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“I shot the guy you’re banging.”
I’m outraged on behalf of Milo—and Nico. “It wasn’t. It was his brother, who has nothing to do with any of this.”
He shrugs, as if that information doesn’t mean a thing to him. It probably doesn’t. “If you tell them it wasn’t me, that’ll matter.”
“Why would I do that when someone I care about was nearly killed?”
His dark eyes turn hard in a heartbeat, and the old, familiar fear comes back in a wave of memories I wish I could forget. “You’ll do it if you know what’s good for you.”
“Is that a threat, Joaquín? Are you going to get someone to finish what you started? Are you going to murder the mother of your child or some other innocent person because I don’t want you anymore?”
The look he gives me indicates he’d love to see me dead. “If you tell them I wouldn’t do this, maybe your son won’t have to grow up without his father.”
“Oh, he’ll have a father, but it won’t be someone who’d try to kill an innocent man because his wife dumped him.”
“You can’t just replace me.”
“Yes, I can. You’re in prison, where you belong and where you’re going to be for a long time because you did do it. I can’t help you. I won’t help you.”
“All it would take from me is one word to my boys, and you and your fancy Giordino boyfriend are dead. Is that what you want for Mateo?”
“Aren’t you in enough trouble already?”
“What do I care? They’re charging me with attempted murder. What’s one or two more?”
I stare at him in complete amazement that he’d look me in the eye and threaten to have me—and Nico—killed. “When did this happen to you? When did you become capable of killing people?”
“It happened when my wife fell out of love with me.”
“No, it happened long before that, and it’s why I fell out of love with you. Because you became someone I don’t recognize. I can’t help you. I won’t help you.” I put the phone down and get up, walking away even as he screams at me to come back.
Even though I’m shaking as old traumas resurface, I keep moving toward the door where William waits for me. “He’s asking me to vouch for him and to say there’s no way he would’ve tried to kill anyone, and if I don’t, he’s going to kill me and my new boyfriend.”
“Wait. He actually said that?”
“He did.”
“You need to notify the police.”
I was afraid he would say that. Sighing, I nod in agreement. “Sergeant Miguel Silva is who we’ve spoken with before.” I text Nico and ask for his number.
He sends it without comment or question.
I put through the call to Miguel, and when he answers, I tell him who I am and what happened.
“Jeez, these guys never learn, do they? I’ll get the paperwork started to file additional charges. Are you working tonight?”
“I am, and Nico is, too.”
“I’ll notify Patrol and have some officers assigned to you both for a few days.”
“We’re leaving tomorrow morning for the weekend. We’ll be back Monday.”
“Got it. That’s good. Hopefully, his attorney will advise him to shut his mouth.”
“Nico will be in a car at work tonight.”
“We’ll keep eyes on him. Try not to worry.”
