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Her brows drew together and she seemed momentarily angry—the first hint of emotion he’d seen in those zoned-out eyes of hers. But she bit back whatever she’d been about to say and replaced it with, “How is he?”
“He’s wonderful. But he’s still suffering. Still in the leg braces. Has physical therapy twice a week and hates it. One more surgery to go, though. Just one more.”
She nodded slowly. Didn’t ask any questions. Why he felt compelled to fill her in, he didn’t know, but he kept on talking.
“We’ve been through six nannies so far. But they move on, you know. Get boyfriends, lives, less demanding jobs. He’s a lot. I’m taking every bit of time off I can get without being fired. Not that I mind. I love being with him.”
She drew a breath and studied her hands. Was he boring her with this?
“He’s sleeping. But if you want, you can look in on him.”
“No.” She said it a little too quickly. “That’s not why I came.”
He turned his head so she wouldn’t see the hatred in his eyes, focused instead on the photograph of Ty that hung on the wall near his bedroom. His twinkling eyes and deep dimples and baby teeth eased the rage in Jim’s heart. How could Angela not want to see her own child?
Didn’t matter. He was glad. Ty didn’t need this pile of human refuse in his life. “Right,” he reminded himself. “You’re here because you need a favor.”
She drew a breath, lifted her head. “That’s right”
“Hell, Ang, you look like what you really need is a month in rehab. What the hell has happened to you?”
She averted her face.
“You’re still using.” He didn’t make it a question. It had been her damned drug addiction that had almost killed Tyler. She’d been wasted on coke when she’d fallen down two flights of stairs, taking their newborn son with her. If he’d only been more aware, been paying more attention....
“I’m clean. Have been for four weeks straight.”
He looked at her eyes and knew better.
“Really. I mean it. I’m changing my life, Jim. I met a guy—a man, a decent man. He’s helping me. He...he loves me.”
So did I once, he thought.
“He wants to marry me.”
“Congratulations.”
She drew a breath. “But it might not happen. There are... problems. Legal problems.”
He lifted his head slowly. Something about the tone of her voice set off alarm bells in his head. “Who is this guy?”
“Vincent Stefano.”
He shot to his feet the minute she said the name, stunned. “What the hell is this, Angela?”
“He’s a decent man, Jim.”
“He’s a porn king, Ang.”
“But that’s not illegal.”
“No, not until it involves kids.”
“He didn’t do what you think he did. Those photos were planted in his office. He was set up.”
“Right.” Working on an anonymous tip, he and his partner had executed a search warrant on Skinny Vinnie’s office and found an envelope full of photos that made him want to puke. Kids.Youngkids. “He’s a piece of dirt, and he’s going away for a long time. So don’t make any wedding plans just yet.” He closed his eyes and swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. “God, how could you be with a sleazebag like him?”
“Ilovehim, Jim!”
