Read LIFE BEFORE DAMAGED VOL. 10 (THE FERRO FAMILY) for Free Online Page B

and my wife-to-be, and that’s better than I ever expected.
    Sidney pushes off of the swing and takes my hand. Pulling me up, I reluctantly join her. She steps closer to me and reaches up for a kiss. It’s soft and chaste, but it’s all Sidney—and all the more meaningful, considering I thought I’d never get to kiss her again. I was so sure she was going to run away screaming. She starts to walk back toward the house, tugging on my arm and smiling devilishly. “Come on, Peter, let’s go.”
    Taking the extra step to catch up with her, I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her close to me. “Where are we going?” I say into her neck. She shivers in my arms and turns to face me.
    Her smirk softens into a look of peaceful happiness. Her hands slide up my chest until her fingers can play with the hair at the nape of my neck. “I need some coffee. What about you?”
    My lips twist into a crooked smile. “What kind of coffee are we talking about here, Sidney?”
    “Wouldn’t you like to find out?” She giggles and speeds up, glancing over her shoulder at me as she runs.
    At that moment, I’m happy beyond comprehension. Most people never find love, and for some reason, I was given a second chance.
    Sidney turns on the ball of her foot when she notices I’ve stopped moving. Her face lights up with a huge grin as she reaches for me. Tugging me by my shirt, she whispers, “It’s hot coffee—very hot, naughty coffee.”

Epilogue
Gina, The Present
    “ R egina , come on! You can fly next!” David’s black hair is a mess, windblown, full of sand, and dripping with salt water.
    I think he’s more of a daredevil than I am. We’ve spent the morning flyboarding. Think extreme water sports with a hover board. The only thing is, instead of magically floating above the water, there’s a water engine strapped to the back of the board. It’s like taping a skateboard to a fire hose. He’s getting pretty good at it, too.
    I tug my hair back into a tight ponytail, trying to tame the frizzies tickling my cheeks. “You go ahead! I’ll catch the next pass.”
    He laughs. “This is awesome!” David runs down the beach, his fit body glowing in the sunlight. He lets out a whoop as he jumps up in the air, unable to contain his excitement. I’m glad we found so many things in common. It didn’t start out that way.
    I settle into a lounge chair, pick up my drink with one hand and open a newspaper with another. I turn to the engagement section and study the couple in the top right photo.
    That woman could have been me.
    When I came to after the mugging, I had no idea where I was, and all traces of the Ferro family were gone—save a letter from Constance and my new bodyguard, David Chit. He was so uptight then, always wearing a black suit as if he were a CIA agent. I suppose a bodyguard shouldn't take his post lightly. Years have passed since that night. No one has any clue where I am, and they never will.
    Constance’s letter made it very clear my altercation with Phil would have Pete and me looking over our shoulders indefinitely. The attack in Rockefeller Center wasn’t random, it wasn’t a mugging, and I wasn’t meant to walk away. Neither was Pete.
    My actions at Ricky’s club accidentally wedged both of us in a war between the Gambino and Ferro families. I found out later Constance knew something would happen, and she was ready when it did.
    I sip my drink and think back years, recalling the meeting that explained everything...
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    I stand on shaky legs , recovered enough to stand for short periods of time. In six weeks on the island, I've regained much of my strength—enough to wait stubbornly on the beach and watch Constance Ferro's private jet take its final approach before landing. The trade winds make the island feel cool, despite my being literally stranded in a desert. My hair blows in a million different directions, blinding me.
    When I see Constance walk off the plane, I want to strangle her.
    “How