“Jesus, Vincenza. You are so tied up in your own bullshit that you’ve forgotten that Papa would have been the first to say there are no bad people, only bad choices. And… and I know why you’re so determined to avenge his death.”

My sister’s expression sobered then. “What are you talking about?”

A sadness I hadn’t felt since the day my father died came rushing back. “I know why you took it so hard. I know why you need someone else to pay for losing him.” I spoke quietly on an exhale. “Because deep down, you know who the real villain is here and you can’t stand looking at her when you glance in the mirror.” I had thought the words for a while now, but it hurt to say them out loud. “Your volatile temper cost us our father.”

I knew I was right on the money when Enza’s expression fell, she closed her eyes and dissolved into body-wracking sobs. She shook her head and whispered, “It wasn’t my fault.”

Only, it was and nothing would ever bring him back, and so, I chose to put my angry internal monologue aside and instead say, “It’s over. No more bloodshed. No more conflicts. No more confrontations.”

She glanced at me with regret in her eyes. I looked at her very much the same. The three of us stood there a long, tense moment and I realized I was done here. Done with her. Done with this bullshit. Just… done.

I reached out for Tor and he knew what I needed. He grasped my fingers gently and, with a light tug, began to lead us away.

It felt like the end of a chapter. The closing of a book.

But Vincenza’s footsteps shadowed close behind. “I won’t stop.”

By my side, I heard my husband’s exasperated, “Fuck me, this bitch doesn’t quit.”

And when I twisted back to look at her, her tearstained cheeks glistened with wetness and she pasted on a caustic smirk, although it wobbled. “What? You think it ends just because you said so?” She didn’t hide her disdain. “You’re so weak. So pathetic. I should have known you’d fall for the first man who put his cock in you.” My heart twinged at the insult, true as it was. “I have never been more embarrassed of you than I am now. You pitiful wretch, mark my words. I will never stop. He made us orphans and I won’t sleep until his children are as alone in this world as we were!”

The threat to his children had a manic Tor’s body going rigid. His eyes flashed and I knew his patience had understandably reached its limit. Right then, I would have let him have her.

But I was closer.