Page 46 of Revenge

He topples sloppily over the side, hitting a limb on the lower railing as he goes, likely breaking his arm.

I look back at my wife. She hasn’t moved to climb in the boat. She’s still staring up at me, stricken.

What? What is it?

What does she want from me?

I aim my pistol at her father, who is already climbing in the boat. He yanks the rope free from The Honeymoon’s ladder and starts the engine of the boat as Dahlia climbs in.

And then they’re gone.

My revenge has been undone.

It’s gone flat.

And I don’t even care.

The rage in me is quiet.

In fact, I feel nothing at all.

I’m totally blank. Empty. As dead as the bloody bodies strewn across the slick deck.

It’s over.

My revenge plan, my marriage, my plans for the future. I just conceded everything to a little blonde debutante who sings like a bird.

Dahlia

My father paces back and forth, a blanket from the bed draped around his shoulders. We’re at a hotel in Miami, and he is on the phone with Senator Reese, Jake’s father, talking about the logistics and illegality of getting U.S. Marines down here to take Antonio out.

I go into the bathroom and step into the shower, my wet clothing still on. I stand under the spray for a long time, then I sit down on the tile floor and hold my head in my hands.

What have I done?

What has my father done?

And Antonio?

Men died today over this feud. I should be applauding my father’s new plan, but I can’t. I’m just sick over all of it.

None of this had to happen, starting with my father condemning Antonio to prison for a crime he didn’t commit.

I guess we truly are Romeo and Juliet, and this all ends in tragedy.

The image of Antonio’s body being one of the many corpses we left on that yacht today makes me choke with a sob. The numbness cracks, and I break down–full-on, ugly crying.

How would I feel if Antonio had been killed today? It would have been all my fault. I’m the one who delivered the message to my father about where to find us. I saw the shock of betrayal in Antonio’s expression when he realized what I’d done, and it makes my stomach knot and twist.

Does he hate me now, too?

The thought leaves me broken. Bereft. I didn’t even want to leave the yacht when I jumped over the side. I wanted to run back to Antonio’s bed and crawl back in his arms.

Oh, God. Was it only this morning that we made love? It feels like years ago. Centuries.

Lifetimes have passed since he kissed me.

I scrub my hands over my cheeks, my tears mixed with the shower water.