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“I will do when it’s booked. See you soon.”
I hang up, walking through the hall and up the stairs. I ease open Sophie’s door and look in on her. She’s safe, fast asleep, dreaming of whatever it is they dream of at that age. Milk probably. Maybe Teletubbies.
She only has two parents. I can’t imagine my life without her. How could Jack meet her, get to know her, cuddle her to sleep… then just disappear for good?
I grip the edge of the door, my knuckles turning white with the effort. I’m furious with him. How could he just walk away?
I was right about him. He’s nothing but a cold, dead, empty hearted asshole. Just walked away. Didn’t kill Vincenzo, but didn’t think to tell me. Made me think he’d do it. Made me so cross with him before he left.
Didn’t tell me about Isobel either. Kept his secrets right to the end, despite everything we’d been through together.
I thought I could love him, once. Not anymore. Morgan’s right. It all ends in tears. I won’t ever love again and especially not that asshole. I won’t even think of him again.
From now on, it’s just me and Sophie and no one else. I offered him my heart, and he stomped on it. I won’t make that mistake again.
18
“Did she believe you?”
Imelda nods at me from across the table. Around us, the night is just getting started. Drinkers are drifting from bar to bar. Tourists stop to take photos of the fountain in the square. Imelda doesn’t seem to notice anyone. She’s staring at me with a frown on her face. “I don’t get it,” she says at last. “Why do it this way?”
“It’s for the best.”
“Leaving your wife and child behind? Never seeing them again? That’s for the best, is it?”
“I’d be a bad influence on them. That’s even if this all goes well.”
“I know you wanted to draw the heat away from her until the Capos were dealt with, but what about after that?”
“What about it? I can’t go back. She hates me.”
“You’re sure about that?”
“She made her feelings clear before I left. She doesn’t want me around Sophie. I’ve got Isobel to think about now, anyway.”
“How’s she doing?”
“The therapist you paid for is good. Very good.”
“What did you tell her about coming here?”
“That it’s a vacation for a while.”
“Told her about her parents?”
“Vincenzo did that multiple times. It’ll take years for her to get over this.”
“Lucky you’ve got a long retirement ahead of you.”
“If this works out.”
She glances at the clock tower on the far side of the square. “Coming up to nine here. That’s three in New York. We’ll soon see, won’t we?”
“Don’t look at me. You and Morgan did all the planning on this one.”
She turns to the waiter. “Un altro caffe per favore.”
“Si.” He heads inside, leaving us alone.
