Scarlett Mila Marino

I stand by the window, my heart pounding. I know something is wrong, why won't he just tell me?
He didn't even kiss me goodbye like he usually does. He didn't reassure me, nothing.

No tonight was different. The way he rushed out, his face unreadable, he was straight up lying to me.

Keeping something from me.

I pull up my phone and dial Lucas number. I press the call button and wait for him to answer. I need to know where he went.

"Hello, Scarlett?" Lucas answers.

"Is Rowan with you?" I ask.

Silence follows.

"Am I supposed to say yes?" He whispers to someone, I'm guessing Theodore.

"No Luc, you're supposed to tell her the truth." Theodore's voice cuts through.

"No Rowan is not with us, Scarlett." Theodore takes over the phone call.
Oh no.

"Where is he then?" I ask anxiety taking over me.
Why was he lying?
What if he...no he would never do such thing. He would never cheat on me, right?

"I'm not sure." Theodore says.

"You don't think he's with someone else, right?" I ask embarrassed of my own question. They know exactly what I mean. God why am I even doubting him.

He would never do that to me. I know that.
It was a stupid question.

"Gosh Scarlett, of course not! That man loves you." Lucas says.

"I know, I know, I just...he was lying to me before he left. And it got in my head." I admit.

"That's not like him. We'll help you look, don't worry." Theodore says and I thank them.

***

I take the car to where they are and we start looking. Lucas calls Rowan's driver.

"What is he even doing there?" Lucas asks on the phone with the driver that drove Rowan.

Theodore and I look at each other wondering what's happening.

"We'll be there as fast as we can. Make sure he's well protected." Lucas says before ending the call.

He turns to us and we both look at him confused, waiting for an answer, an explanation as to why Rowan was lying.

"He's at his fathers house."

Fucking hell. He's what now?

Oh I'm going to be pissed at him when we get back home. How could he not tell me that? He went there knowing I would've said no.

"Let's go." I say grabbing my bag and the boys follow me back outside.

"He's in so much trouble." Lucas jokes as we get in the car.

"Yeah and he has a lot of explaining to do." I add.

***

Theodore drives us to the location. And surprisingly there is no guards except Rowan's.

I move past them and open the front door. If that asshole has dared to touched my husband, I'll end him too. That is a promise.

Rowan spots me and immediately moves to cover me. Protect me with his body. "You shouldn't be here, get out now." He orders.

"Neither should you, what are you doing here, with him?" I question still mad at him for not telling me.

"How touching. The lovebirds together again." Alessandro says.

"Shut up old man, what do you want!" I shout at him now turning my gaze to him. I've had enough of him.

He smiles, liking the challenge.

"My son already knows, he'll hand it to me, and then..." he says but I interrupt him. Suddenly feeling bold. I'm sick of his twisted games.

"He won't give anything to you. This ends here. You can't keep using him like this, I won't allow it." I say speaking directly to him.

Alessandro's face darkens.

He pulls a gun from his jacket, the movement slow and deliberate, like he's savouring the moment.

But before he can pull the trigger Rowan throws himself over his father, making the gun hit the floor.
Rowan lands hits on Alessandro's face. Again and again.

"I said, leave her..." Hit.
"Out. Of. This." He says landing punches in between each word. Alessandro's face is covered in his own blood.

Rowan's eyes has turned dark, and I can't recognise him anymore.

"Rowan! Get up. He's not worth it!" I yell trying to pull him back up.

He's out of breath. When he stands up he grabs the gun from the floor.

His father smiles through the pain. His teeth covered in blood. "You...you can't do it." He says coughing.

Rowan points the gun at his father. His hands shaking.
He doesn't use guns.
He told me, he can't do it.
And I can see the fight he's having with himself.

"You don't have it in you son." Alessandro says.
Lucas, Theodore and a few guards runs inside.

So Alessandro was all alone after all? Stupid.

"You wanted me to be you, to be a monster. But I'm not. I'm not you. Not your legacy, and this is where it ends." Rowan says.

His fingers tighten around the trigger. "You've thought me how to kill, father. And now you'll get a taste of that." He says.

"Look at you...you're exactly what I wanted you to be." Alessandro says with one final smile. Evil.

The shot rings out, loud and final.

He's done it. My hands tremble as I reach for the gun in his hand and throw it away. I can see the fight in his mind. He's back to when his sister died. This is the first time he's used the gun since that day.
This is not good.

"Rowan..." I don't really know what to say.

He breathes heavily. "Everyone out." He yells looking over his shoulder. And they all leave.

Alright he needs time, I get that. I move slowly but Rowan grabs my wrist, stopping me in place.
"Where are you going?"

"You said everyone out..." I remind him.

"Not you. Never you, Mila." He almost breaks in front of me.

I hug him tightly. His head digging into my neck.
"I think I'm going insane. I...I feel like I can't breathe." He says pulling back slightly to loosen his tie.

"I...I killed him...I'm just what he..." he can barley breathe.

I grab his face. Making him look at me.
"Hey, hey. Easy. Look at me."

Rowans eyes land on mine. "You saved me." I say. I need him to understand that he did this for me. For himself. For us.

His eyes search mine, looking for something, anything that will ground him. Then he slowly softens.

"If you hadn't jumped in I wouldn't be..." he puts a finger onto my mouth.

"Don't say it. I...I did what I had to." He agrees. Now slowly getting back to himself.

There's my man.

I nod. "Thank you for saving me." I say rubbing his cheek with my thumb.

"Are you ready to go?" I ask, not wanting to stay in a room where his dead father is laying.

He nods then grabs my hand and guides me outside.

I feel like this was kind of rushed, so I apologise, but I really couldn't stand the father. He had to go>>>