Same/Difference (The Depth of Emotion #4) (31 page)

She was talking in riddles. “Somebody should put you out of your fuckin’ misery.” He spat the words through gritted teeth. If his jaw were any more clenched it would shatter.

“Awww…now, now. That’s no way to act. Of course I wasn’t myself when she went through the window. I was just happy to hear that she had something to remember me by.”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, you evil bitch. Go crawl back up Manny’s ass, Marisol. You reek of him.”

“Oh no, no, no…Manny didn’t give me that tidbit of information,” Her brow creased. “Blake told me he saw them when he was riding your whore.” Falcon’s hands tightened into fists, but what he wanted to do was wrap them around her corrupt neck.

“You mean he told you when he got out of jail after he tried to rape her. Good thing he’s dead, huh?” She ignored his comments, not even flinching when he mentioned Blake’s death, and instead continued to bait him.

“I hear the scars give her a very unique… look. Don’t worry Falcon. Some men are attracted to freaks.”

“Fuck you.”

He turned his back on her and headed out the door. If he stayed, he would have throttled her. If it were the last thing he ever did, he would bring Manny Vallega down and see Marisol rot in jail with him. He couldn’t stand the sound of her voice. She was still yelling at him and he was walking out the door.

“Give my best to Paige.”

F
reedom.

It was the best gift that Falcon ever gave to me. He sacrificed the remainder of our honeymoon to my healing. It was almost three weeks to the day that he gave me the best present I could ever have hoped for. The tattoos were no longer sore but he still inspected them every day. Of course, he admired them as much as I did. Gone was the dread that had accompanied my reflection for as long as I could remember. In its place was a sweet kind of conceit. Dee Sanchez injected the ink of grace and elegance into my skin, beauty from pain. I found myself staring in the mirror with an appreciative fascination after years of loathing.

When we returned from Vegas, Falcon said he wanted to do something special to mark our wedding. After going back and forth, we decided to have a dinner for our friends and family at one of my favorite restaurants in Ocean City, The Hobbit.

Falcon’s face was priceless when I suggested it. The name threw him off, but then it did for most people. All he could picture was a quirky place with gnome-infested décor. He was pleasantly surprised to find an elegant venue. He loved the Bay view and the wide variety of selections for our mini reception. By the time the planning was done, he acted like the whole thing was his idea. That was a week ago.

Luckily, all those that we were close to were able to attend, and we would be seeing them very soon. I was a little nervous about picking out my “wedding dress” but there was no way I was backing out now. He was waiting for me in the living room as I prepared to show it to him for the first time.

“Are you ready?” I called out to him and heard him laugh.

“Yes. Are you going to make us late?”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I was so nervous that I felt like I was floating. Never in my life had I exposed this much of me but I was no longer a broken sculpture, but a work of art.

“Holy shit!” His eyes widened and he looked stunned. I was thrilled by his reaction.

“Really?”

He stood and put his hands in his pockets, circling around me to get the view from all angles. My dress was an ivory satin that draped in a deep cowl neck in the front and did the same far down my back. Butterflies and blossoms peeked out every time I moved. The body I’d always hidden was now a masterpiece.

“You’re stunning!” There was a breathless appreciation in his words. It caused a lump to form in my throat.

“Thank you.”

He approached and lifted my chin. He gave me a light peck on the lips.

“I’m not going to ruin your makeup, but later…” He gave me a lustful look. I gave him a light kiss back.

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

M
y dress had a matching jacket that fell tastefully and hid the more revealing dress. I wore it throughout out the meal. I told my mom that I had the tattoos so she and my dad wouldn’t be too shocked, but they hadn’t seen them yet. I didn’t even send her a photo from my phone. No one else knew because the jacket had a clasp at the neck that covered everything nicely. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning that couldn’t wait to show off her presents. We were about to cut our wedding cake; a seven tiered Smith Island cake with a ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign on top. Obviously, my husband’s idea of adding a lighthearted reminder of the best mistake we’d ever made. My body hummed with happiness and excitement.

Falcon had the staff fill champagne glasses and clinked a water glass with a fork until he had everyone’s attention.

“I want to thank you all for celebrating with us.” He took my hand and I rose to my feet. He looked deep into my eyes.

“Paige, before I met you, I lived a very black and white life. But somehow, on a snowy walk, something happened. You did something that no one else could—you filled my life with color. Marrying you was the best thing I ever did. I love you.”

He kissed me and was about to get everyone to toast, but I put my hand up.

“If you all could wait just one more minute,” I interrupted. I lifted his hand to the clasp at my neck and we undid it together. He pushed the jacket off my shoulders. I heard a few gasps but I only looked at his face. His eyes glistened and reflected his love and pride. He took the jacket from me and laid it on the back of my chair. As I looked over the room, I smiled at my parents, my brother, Aria, and the remainder of our friends. There were tears—happy ones. The others would never understand the importance and significance of what I’d just done. I wanted to add something to Falcon’s speech but I was so full of emotion that it was impossible to articulate how his love changed my life.

One look at me and I knew he’d read in my eyes what faltered from my lips. Without missing a beat, he stole the moment and dipped me very dramatically. He stole a possessive kiss that incited cheers and catcalls from the crowd. When he finally let me stand his gaze was filled with love. I rolled my eyes and giggled at him.

“You’re such a show off.”

Growling playfully, he planted a kiss just below my ear where the scar from the bullet was healing nicely.

“Well, you’re stuck with me now.”

He wrapped his arm around my waist and we turned to our guests. His voice was loud and full of pride as he held his glass up for a toast.

“Here’s to my wife. The most beautiful woman in the world.”

My hubby ~ You remind me every day that it’s never too late to live a dream. I love you.

My family ~ Your love and support are what keep me going day by day. I am so blessed to have you.

My support team ~ Cathy, Regina, and Julie ~ Thank you for everything. You take my ideas and words and present them so well. I appreciate everything you do.

The Bloggers ~ Thank you for reading my books and spreading the word. I’m so thankful for your time and dedication.

My Readers ~ I don’t know what I’d do without you! You buy my books, tell your friends, and inspire me every single day. If you keep reading, I’ll keep writing.

And finally…

Gracie Allen ~ Your love story with George Burns continues to inspire me. Paige’s tale was birthed by my desire to see you wear a strapless dress.

DD Lorenzo is a fresh modern-day storyteller. A neighborhood of people reside in her head and she relocates them to the pages of her books.

DD resides in Maryland, The Land of Pleasant Living. She met the love of her life in high school and decided to look no further. Together, they have raised their children into fabulous adults. When she isn't writing stories of the impassioned lives of her characters, she is rooting for the Baltimore Ravens or the Baltimore Orioles. Her favorite pastimes include spending time with the great people in her life and riding in her husband's classic Mustang to the Eastern Shore.

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Other Titles by D.D. Lorenzo

Depth of Emotion Series

Positive/Negativity (Book One)

Selective/Memory (Book Two)

Here/Now (Book Three)

Same/Difference (Book Four)

Beauty is a Bitch (Book Five)
– Coming 2016