Page 81 of One Breath After Another

“Penny,” Allegra said, her voice still soft and musical, enough to draw even the most guarded souls close, “you didn’t talk—so I signed you away. You got something you wanted, and so did I. Fixing another problem.”

Right, right.

“Except it isn’t enough,” her mother said, drawing Penny’s gaze upward until the two were staring at one another. The memories of a time long gone rushed past Penny’s eyes, moments that had never truly left her mind despite hiding as well as they had for all this time. Cement might as well have been poured into her feet as Allegra took those ten steps between them and turned it into only a foot. She could smell the peony perfume her mother had always worn. “I know who they are, Penny.”

“Who—”

“The people you’re with now. I know who they are, what they do, and even what they can do. And if they try to come after me, or anyone near me, for you ... if I even feel a little bit threatened by any Donati, I’ll burn them to the ground. And you know I won’t care if you burn with them.”

Panic swelled in her heart.

It hurt.

She didn’t want Allegra anywhere near Roz, Naz, the baby ... anyone she loved. None of them.

“They don’t know any—”

“Yet, but,” Allegra replied, “I’ll be watching you. All of you.”

Penny took a step back from her mother at the same time a new voice from behind her said, “Everything okay out here?”

Roz.

Penny turned to tell Roz to back into the quiet room, but Allegra’s smile was all she could see as the woman passed her by to come closer. She reached out a single hand, each finger adorned by a thin golden ring, for the baby. Like she was going to touch baby Cross’s hand.

The baby pulled away, dark eyes narrowed and brow furrowed on the stranger in front of him. Except he looked at her like ... he recognized her. Or something about her.

Something bad.

Except that was impossible.

He was just a baby.

“He’s adorable,” Allegra told Roz. “He must be what, six months? I always wanted a boy ... and thank you for taking care of Penny. I was never a very good mother. I hoped she found someone who could give her what I couldn’t. Seems that was you, hmm?”

That was it.

Allegra offered one more smile and then turned on her heel and past Penny. The two shared a look—nothing that visually threatening, but it didn’t have to be, either.

Penny said nothing.

She couldn’t.

“Did she know?” Roz asked as Allegra slipped down the hall and Penny’s heart shattered into a million and one pieces all around her.

“Know—what do you mean?”

Oh, good.

There was her voice again.

At least, she hadn’t lost it forever.

“Sorry,” Roz muttered, obviously hearing the pain in Penny’s tone. “I’ve never asked about ... the things your father did to you. I never wanted to push. It’s none of my business. You can forget I even asked if you want. I just ... wondered for a second.”

Ah.

Penny understood. “You meant ... did she know my father was sexually abusing me and selling me to other men to do the same while it was happening?”