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Rosa turns to me, eyes narrowed. “I think we all need to have a conversation, right?”
“Emma’s been through a lot, Rosa,” I say. “She’s had a gun pressed against her head. She thought she was going to die. She needs some time t—”
“No.” Emma stands up straighter as if readying herself. “I don’t need any time. Rosa deserves to…” She trails off, looking at Rosa. “You deserve to know the truth.”
“I think I already know,” Rosa whispers.
Then she turns and walks through the house.
Emma and I exchange a look. It takes all the effort I can summon not to brush her brown hair from her face, take her hand, share some of her anxiety, or hold some of it for her. We walk into one of the living rooms. Rosa sits in the large armchair, leaving the couch for Emma and me. We sit side by side, without touching.
If our legs brushed, that small preview would trigger more hunger in me. Not just lust hunger or baby hunger—the hunger to be there for her, hold her, cherish, and protect her till death do us part.
“When?” Rosa says.
“When… what?” Emma replies.
Rosa huffs and tilts her head. “Let’s cut the crap. Earlier, when Dad was…” She stops, shudders, and forces the word out. “Shot. I saw how you reacted, Emma. It was like the love of your life had just been shot in front of you. I thought I had an idea about love, a little bit with Matvei, even if he turned out to be a liar, but this was different. This wasreal. It seemed that way, anyway. So when did it start? I deserve to know.”
Emma is shuddering beside me, fighting off tears. I clench my fists against my knees, the rage still jolting through me. The memory of the bullet slamming into the rifleman’s head as he aimed his weapon, not at me or Dario as he ran from the forest. No, the prick was going to aim it atEmmaand threaten her again. Pulling a trigger had never been so easy.
“When she arrived at our house,” I tell Rosa.
“That was, what, a week ago, if that? That wasdaysago.” Rosa glares. “If we’re going to talk about this, I think we should at least be honest.”
“It’s the truth,” Emma says, wiping her cheek. “I didn’t plan any of this. I… I won’t lie, okay? I was attracted to Leo but never dreamed anything would happen.”
“So he made the first move, then?” Rosa says.
Emma winces and glances at me. She wants to protect me like I’ll always protect her.
“Yes,” I reply, answering for her. “I tried to fight it, but she’s too…”
Careful.
The last thing Rosa needs is for me to go into detail about all the feelings her best friend provokes in me.
“Perfect. She’s beautiful. Funny. Smart. Sarcastic. Kind. She’s everything I want in a wom—”
“Mom was beautiful. Funny. Smart. Sarcastic.Andkind.” Rosa blinks, tears sliding down her cheeks. “I don’t get it. When you saw him get shot, Emma, your reaction was like a wife watching her husband get shot. It was like you’d been together foryears.”
“That’s because it feels like we have,” Emma whispers. “I can’t explain it. It’s like a fairy tale. I mean, the feelings, how quick, howsureI am. I just wish he wasn’t your dad. That’s the only part that isn’t perfect. It’s the only part that messes this whole thing up.”
“That’s why she ran,” I say softly. “She’d prefer to be out there, alone and unprotected, rather than hurt you.”
Rosa angrily wipes her cheeks. “I feel like I’m in some twisted fever dream, like somebody’s slipped me a hallucinogen. So whatisthis? What’s going on? Is it a fling?”
“No,” I snap, struggling to contain my anger. Even theideaof this being a fling makes me sick.
“I want—need—her forever. We’re going to get married one day. We’re going to have children. We’re the real thi—”
“And you want that too?” Rosa says, staring at Emma. “You want to have kids with my dad? You want to marry mydad?”
Emma sniffles and nods. Both of them are crying now. I feel powerless to do anything about it for either of them.
“I can’t explain it, but I’m sure,” Emma says. “I want him. Need him. I’m so, so sorry, Rosa. We should’ve told you sooner.”
“Sooner,” Rosa repeats. “As in, a few days ago? But that’s when it started. There is nosoonerwhen it comes to this, is there? Let’s be honest about it. This is all just… ah! That’s what it is,ah!”
