AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her grin turns into a smile. “My pleasure.”
LUCILA
PRESENT DAY
The back of the cab was cloaked in darkness, except for the hundreds of tiny lights that brightened New York instead of stars. They were hard to catch, though, as Aren flew down the street. The entire world felt like a blur, and I was caught up in the whirlwind.
From the moment my eyes locked with his—Brio Angelo Tigran Valentino—he brought me inside of what felt like a cyclone. It was too strong for me to fight. I’d gotten caught up and, ever since, I’d been twisted.
My heart was in knots. It was hard to catch my breath.
Panic attack?
Possibly.
I knew better, though.
Those songs. Those damn songs!
It was hard for me to say no to Carine. I knew how much she enjoyed us being together. She loved when he was on the piano and I sat next to him, singing to the melodies he charmed. Carine said that together, we made magic.
My eyes fell to my arm, which was draped over Minnie. Goosebumps made my skin look puckered in the darkness. Red from the neon stoplight above bathed us in a bloody hue.
A shiver stole over me, and I pulled Minnie closer.
The thought of his long fingers caressing the keys always gave me a physical reaction. He had more potential on that instrument than should have been allowed. But he squandered it, letting it waste away in the darkness he thrived in. It killed the light in him, little by little, like it had killed mine.
The very thing he was determined to save in me.
“His choices had ruthless consequences," I whispered. “And not only for him.”
“What's that?” Aren asked.
“Just talking to myself,” I said.
Sonny’s house was coming into view, and I couldn't even explain how heavy the weight on my shoulders felt. I wanted to be anywhere. Anywhere but there.
Even though New York was lit up, the house was as it had been during the outage. Shrouded in bitter darkness.
A heavy sigh that lightened nothing slipped past my lips.
Aren pulled to the curb, but I didn't make a move to get out. He glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “I’ve seen all sorts of things over the years. I've heard all sorts of stories. I even had a woman get in my cab once and tell me to just drive. I asked her to where? She said...Anywhere. Just drive. When it's time, I'll let you know. Then bring me back here. To this spot.
“She was quiet the entire drive, looking out of the window. So was I. I still don't have a clue what was on her mind. Maybe she was considering a marriage proposal. Maybe she was considering divorce. Maybe she was waiting for someone to kill her husband. It would make a good alibi…”
He grew quiet, his eyes faraway, probably still in the cab with her. A few seconds later, he blinked. “Where to?”
“Just drive,” I whispered. “When it's time, I'll let you know. Then bring me back here. To this spot.”
He grinned, but it didn't touch his eyes. “You got it.”
He pulled away from the curb. I closed my eyes and rested my forehead against the cool glass. My mind and heart were screaming over each other again. I couldn't tell which was fighting for what.
Lilo was at the center of the argument. He always was.
The look in his eyes when I left him on the steps. When I noticed him hustling toward the street behind us, picking something up.
Leaving him always felt like leaving behind a piece of me. Then again, how could I forgive him? I couldn’t lie to myself. I still loved him. I always would. But I couldn’t seem to make him suffer enough for what he’d done.
