Sempre (Forever Series #1)(165)

“Why?”

Vincent’s brow furrowed. “I told you why.”

“You told me what this man did wrong, what sin he committed, but you didn’t tell me why you killed him. I remember you at eighteen. I married you and Maura at eighteen. You weren’t a vengeful person, and Maura wouldn’t have wanted you to do it.”

The priest was right, of course. “My father sanctioned it, called it my wedding present. I hadn’t wanted to, but it wasn’t open for negotiation. Permission to kill him was my first order, my first test. He thought he was doing me a favor.”

“What other favors did your father do for you?”

Vincent shook his head. “I don’t think there are enough hours in the day to tell you it all.”

“I have time,” the priest said. “Just as long as you’re finished by Sunday morning.”

Vincent laughed at that.

“Come on,” Father Alberto said, motioning toward the confessional. “We will do this right.”

The candle still flickered, and Vincent gazed at it before following him. The moment he sat down in the confessional, the words flooded from his lips. He spilled it all, every sinful thing he had done in his life—the men he had murdered, the places he had robbed, the people he had hurt. Every shameful act, every scornful word. Vincent didn’t stop until it was all out in the open.

“How do you feel?” Father Alberto asked when he finished.

How did he feel? He felt relief. He felt at ease. He felt as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders, a weight no longer pressing on his chest. He felt freer, lighter. He felt forgiveness. He felt peace. “I feel like painting a door blue today.”

* * *

Shifting uncomfortably in the chair, Haven gazed through the large window at the world outside. It was close to dusk and dozens of kids wandered the street in costumes, stopping at houses with their colorful buckets for candy. She watched them, longing brewing inside her. They were all so young and carefree, ignorant to the dangers lurking a few feet from them. She had never known that type of innocence. When she was their age, the monsters in her life had been real.

“Hey, Twinkle Toes.”

She turned at the unexpected voice and saw Dominic in the doorway. He smiled as he walked forward, pulling an orange pumpkin-shaped lollipop from his pocket. He handed it to her, and Carmine groaned from his spot on the bed. He hadn’t left her side since going to his meeting with Salvatore days ago.

“She can barely keep soup down, and you’re giving her candy?”

Dominic rolled his eyes. “When did you become her guardian? She’s her own woman. Let her have a sucker. It won’t kill her.”

“Whatever,” Carmine said, standing. “I’ll get her something real to eat.”

“Yeah, you do that, Martha Stewart,” Dominic said. “Go knit her a scarf while you’re at it. Maybe some booties, too.”

“Vaffanculo,” Carmine hollered as he walked out.

Dominic turned to her. “That boy needs to chill before he bursts a blood vessel.”

“He’s trying to help,” she said. “Give him a break.”

“I know he’s trying to help, but that’s no excuse to deny someone candy on Halloween.”

“Thank you for it,” she said, pulling off the wrapper and sucking on it. “I didn’t realize it was Halloween until I saw the treatsters.”

He sat on the arm of the chair beside her and laughed. “They’re called trick-or-treaters.”

“Oh.” She looked back out at the kids in costumes. “I didn’t know, since I’ve never been. I didn’t have a normal childhood.”

“Normal is a relative term,” he said. “Besides, it’s never too late to trick-or-treat. Maybe we’ll go one of these years.”

She smiled, knowing Dominic would actually do it. “I’d like that.”

“It’s good to see you. I would’ve come sooner, but Tess made me promise to leave you alone.”

“I’m glad you’re here. It’s nice to see friendly faces again.”

He nodded. “So, how are you holding up? Can’t be easy losing a month of your life.”

“I’m alive,” she said. “That’s more than I can say for some people.”

“Nicholas,” he said quietly. “He didn’t deserve what happened. He was a good friend, always had a joke for anyone who would listen.”

“He did.” Tears formed, guilt eating away at her. “It’s dumb, but I can’t stop thinking about the last joke he told me. He was telling one when he was shot, but he never got to say the answer.”

“Yeah? What was the joke?”

“What’s black, white, and red all over?”

Dominic laughed. “Classic Nicholas. He’d give a different bullshit answer every time he told that joke, like a penguin with sunburn or a zebra with chicken pox. The real answer is a newspaper, though. It’s black and white, and read all over.”

“Oh.” She sat there for a moment before a light laugh escaped her lips. “I like that one.”

“It’s not stupid to think about it. He’d be honored to be remembered by his jokes,” he said, patting her head. “I’m glad you’re up and moving around. Everyone’s been worried, but I never doubted everything would turn out all right.”