Page 44 of No Merciful Corruption

I’m not sure how much she knows about what happened. I’m assuming someone told her it was a gunshot?

“Did they catch the guy who did it?” she asks. “The mugger from the park?”

Ah, so that’s the story they went with.

I shrug. “No. Police say it’s unlikely. It was dark and there are no security cameras in the park.”

She nods slowly before asking, “Are you upset we were there?”

I look up from my plate. “We?”

“Your dad and me.”

The spoon slips from my grasp. “My—” I choke on my own saliva. “He was there?”

“How else do you think they were able to operate on you? He’s your father. Legally, he’s the only one who can make medical decisions for you.”

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“Where is he now?”

“In PR staying with Titi Wanda. She bought a house and he’s helping her renovate it.”

Both my father and Karina were in the hospital that night and neither of them actually went to see me after I woke up from surgery. I can’t decide whether I’m furious, grateful, hurt, or all three. My feelings toward my father and cousin are probably the most convoluted because they’re the two most complicated relationships in my life. Right now, I can’t deal with my father. I barely have the capacity to unpack all I’m feeling toward Karina.

“Don’t be upset with Alejandro and Lyss. They did the right thing.”

“Lying to me?”

“Protecting you,” she corrects. “I’m sure they would’ve mentioned it eventually. Less than six weeks after you almost die from a gunshot wound probably isn’t ideal timing.”

God, I really don’t want to be mad at Alejandro right now. After a year of being at odds we finally patched things up a few days ago and now all I want to do is ring him by the neck for keeping this from me. Lyss is also on thin ice but I expect this kind of thing from her. She’s the peacekeeper, the one who brings balance and harmony to our lives. A problem solver and a crisis negotiator. The girl can’t help herself. Alejandro on the other hand has a history of keeping things from me and having it all blow up in his face. He should know better by now. He’s had days to tell me and he didn’t and now I feel blindsided by all this new information.

“That man…” I grumble as I stab my lumpy soup with my spoon. Who makes lumpy tomato soup? “I’m gonna kill him later.”

“I’m glad you guys are still going strong. He was a wreck that night but he held it together.” She offers a reassuring smile. “He loves you very much.”

“Yes, well, he’s still getting an earful from me regardless.”

Conversation dies out after that. The waiter returns to clear our plates and just when I think our awkward lunch together is over, she orders a coffee and a muffin and I order a slice of cake anda large sprinkle cookie. We split the cake and the muffin but not the cookie because it tastes stale and dry.

“So.” I bite into a piece of muffin. “How’s Brent?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t ask earlier.”

“I had to work my way up to it.”

She pours sugar into her cup. “We separated in the fall.”

If I hadn’t already swallowed, I might’ve choked.

“I’m sure that comes as no surprise to you.”

“I am surprised. Sorry too.”

The sincerity in my voice catches us both off guard but I really do mean it. Marriage and a family has always meant so much to Karina and she thought she found happily ever after with Brent.

“Yes, well…” She tosses the empty sugar packets aside. “It is what it is.”