Chapter Forty-Eight

Zach

The day after Irene left, Zach decided to go and visit his father at the clinic. He decided to not think about her and not drown in self-pity, as no one would be able to get anything useful out of him.

He quietly opened the door of his father’s room and peeked in. To his surprise, his father was awake and looking him directly in the eyes.

“Good morning, Dad,” he said, as he closed the door and sat in the chair next to the bed.

“Good morning, son.” His father reached out his hand and smiled a little. “It is so good to see you. You have no idea how long I have longed to be able to hold your hand and speak to you again.”

His voice was gruff, but his eyes were bright. “I hope you realize how proud I am of you, of what you have achieved.”

Zach looked at the floor. “Thanks, Dad, it means a lot.”

“Look at me, Zachary.”

Zach shook his head.

“Why can’t you look me in the eye?”

Zach sighed. “It’s nothing. You should rest.”

“I won’t rest until I know what’s bothering you. And don’t tell me those shoes of yours are that interesting.”

Zach lifted his head and smiled a little, but it was a sour smile. A single tear escaped from his eye, but he wiped it away hastily.

Paxton, Zach’s father, frowned. “Come here, son.” He patted the space on the bed beside him and spread his arms.

Zach was quick to sit beside his father. He pushed his head against his father’s chest, and Paxton immediately wrapped his arms around his son.

Zach let everything out—all his worries, his grief, his anger, and his pain. After a while, he sat back up and dried his tears.

“Feel better?” His father looked at him with care.

Zach nodded and sat back down on his chair. “I feel like I’ve let you down. That I didn’t do enough to find you. I feel responsible,” he said with a broken voice.

Paxton shook his head. “You are not responsible for everything that happened to me. The only one who’s responsible is Mercer. No one else. Forget those feelings. You have done nothing wrong, do you hear me?”

Zach nodded and couldn’t help but feel relieved.

“Now tell me… Adrian and Jackson told me that you have met your destined? Why isn’t she here?” His father looked curious.

Zach sighed. “She needs time. She’s an outsider and was wrapped up in the whole thing with Mercer and Romero. She’s been through some shit and became scared of us.

“She needs time to think things over. I hope that she’ll accept me, but I’m not too hopeful.”

His father’s eyes widened, and he laid his hand on Zach’s arm. “Wow, you’ve had a lot on your plate then. A lot more than I thought. It must be hard for you—I can’t imagine. Is there anything I can do for you?”

Zach shook his head. “No, she needs time, so I’ll give her that. We’ll see what happens next. I’ve got a lot to do anyway, so I’ll stay distracted for a while.”

“You know I’m here for you, son. If there’s anything I can do, just tell me.”

Zach smiled. “You can get better for me. Regain your strength. That would be awesome.”

After a while with his dad, Zach walked out of the clinic again. There was a lot that needed to be done. He needed to sell his business, and he already knew who would be highly interested. He needed to sign those papers.

He needed to make sure that Romero got the punishment he deserved, together with all the others they’d captured. He needed to change his car insurance so that Irene was insured for as long as she used it.

And he needed to finish the house. He smiled while walking to the compound—he’d be busy for quite some time.

Irene

That evening, Irene walked into a pub in a short dress. She looked around to see if she could find Luca. She had agreed to meet him here; he wanted to celebrate her return.

Apparently, Joanna had already filled him in on everything that happened and why she was with the family. She still felt a bit guilty that she’d just left without letting him know but, at that moment, she couldn’t do anything about it.

She’d told him that morning everything that happened to her and Zach. His response stuck with her. She’d kept thinking about it for the rest of the day.

He said that she had to look at Zach, only Zach, and see what she felt for him. He told her to be honest with herself. To not blame Zach for being in the mob and living his life like a mobster.

That the only thing that counted was if she loved him or not. Everything else was unimportant.

“Irene!”

She heard her name being called and looked around. Luca waved from the bar, where he was sitting with a couple of men. She walked over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Hey Irene,” he greeted her. “You look radiant!” He gestured with his hand to the guys that were with him. “These are my colleagues. If necessary, they’ll introduce themselves to you.”

Irene looked around to see if she recognized anyone. Her gaze fell on a broad man with tattoos, holding a glass of whiskey. When their eyes met, he lifted his glass. She’d seen the man before, but where?

She dug in her memory to see where she had seen the man before. She decided to bluntly ask him and walked over to him.

“Excuse me.” She tapped his shoulder, and he turned around to face her. “I think we’ve met before, but I can’t seem to remember where or when.” She smiled at him politely.

“You are right, we have.” He smiled immediately. “How is your bad boyfriend doing?”

Her eyes grew wide, then her smile grew—she knew who he was. “Jett! It’s you! But he is not my boyfriend anymore.”

“Good for you, sweetheart.” He patted the stool next to him and she sat on it. “I think that you have a replacement already. A real mobster this time, am I right?”

She looked at him in surprise. “Er…” She looked down. “It’s complicated.”

He frowned. “Explain yourself.”

“Do you know Zachary Hunter?” she asked him.

“The famous businessman. It’s hard to not know him.” He smiled. “What’s with him?” His eyes widened. “Oh, you mean it’s him?”

She laughed a little when she saw his face. “Yes.”

“What’s so complicated about him?” He frowned again.

“I’ve been through a lot lately. I’ve been assaulted by the man you saw me with that day. And Zachary saved me just in time. I’ve been living with his family for some time. He actually is my destined.”

“Right, he’s a boss. Still, what is so complicated about him? He, above everyone in the mafia, is the most wanted mobster in the area.

“You’re one lucky girl. You’re the most loved, most protected, most satisfied”—he winked— “woman on this planet.”

Irene looked down again. “I have seen him fight, seen his whole family fight. It scared the shit out of me. I got scared of him.”

Jett frowned and rubbed his chin. “I can imagine, but you’re sitting beside a mobster right now. What is the difference between him and me?”

“I don’t know.” Irene shrugged and looked into the empty beer bottle she was holding. “I haven’t seen you fight like that, I guess.”

They were quiet for a minute. “Are you a member of a family?” she asked him.

“Yes and no.” He smiled a little. “I left my family, but I didn’t officially break with it. I left because I wanted to explore the world, though I never returned.”

“Wouldn’t you want to be with your family again someday? Irene wondered. “I understand family life is particularly important for the mob.”

“That’s why I never officially left,” he smiled. “But it’s been a very long time. I don’t know if it is a wise idea to go back again.”

“And a different family?”

“What? Do you want me to join your destined’s family or what?” He laughed loudly, throwing his head back.

“No! I didn’t mean that!” Irene looked shocked. “I just wondered.”

“Oh, sweetheart, I know,” he rubbed his eyes with his fingers. “You are a very curious lady.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

He turned his whole body and looked at her with piercing eyes. “You know what, I’ll make a deal with you.” He grabbed one of her hands. “I’ll join your destined’s family if you’ll be my donna.”

Irene frowned.

“You’ll become donna as soon as you and Zachary pledge yourselves to each other. He’ll be the don, you’ll be the donna.”

“Pledge, like brand me on the neck?” she asked.

“Yep, that’s it.”

“That’s not fair. I don’t think that is a fair deal,” she shook her head.

“Well, then I won’t join your family,” he shrugged, placed his glass on the bar, and got up from his seat.

Jett put his hand in his back pocket and took out his wallet. He opened it and got a card out. “Call me if you change your mind. I’ll be your personal bodyguard when you do.”

Just like that, he was gone, leaving Irene behind, doubting now even more if she’d made the right decision to go back to Rockdale.