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Somewhere throughout the night, the conversation began to flow, and now we’re helping her clear away the dishes.
Cynthia closes the refrigerator, then presses the lid on a Tupperware container. Holding it out to me, she says. “Enjoy.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t. You’ve already fed me so much.” I wave a hand with the other pressed against my stomach.
“Nonsense. You said it yourself that you’ve missed good pasta, and there is no way I can eat all this alone.”
I nod and accept the container. “Thank you. It’ll be my late-night snack.”
“All right, well, I guess you two should head back to the city.”
Siân saunters up to Cynthia and wraps her into a hug. “Dinner was amazing, as always.”
“It was. Thank you for having me.”
Cynthia forces a smile. “It was a pleasure meeting you.” She signals for the two of us to exit the kitchen.
I follow Siân toward the door, keeping an eye on Cynthia along the way. Knowing that the old bird is packing and is aware of who I am, I’d be a fool not to be cautious. With the way she snarled at me for half the night, it’ll be just my luck for her to shoot me in the back. Her entire life has been devoted to protecting Siân, I don’t see tonight being any different.
We step out onto the porch, down the steps, and over to the car. I open the door for Siân to enter, and once she’s safely inside, I shut her in and walk to my side. Cynthia is still watching me, her eyes boring into my back. And when I make eye contact with her, a chill runs the length of my spine. Something tells me she doesn’t fold easily, and it’s something I can respect. Either way, though, I can’t let her little warning slide.
I take my phone out of my pocket and search for Tony’s number, dropping him a ping to my current location and a single text.
Me: Meet me here. Don’t go in. Just wait.
With one final wave, I bid Cynthia a goodbye, climb behind the wheel, and head back into the city.
After we returned home, I helped a tired Siân into bed. Tonight was good for her—for us. It helped her see this thing between us in a different light. From her vantage point, two people she cared about seemed to enjoy being around one another when, in reality, secrets were brewing right under her nose. Secrets that need to stay buried by any means necessary. The time will come when I tell my topolina everything, but now isn’t it.
This bond of ours is still so fresh, and while her actions tonight, once we walked past the threshold of the loft we now share, tells me she wants more, all it would take is for Cynthia to divulge what she tried warning her about. If that happens, all of this will be for nothing. I can’t have that. So as badly as I wanted to give in to what Siân wanted and fuck her tight little body to sleep, I can’t—not now.
At the moment, I’m in my Ferrari, glad not to be in Siân’s piece of shit Chevy. This is more up my alley—speed, horsepower, and style. My phone rings through the Bluetooth speaker as I turn down the familiar road.
“I’m here. Where are you?” Tony asks through the receiver.
“Almost there.” I hit my lights and approach the long driveway that leads to the hidden property.
It’s pitch black out now. The only light comes from the moon above us, though it’s more than enough to illuminate the path for me. I inch over to the side behind where Tony is parked, just as I instructed him. Should Cynthia choose to leave her house at some point tonight, she won’t immediately notice the cars, thanks to the secluded road and layers of thick trees.
Tony and I exit our respective vehicles simultaneously, both being careful not to slam the doors. Lurking in the dead of night isn’t anything new for us. He knows the routine and doesn’t wait for any instructions.
Dressed in all black, we make our way down the long, uneven driveway, coming out on the other end to more darkness. The moon is shining down on the house, so we at least have that going for us, but every light on the inside of the home is out. Considering how late it was when Siân and I left nearly three hours ago, it’s probably safe to assume that Cynthia has climbed into bed herself.
But only a fool would assume anything in this life. Knowing that the woman is carrying, I have half a mind to bet she’ll be up waiting for us. I’d never spoken to Cynthia in the past, but she’s been under Marco’s employ for as long as I can remember. The few times my father dragged me to their estate as a boy to handle whatever dealings they had going at the time, I’d see her tending to a then baby Siân. It’s how I know her secret and how I know she is aware of mine.
