Original Sins by Faith Summers

39

Evie

Igrip onto the handle of the door to brace myself as Peter drives like a madman on crack.

Georgiou chases after us on his motorcycle looking like a vengeful god ready to exact vengeance.

I can’t believe I’m having such a full blown déjà vu moment. This however is worse than earlier. If the car crashes it’s not going to be like before because I’m going much faster.

Tony never got the chance to really speed up and get away before he was shot.

Georgiou rides faster and harder, managing to get close enough to shoot the side of the car. I can see he’s trying to be careful because I’m in here, but I don’t know if that’s going to be a possibility.

I’m in a speeding car with a psycho who just shot my father and Georgiou is on a motorcycle.

We’re all going too fast.

To make matters worse the river is on both sides of the road. There is no barrier for the car to crash into, just the water.

I glance back at Georgiou as he seems to go faster. He does and there’s a solemn look on his face when he steals a glance at me.

There’s only one way this can go and it’s the same way it went before.

The only difference is the location and the man driving the car.

When Georgiou holds up his gun again, I know what’s coming.

“Hold on Evie,” he shouts and in the same breath he shoots Peter in his head.

That completes the repetition of disaster that struck me earlier.

Blood splatters from Peter’s head and he falls against the steering wheel. I scream as the car swerves and speeds right over the side of the road and down into the river.

I scream as I go down, feeling my stomach fly into my throat then tumble.

When the car hits the water it goes down fast and feels like it’s being dragged under with me inside.

That feels like it goes on forever. When it eventually stops, the inside of the car fills up within two minutes.

I’d tried my best to keep my head above the water but I didn’t stand a chance.

Now the last bit of oxygen is leaving me and I have no choice but to open my mouth.

I bang on the windows as my lungs fill with water. I’m fighting although I know this is the end.

I bang hard and suddenly a rock smashes against the window.

Hope fills me when I see Georgiou on the other side.

The life, however, is leaving me.

I just manage to see him smash the window again and this time the glass cracks.

I move lose consciousness for a few seconds because I can’t remember him taking me out of the car. The moment I know I’m spluttering water and gasping for air.

Black spots speckle my vision but when I look around I can see I’m floating in Georgiou’s arms on the water’s surface and he’s holding me close to his heart.

“You’re safe now Evie.” He runs his hand over my back, soothing me as I cough and cry at the same time.

“Thank you. Thank you so much,” I mutter holding on to him so tight my knuckles pale.

“It’s okay, baby. You’re safe with me now.”

I break down. He saved me. I’m safe and I feel like I always will be if I’m with him.

But my father…

I don’t think he made it.

* * *

Dad was in a coma for three weeks. He had to have multiple surgeries because he had organ damage.

I was on edge every day I went to the hospital. With no signs of him improving I went from one day to the next thinking that it was going to be his last.

I stayed with Georgiou and Henry and we went to the hospital together.

They took turns to sit with me by my father’s bedside.

When Dad woke up hope renewed in me.

He stayed in the hospital for another month. When he was back to his old self the doctors agreed to discharge him home.

I went with him and made sure he got his medication and ate when he was supposed to.

Of course, Dad being the great Donatello Ricci, he started talking about going back to work next week.

He’s been home from the hospital now for a three days and while the guys call me and I call them it’s hard not seeing each other. We didn’t think it would be appropriate to speak to my father just yet while he’s recovering. I honestly don’t know what we’ll say.

He’s seen the guys and they were all cordial. Dad seemed grateful in abundance for all they and as soon he was able to he reinstated all the contracts he had with Giordanos Inc. and Dubois Developments.

He did all of that but there was still an obvious tension because no one was talking about this relationship I have with Georgiou and Henry.

Dinner is almost ready and Dad is downstairs. Lucia came up five minutes ago to let me know Dad wanted to speak to me before we eat so I pack away my sewing kit and make my way down.

I find him in the sitting room with all the family photos.

He’s standing by the mantle staring at an old picture of my mother just above it.

When I walk in he turns to face me.

He really does look much stronger than he did even days ago. He uses a cane, however, to support his upper body when he’s standing or walking around. The doctors said he’d need to use it for a few months.

“This was taken just after we got married. Look at her, isn’t she beautiful?” he states and the glint in his eyes still reminds me of what love looks like.

“She really is,” I agree.

He’s told me the story of that picture before. My mother is standing outside the house in the front garden with a lily in her hand.

She’s smiling and the same look of love is reflected in her eyes.

“You look so much like her. I know you must be tired of me saying that to you but I’m your father so it’s my right to be annoying.” He chuckles and I smile back at him.

He reaches out to me and I walk closer to give him a hug. I’m so grateful he didn’t die.

He sits me down on the sofa and lowers opposite me.

“It’s time to talk Evie,” he declares.

A knot twists my stomach. As far as I’m aware the arrangement to marry William is still on. Neither of us has talked about it though.

My plan is to fight for what I want and that’s Georgiou and Henry.

“What are we going to talk about Dad? If it’s about anything that’s going to spoil this connection we have then I don’t want to talk.”

He reaches out to take my hands and gives me a gentle squeeze.

“I think I’ve learned that nothing is worth spoiling the connection I have with my daughter. The whole saga with Peter taught me enough.” he nods with determination.

“Really?” I ask feeling hopeful.

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about Peter’s parents?”

He shakes his head and drags in a tired breath. “I was ashamed of myself. He was right, my ego caused the disaster. I learned my lesson Evie and my first step in changing is to make changes with you.”

He pulls out an envelope from his jacket pocket and hands it to me.

The moment I open it and see a letter inside with the crest from the Otis College of Art and Design my body comes alive with excitement.

I read over the letter inviting me to start at the end of October with arrangements to make up for the weeks I’ve missed.

“Oh my gosh, Dad.” I fly into his awaiting arms and hug him hard, being mindful of his healing wound. “Thank you so much Dad.”

He holds me and pats my back. When we pull apart he kisses the top of my head.

“I’m sorry I almost took away your dreams. I know your mother must have been furious with me,” he says. “Forgive me. I did treat you like I knew what was best and I went into overkill when Dante died. I should never have hidden you away from the world. There’s always a better way to do things.”

“I know you were just trying to keep me safe.”

“But I smothered you didn’t I? Smothered and trapped is what a person feels like when they go through the lengths you did to escape me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s me who is sorry. I’m hoping we can start afresh. I don’t think who you’ll be with will mind that you want to go to school either, so I thought I’d do this part.”

Instantly my attention piques. “What do you mean?”

“Let’s see. I need the right answers first before I do anything.”

The doorbell rings and I realize this is the first time I’ve been in this room when somebody unexpected has come to visit.

It’s an odd feeling.

Usually I’d be told to stay on the wing where my room is. Or, in my room.

I look toward the door and when I see Georgiou and Henry coming in I have to stand.

This is the first time they’ve been here and I’ve been allowed to be in the same room as them.

They look at me with the same spark in their eyes and while I want to run to them I restrain myself, noting that they seem as surprised to see me as I am them.

“Dad, what’s going on?” I ask looking at my father.

“If we could all take a seat I’ll let you know.”

I sit back down and Georgiou and Henry take the sofa opposite me.

Dad stands and rests on his cane for support as he wants to the center of the room.

We all stare at him and my breath hitches as I wait for him to speak.

“Over the last few weeks I’ve struggled to come to terms with the relationship you guys have. Then it hit me that it’s not for me to understand anything. It’s for me to meet you half way and see where we go from here.”

“What do you mean Donny?” Georgiou asks.

“I mean this: I want to know what your intentions are for my daughter. If you have none then this conversation is pointless. I’m doing this because I do think you have good intentions for her. A man doesn’t chase down a car with his bike and kill the asshole taking his girl, then jump in the river when her car plunges to the bottom to save her.” He looks at Georgiou as he says that. Then he looks at Henry. “A man doesn’t run into the line of fire to rescue his girl’s asshole father who promised to destroy him, and make sure he’s safe. A man doesn’t risk his life for a woman if he has no intentions to be with her. Am I right?”

When they both nod, I bring my hands together.

“That’s what I thought,” Dad adds. “But I need to know more. I was in love with Evie’s mother. I still am. She was it for me. To me she’s not dead. She’s in a fantasy of a dream waiting for me. I close my eyes and there she is. She’s always alive in my heart. She is my angel. If that’s the kind of love you feel for my girl then I can’t stand in the way. If it’s not and she’s just some fascination to the both of you that will fade then I can’t allow you to hurt her, because I know she loves you both.”

My eyes widen and I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I have that feeling like I just stepped into an alternate dimension again. But this is really happening before me.

“I love Evie, Donny and she is it for me. I’m not going to be with anybody else and any fascination I have with her is something I want forever,” Georgiou states shocking me. He looks at me first as he speaks then back to Dad.

Telling me he loved me was everything else sounded like a commitment. I never expected that.

“Me too,” Henry adds. “I loved Evie at first sight and I want forever with her too.”

Dad nods and he looks proud.

“That’s all I needed to hear. With that said any arrangement I have with Willian Reviello is off.”

I release the breath I’m holding. “Really Dad?” I mutter.

“Yes. I do, however, have one last stipulation.” He returns his focus back to the guys. “I want my daughter married and the man who marries her gets the empire. I still plan to go to Italy and I’d prefer to head there sooner rather than later. I think you both know the tradition of the company. It dictates who gets to marry her. Are you willing to do that?”

He looks at Georgiou because tradition dictates the company stays with someone of Italian blood.

“Yes,” Georgiou replies shocking me further.

“Then it is done,” Dad states. “And how you have your relationship is nobody’s business but your own. I accept you both.”

I stare at them all feeling elated.

I rush over to my father again for another hug then over to the guys.

I always felt like I belonged to them, but now they belong to me too.