It turns out Cara was Carlisles half sister. The product of an affair his father had many years ago with a local young woman.

Cara was absolutely beautiful, she had olive skin, dark hair and the same bright eyes that Carlisle and Edwin had.

Cara and Eleazar were very welcoming. They took me into their home and treated me as if I were family. Eleazar had taught me how to speak Italian. It wasn't as easy as I thought, but I managed to pick it up. The more I learned, the more words I began to recognize, words that Edwin had called me.

Dolcezza, bambolina, fiorellina. Sweetheart, little doll, little flower. They were words that now left me at a loss, but none more so than amore, love. Ti amo tanto. I love you so much. He had said those words to me many nights when he thought I was asleep, when he thought I couldn't hear him. Words that I refused to think about now because it hurt.

The first few months had been hard. I didn't know what to do with myself. My mind was all over the place, everything was confusing it made my head spin. The bad dreams started that first night, in all honesty, I'm surprised I never had any before that. All I saw was blood, Dante's dead body, James laying at my feet. Anthony...Anthony's last words to me, they haunted me every night.

I had forgiven Anthony for what he had done because I realized if I didn't, I would never be able to really move on myself. But I still felt numb about him. I still did not know what to feel over his death.

Carlisle came a few months later like he had promised and he had brought Gianna with him. It was nice to see her, to see a familiar face. I was disappointed when Cara told them of my dreams, of my nightmares. She said she didn't know what to do anymore, she didn't know how to help me through them.