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Then I think about the text I just sent. I said aforevernight. Why would I do that after all the perfection we shared? Why would I bring the F-word into it?
When I get back into the bedroom and don’t find a reply, I’ve got to admit, I’m more pissed than I should be. I quickly write another text.
I didn’t mean forever like that, BTW. I just meant that we’ll remember it forever.
That sounds so lame and false, but I’ve already sent it now. Whatever. We bonded deeply last night, and nobody can take that away from us. After getting dressed, I head into the kitchen to find Lexi frying some bacon. Colt sits at the table, a black coffee steaming in front of him, David in his arms.
“Morning,” Lexi says, smiling over at me. “Sleep well?”
“Yeah, it was?—”
Colt’s cell phone ringing cuts me off.
“I’ve got to take this,” he says.
“Do you mind, Mia?” Lexi says, a frying pan in one hand and a spatula in the other.
“Uh, sure,” I say.
When I take David, he makes the cutest cooing noise, blinking up at me. I think he’s going to start crying again for a sec, but then he settles down, like he’s chilled out a lot more than last time. Something deep in me glows and tingles. What if…
Dante saidwhat-ifscome true, but he said it like only the bad ones. The good ones can happen, too.
Since when did I become Miss Optimist?
Colt has left the room, but as I walk around the large kitchen with David—he seems to prefer it when I move—I can hear hisvoice when I’m right at the edge. There’s some sort of grate in the wall, high up, maybe for air conditioning.
Lexi hums from the other side of the kitchen, flipping bacon.
Colt’s voice is low. “Are you sure this is the right choice? Are you sure she can handle this?”
My skin pricks. Who is he talking about?
“She’s only nineteen. Wait,Dantedid this?”
An evil shiver moves up my spine. Colt’s voice goes quieter, and then Lexi looks over. I have to keep walking, so it appears I’m pacing for David, not eavesdropping. When my circuit takes me back to the corner, Lexi serves up the bacon, and Colt is back in the room. He sits down, drinking a coffee.
“How are you feeling, Mia?” I say.
She’s only nineteen.What did Dante do?
“I’m fine,” I tell him.
“Even after everything?”
“Colt,” Lexi snaps as she brings the plate of bacon over.
“It’s okay, Lex. Yeah, even after everything. I’m not going to be afraid anymore. I’m not going to let the past define me.”
Lexi touches my arm, smiling. “I’m so proud of you.”
“You showed me how first,” I say.
Colt sighs. “After breakfast, Mia, Leonardo Marino has ordered me to take you somewhere. You’re going to need to be clear-headed and ready and tough.” He takes a long, slow sip of his coffee. “You’ll need to be real tough.”
Another shiver dances over me, a confusing one. Dante did this, whatever it is.
Colt drives us out of the city, over the bridge. Shadow sits in the backseat with me, his big head resting on my legs. I stroke my hand gently over the top of his head.
