When she doesn’t answer my second and then third calls, I give up and march over to my coat.
“Everything okay?” Oksana says, concern all over her lined face.
“Da, all good.” I quickly walk back to her and kiss her cheek. “I just have to check on something.”
I don’t want to freak her out.
But I do need to go.
Right the fuck now.
42
DOVE
Everything stillsas I stare at Melinda, pointing a gun at me.
“Melinda!” Dad barks. I see the same swimmy look in his eyes that I feel in mine.
My gaze drops to the coffee cup in front of me.
Oh no.
“Mel!” Dad roars louder. “Stop pointing that fucking gun at my daughter!”
Melinda lets out a cold, barbed laugh. “Oh, suddenly you’re father of the year, Cesare?!Nowyou care about her?!”
I blink, feeling sluggish and cold; like my reality has just had syrup poured all over it, slowing everything down, making it hard to talk or breathe or even think.
Did she just call him Cesare, not Mr. Marchetti, or sir?
My brows pinch.
And did he just call herMel?
“Dad…”
“I’m handling it, honey,” my dad growls as he glances at me and the gun aimed at me. His gaze grows darker and more menacing as it switches back to Melinda. “Put it down, Mel! We can talk about this!”
Melinda laughs coldly. “Talk!? Like wetalkedwhen I found you tearing apart my room yesterday?”
“You knowdamn wellwhat I was looking for, you bitch!” Dad roars back at her. “Proof that you tried to blow up my goddamn wife, so that I could fuckinghang youwith it!”
Fucking WHAT?
“I just want you totalkto me!” Melinda screams at him. “We’vetalkedso many times, Cesare! But always in secret! Always whispered in the dark!”
Dad’s face turns red and his bleary eyes slide to me.
“Dad, what is she talking?—”
“I’m talking about how he tells me he loves me!” Melinda spits. “How he can’t get me out of his head! How we’re meant to be together!” She turns to Dad, her face falling. “And weare, Cesare! The way you kiss me! The way you touch me…”
What.
The.
Fuck.
