Prologue
Every bone in Milena’s bone ached as she walked home. Her arms had newly formed bruises on them, and there was a large bruise on her cheekbone from being backhanded. A trail of blood could be seen coming down her leg from under her dress.
Milena wanted nothing more than to cry in the arms of her love as she held her baby boy and rocked him to sleep singing a sweet lullaby.
But she couldn’t do that. Her husband was awfully protective, and if Milena’s assailant was any normal person, he would be behind bars before morning came. Unfortunately, the sick man who had dared to lay a hand on the young mother was a man in power who couldn’t be touched by the law. Milena was helpless.
And it certainly didn’t help that Milena had once called this man her friend. She had trusted him.
It had rained that January day, and Milena was soaked to the bone. Milena stopped in front of a puddle, a streetlight illuminating her reflection. Choked sobs left her lips as she saw the state of her brand-new floral dress. Her husband had bought them for her first day of school after taking over almost two years off following the birth of their son. He had been so proud of her, doing so much as creating an impromptu photoshoot for her.
He was a man of big gestures, a true romantic. He had grown up seeing how his older brothers and father treated women with respect, and he had vowed to follow their example. Now at the age of eighteen, Theodore Russo was proud to say that he had surpassed them.
Every person would be lucky to have someone who loved them as much as Theodore Russo loved his wife. The look in his eyes when he laid them on Milena or the way he would fawn over her was enough proof of how much he loved her.
As Milena continued walking through the empty roads, tripping over her untied shoelaces, she dreaded yet yearned for the moment when she was safe at home. She let out a breath when she spotted the road sign that read Merrick Drive.
Just five more minutes. Five more minutes until I can fall asleep in Teddy’s arms.
Milena picked up the pace as she reached her apartment complex. It was the middle of the night, and the building was empty other than the lone woman at the front desk who had fallen asleep on the job. Milena counted her blessings that the woman hadn’t seen the state of her tattered dress or the injuries that covered her body. She didn’t have the energy to answer questions that would force her to remember the horror she had just experienced.
Milena reached the elevators and pressed the button for the 52nd floor where their penthouse apartment was. It had been a gift from Theodore’s father, Antonio, upon the birth of their son, Simon. At the time, the couple didn’t have enough to care for a child. They loved their unborn child and each other deeply, but love doesn’t provide a home or money to raise a child.
Milena’s ears popped as the elevator climbed up to the 52nd floor. She dragged her feet down the hallway to the last door. 5204.
Milena’s fingers fumbled through her muddied purse for the keys, but before she could, the door to the apartment opened to reveal Theodore Russo. He stood at the doorway with his mouth open and worry encasing his features.
He was horrified.
Theodore reached for his wife’s hand with caution, and when she allowed it, he pulled her into his arms, squeezing her tight. His breath fanned her ear in shaky gasps, and tears blurred his vision. He was determined to make whoever did this pay.
“Darling, who did this to you?”
Theodore’s tone was gentle, not wanting to frighten Milena any more than she already was. Milena shook her head as she murmured, “Teddy, please. I don’t want to talk about this. Let it go.”
Theodore’s hands shook as he did his best to contain his rage. Flashbacks from witnessing his sister’s pain reminded him how his wife needed to feel love, not anger, in this moment of vulnerability. “Millie, please. Just give me a name.”
“I can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t, darling?”
“I didn’t see his face. It was too dark,” she lied.
“Then we’ll go to the hospital. I’m sure they can do a forensics test or—”
“No.” Milena’s breathing had grown ragged, her body weakening as she relied entirely on Theodore to keep her up. “I don’t want to think about this. Please.”
Theodore sighed. He didn’t want to let this go, but his wife needed comfort, not an unnecessary argument. “Okay. Why don’t we go inside and get you cleaned up?”
Milena nodded her head against his chest. Theodore kissed the crown of her head and brought her inside, closing the door behind him. He led her to the Master bathroom and sat her on the toilet seat. Kneeling in front of her, he took her hands and said, “I’m going to draw a bath for you. Is there anything else you want?”
When Milena said nothing, Theodore stood up to start the bath, but he stopped when Milena tightened her grip on his hand. Still standing, he brought her head to his stomach and hugged her tightly. “I’m not going anywhere, darling.”
“I’m sorry. I’m just being silly,” she whispered.
Theodore’s heart clenched at his wife’s words. “No, darling. You’re not being silly.”
“Is Simon here?”
“No, he’s with Ava and Arya for the night. I was hoping that you and me could have some time alone. It’s been a while since we’ve had a night without him.”
Theodore started the bath as Milena watched him, her hands itching to be in his. Once he was done, he called for her, saying, ”Amore, could you check to make sure that it’s not too hot or cold?”
Milena slowly walked towards him and sat on the edge of the tub, dipping her hand in the water. “It’s perfect.”
Theodore caressed her cheek, being careful to avoid the large bruise on her cheek. “Let’s get these wet clothes off of you.”
Theodore reached for the tie on his wife’s wrap dress and undid it, slipping the dress off. His eyes narrowed upon seeing the dried blood that trailed from her ripped underwear.
It wasn’t ripped this morning, Theodore thought to himself.
Without a word, he slipped Milena’s undergarments off and grabbed a clean towel. He dampened the towel and used it to clean the blood away, a few tears leaving his eyes when Milena flinched upon him brushing the towel against her vulva.
“I’m sorry, darling.”
Theodore helped Milena into the bath. He frowned at the frizzy mess of her afro-textured hair, which Milena always made sure was in pristine condition. Theodore had no control in this situation, but the least he could do was fix his love’s hair.
Theodore arranged Milena’s hair products on the ground next to him. Milena relaxed as she felt her husband gently detangle her hair with his fingers before massaging the co-wash into her scalp. Theodore took great care to follow Milena’s wash day routine to the tee, ending with a careful application of the gel.
As Theodore tried to get up to wash his hands, Milena grabbed his wrist, her eyes glossed over. “Please stay,” she whimpered.
Theodore couldn’t say no to her, not in this state. So he sat back down and reached over the tub to grab her shoulder, bringing her head into his chest.
Milena could no longer hold the tears back in her husband’s arms. She cried for how much pain she felt in her body. She cried for the pain that left her heart feeling heavy, like a million knives had pierced it leaving nothing but pain. She cried for how alone she felt even though her Teddy, her cheri, would try his best to make her understand that as long as they were together, nothing else mattered.
Theodore picked his wife up out of the tub and wrapped her in a towel, placing dozens of kisses on her cheeks. He held her on his lap until her tears stopped and her hair had dried before tucking her hair into the silk bonnet she wore each night . Laying her on the bed, he slipped one of his shirts that was far too big for her over her naked body. Milena gravitated closer to Theodore and laid her head on his bare chest, who in turn wrapped his arms around her. With his thumb, Theodore wiped away her stray tears and kissed her forehead.
“Try to get some sleep, darling. We’ll figure everything out in the morning. And I’ll see if Ava can keep Simon for a few more days. I’m sure they’ll be happy to have him.”
And sleep she did, but it was far from a restful sleep. In fact, Milena never again had a restful night of sleep.
The next few days turned into weeks into months, Theodore spent every minute trying to reassure his wife that everything would be okay, that he would always love her even ages after his death.
But it wasn’t enough.
Two months later, Theodore Russo lost the love of his life. There was no woman he would ever look at like he did Milena again. There was no woman he would ever feel for like he had felt for Milena again. Milena had left him and shattered his heart in the process.
A shattered heart that he never allowed to heal.
Because that was the thing about Theodore Russo. When he loved someone, he loved hard, and there was no one in the entire universe who he could love more than his Milena.
His amore, his darling.
In every women he met, Theodore would always search for Milena in them, and when he was disappointed, he would stop speaking to her. Eventually, he gave up all together because in his heart, he knew no one would ever live up to his darling wife.
And no woman deserved to be treated like a second option.
