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"I can see it in her eyes every time she looks at you," he sighs. "But you must know, Ms. Miller, that a relationship between my daughter and a member of the FBI would be…" He chooses his words carefully. "Untenable."
I say nothing to that. What is there to say?
He's right.
And then Alessa, bless her, comes into the room with inquisitive eyes. "Everything alright?"
I smile at her and nod, even though her father's words linger in my mind. And soon enough we're on the road again, and I feel like I can breathe at last. Breathe again, breathe inher, Alessa. My heart is so warmed by her that when she turns to look at me with a serious expression, I can only smile back at her.
But what Johnny said still echoes in my mind.
CHAPTER19
ALESSA
We're halfway back to Queens when I decide it's time to come clean. "Natalie."
"Alessa?" She smiles, playful. It hurts to see, but I need to be honest with her.
"You've kept up your end of the bargain. I'll get Elena out, now—thanks to you."
"You're amazing," she tells me roughly, her voice catching. "Really. This was down to you, your determination—"
"Yes, butNatalie," I repeat.
"What?"
"We had a deal. Remember? You help me. I help you."
She nods. "Yeah. I don't expect you to do anything right now—"
"I can't do anything at all."
She stares at me for a long moment. "What do you mean?" she asks at last.
My hands tighten on the wheel. "I mean, I can't give you what you wanted. I have no idea what evidence your colleagues have or don't have on me. Lucia barely tells me anything, she just expects me to let her handle it all, and I was only repeating to you what she said to me. That it looked fishy. That she'd get it thrown out."
"Oh, my God," Natalie says faintly, after a long silence. "You were just using me to help get Elena out."
That's not entirely true. But telling her that I planned to fuck her and then throw it in her face sounds way, way worse, so I just give a sigh. "Look, I'm sorry about it, I really am. And I can speak to Lucia if you really—"
"Alessa, I threw away my career for you," she says in a low, calm voice. "Do you understand that?"
I can't look at her. I keep my eyes on the road. "I…never asked you to do that."
It's not the right thing to say. It's ungracious and cold and I didn't mean it the way it sounded, but it's out now and I can't take it back. But Natalie doesn't respond.
She doesn't say anything at all. She just turns her face away and looks out the window as I drive us back toward New York.
* * *
On Friday night, the Ruby Realm finally reopens in all its lavish glory. The energy in the air is electric as I gaze out over the sea of glittering guests.
My empire. Returned to me at last.
The whole place glimmers like the jewel it is, and as I weave through the throng of guests, my presence commands attention. They've all come crawling back, of course. As soon as I was let out on bail, the tide turned. Now I'm a figure of infamy, not just influence. There's that extra little thrill in being here. Who knows what might happen next? If I'm arrested again,everyonewants to be there to make sure they see it.
Heads turn as I pass and whispers follow, which was to be expected, of course.
