CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

ARIES

They say time heals a broken heart, but that's a fucking lie. It has been two months since Dalia told me it was over, without saying a goddamn word to me. No conversation, not a damn thing. In less than twenty-four hours after the last time she was mine, her phone was disconnected. Security follows her around at the safehouse. They wait outside of the room when she goes in with patients; however, I've been instructed that if I attempt to speak to her, I'll be removed from the premises, and not be permitted to see my sister.

However, today my sister is coming home, so what have I got to lose? I've already lost the only thing that matters to me outside of my family. She is the social worker on my sister's case, so she has no choice but to talk to me.

I walk into Sierra's room and grab her bag, she gets out of the bed and waddles over to me and hugs me quickly. According to the doctor, her pregnancy is progressing well. Although I still wish the child didn't exist, oddly she was relieved to have the decision between abortion and adoption taken from her, so she didn't have to wrestle with that. I still think it's absolute bullshit that a child has to carry a child and give birth to it. If it weren't for the fact that I am handling shit myself, I probably would've fought it in court to try to get it done. Then again, it's been drilled into my head that it isn't my choice. I start to think I'm dealing with shit but every time I see her, her stomach is a glaring reminder of what was done to her, and the anger rises all over again. Anger I have to push down, so it doesn't cause more harm to her. The doctor told me while my feelings are understandable, and valid, that Sierra could internalize them. Of course that's not what I want. This isn't her fault and I don't want my emotions to make her think otherwise.

Dalia comes into the room and hands me paperwork. She looks as stunning as she always does, but a little more tired. I want to ask if she's okay. I need to know that she is, but instead I pinch my lips shut as she begins to speak, "This has all the outside referrals your sister will need, as well as information on how to handle her labor. The adoptive parents' contact information is in there as well."

Finally, I tell myself it's now or never, "Thank you. Can we talk for just five minutes? It wasn't my-"

She shakes her head, "Move on, Aries. I have."

While I stand shell shocked from her words to me, she hugs Sierra, "Take care, honey. If you need anything, call us."

"Dalia!"

Her guard peeks his head in, "Mr. Lombardi, let's do the right thing and not cause issues. There are other traumatized girls in the building."

I huff out a breath, "Let's go."

My sister knows something was going on between Dalia and myself, but not all the gory details. I have no doubt, however, that she'll ask me a million questions that I don't have the fucking energy for.

Of course, I want my sister to go home and get back to a normal life, but I'm also devastated because this is my final line to Dalia. As I leave this place, I know I've lost her for good. I know that much, but what I don't know is how to go on without her. When someone breathes life into your pitch black soul, how do you live without them?

As I drive her back to my mom's house, she asks, "Aries. Are you okay?"

I shake my head, "I'm not but I will be, don't worry."

"Did you try flowers? Marcy says girls love flowers."

I laugh, "I don't think that'll work this time."

After dropping my sister off, I do the same fucking thing I've done for the last month. I walk into my bedroom, turn the tv on, and play the videos I recorded of Dalia.

"I miss you, baby. Fuck, I miss you so much. I don't think I can do this without you."

Talking to the fucking video of her might be a clear sign that I'm officially losing it, but I don't even care, because I'd rather be insane than to deal with the reality of never holding her again. I watch the video of her laughing in bed with me, her smile from ear to ear, the brightness in her eyes, as she gazes at me with so much love it guts me. We were happy. Really fucking happy.

I considered telling her about that day her brothers asked my father for help, so many damn times. Every time I tried, I got tongue tied with the fear of losing her. Would it have changed anything if I had told her? I guess I'll never fucking know. I turn the volume up on the tv to listen to my favorite part of the video, "I love you, Aries Lombardi. I'm glad you're my husband."

"Prove it," I say on the video.

She giggles seconds before taking my cock into her mouth. This is all I have now. Jerking off to movies of her giving herself to me, those declarations of love, and the knowledge that she's moved on.

Grabbing my phone, I text Domenic.

Me: Please let me talk to her and explain. I wasn't the head of the family, it wasn't my choice.

Domenic: I'm not keeping her from you. She doesn't want to see you or hear your explanations.

Me: I love her. Think about how you'd feel if this was your wife.

Domenic: You know the rule about my wife. If she wants to see you then she'll contact you.

I throw my phone across the room, shattering the screen against the wall, and cry. Not my proudest moment, considering I was raised that men never cry. Not when babies are born, not at a funeral. Yet here I am, and suddenly I know with absolute certainty that I will never survive her. The people in our world talk about what they call The Dalia Effect. The way she pulls you in and puts you under some sort of spell. The more you know her, the more you don't want to lose her. Like a slice of heaven too perfect to hold onto by a man like me. My life is about to become more dangerous because I no longer have anything to live for. At least if I'm dead, this pain in my chest will vanish. Then I come up with the perfect plan.

The madness is creeping in. I'm getting ready to do something insane and stupid in equal measure. I don't care, because nothing matters without her. This is like a poor man winning the lottery only to be destitute once again the very next day. Giving a man a taste of happiness in the purest form, only to take it from him, will drive him insane. It will push him over the edge and make him concoct the craziest plans. Am I going to get myself killed? Possibly, but I don't really fucking care at this point. I've had the only thing I want out of this life, the only thing that ever brought me any peace, and without her I can't live. I can only survive a pathetic existence.

I stand at the gate to Domenic's house, a gun held to his security guy's head, "I want to see Dalia."

He doesn't move but says, "She's not here anymore."

"Where is she?"

"I don't fucking know," he groans as Domenic comes running out of the house, ordering me to drop my gun, "What the fuck are you doing, Lombardi?"

I move the firearm to Domenic's face, "I want to see her."

He shakes his head in annoyance, "I told you, she doesn't want to see you."

"Call her and tell her if she doesn't get over here right now to talk to me, I'm putting a bullet in her brother's head."

Domenic arches an eyebrow, "Go home, man. It's over. We both know you aren't going to kill Dalia's brother. Look, I feel for you a little bit, but you did this to yourself. Now, get the fuck off my property."

DALIA

Giada stands beside me, holding my hair, while I vomit for the hundredth time into the toilet.

"I think it's time you take the test I gave you."

Wiping my hand across my face, I flush the toilet and get up and go to the sink to wash my hands, and brush my teeth.

"It's not that. It's the anxiety of this entire situation with Aries. Stress makes me physically sick, you know that, Gia."

She frowns at me through the mirror, "I still think you should take it, just so you know."

"I miss him," I hang my head down, ready to cry yet again.

Giada sighs loudly, "I know you do but just cause he's good for your holes, doesn't mean he's good for your soul."

I burst out laughing with toothpaste in my mouth and nearly choke to death, after spitting in the sink I say, "Talking in memes again, I see."

She shrugs innocently, "They are very insightful."

Suddenly my laughter turns back to tears, "I love you. You know that?"

Reaching behind me, she hugs my back, "Well, obviously. I'm very lovable. Now take the test, please."

I glance over my shoulder at her, "Will you stay with me?"

She crinkles her nose in disgust, "Not while you pee, but after, yes."

Shaking my head at her, I grab the box she gave me three months ago that I've kept in the medicine cabinet, open it and read the directions.

Pee on the stick for five seconds, sit it on a flat surface for three minutes, and look for one or two pink lines.

Sounds easy enough.

I yell for her after I place it on the counter, and she comes running in and we both stare at the test, as pink color runs from one side to the other. Two lines appear and I groan, "I'm pregnant."

Always the optimist, she says, "You're going to be a mom."

I glance at her as I shake my head, "I'm going to be a single mom."

Placing her arm around me, she squeezes my shoulder gently, "You will be an amazing mother but are you going to tell him?"

I shouldn't be surprised to find out I'm carrying his child, because we've had unprotected sex more times than I can count, and had I been paying attention I would've known something was off a week ago. I wasn't so sick I couldn't keep food down, but I had a constant unsettled stomach, and fatigue like I never experienced before. I should've known, but I chalked it up to the stress of everything that's been going on. Anybody that found out what I did about Aries would feel a little nauseous. It's still so unbelievable to me that the man I knew could leave a woman and child in that situation, when he was in the position to help. My parents could still be here. That's the worst part, it's not what happened to me, it's that I lost my mom in the process, and then my father when he couldn't handle the pain.

Shaking my head, I say, "No. He doesn't even want kids. He'd be grateful to be left out of it."