Kaz looks down at Tommy. “What happened to his chin?”
“He fell off his bike yesterday. Three stitches, took it like a champ I’m told.”
“Ah, good man.” Kaz flicks his gaze over to me, watching as I sign our conversation to my little nephew.
“He’s asking to watch a movie. I’m going to put it on for him. I’ll be right back.”
“Sienna.” He stops me when I pass him, his hand resting on my arm.
“Yeah?”
“When I get home tonight, you’ll tell me what your uncle wants from you.”
Tommy yanks on my arm.
“Yeah. Okay.” I nod, then follow my nephew down to the toy room where his television is set up.
“That went well,” Melody says from the corner of the room, making me jump.
“If you’re down here, why did he come up to get me?” I ask with my hands on my hips. “You wanted Tommy to meet him.”
She laughs. “You were taking forever to come get him. Anyway, he didn’t sound angry, right?”
“Yeah.” I nod, addingnot yetsilently in my mind.
Because if he finds out what Uncle Vicente is up to, we could all be in danger.
“Three days? Are you sure he’s not dead?” Kara waggles her eyebrows.
“He’s not dead.” I point a finger at her through my phone’s FaceTime. “Don’t say things like that.”
“I’m not saying I want him dead, although how he treated you at the wedding definitely didn’t score him any points. He was a real asshole.”
“He was,” I agree. “But that doesn’t mean I want him dead.”
“No. Of course not,” Kara admits. “Have you talked to him at all, or he’s just disappeared?”
“He’s sent a text twice telling me he was working, but that’s it.”
“A text?” Kara squishes up her lips. “Not even a phone call? Maybe meeting Tommy spooked him. Maybe he thinks you’re going to bring him home one day, and he’ll have to play daddy to Tony’s son.”
“I wouldn’t think so. I explained that my uncle has custody. I don’t think he was spooked. I got the impression he wasn’t happy that Vicente has guardianship, though.”
“So what have you been doing while you have the whole place to yourself? I know you’ve been at Tommy’s place every afternoon, but during the day?”
“Studying.” I lean back against the pillows on the massive bed I’ve been sleeping in alone.
“Eww.” She shakes her head. “What for?”
“I have to take a certification test to get my teaching credentials for the state. I scheduled it for two weeks from now.”
“You’re going back to work?” Her perfectly sculpted eyebrows shoot up. “He’s letting you?”
“Letting me?” I laugh. “He barely acknowledges my existence. It’s better for me to have a job. Between that and spending time with Tommy, I’ll have a full schedule.”
“Right. And you’re right back to what you were here in New York. Living below the radar hoping no one notices you.” She frowns. “Sienna, you deserve better than that. You deserve someone who not only sees you but can’t get enough of looking at you.”
“I’m good, Kara. Seriously, this is fine. It’s better than New York. Well, except you and Rosa aren’t here. He’s nothing like my brothers or my uncle. It’s okay like this.”
