“Do you still go to these parties?” he asked. “Should I worry about someone stealing you away?”
“You should always be worried,” she said with a seductive smile.
“So, tell me about this lucky guy.”
“Oh.” She brushed her hand through the air. “Ancient history.”
He chuckled. “C’mon! Who was he?”
“His name was Alfeo. A big-shot lawyer.”
“Lucky bastard!” Valerio exclaimed. “So this big-shot lawyer meets a beautiful woman at a party. He says the right thing, and wins you over. How long were you together?”
She shrugged and smiled. “Three years. We broke it off when I was sixteen.”
“What the fuck?”
He hadn’t meant to say it. The math hit him too fast.
Maria’s face turned suddenly blank and he knew he’d made a terrible mistake.
He reached for her hand—but her fingers were limp and cold. He released his grip.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m not judging you. It’s just…thirteen is so young. You must have been frightened. No child should…I just don’t like to think about you being treated like that.”
He meant it. His churning rage was for the sick motherfucker who had done this to her. He wanted to kick the bastard’s teeth in.
She stared at her plate. Her breathing was shallow, rapid.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Without looking up, she reached out and entwined her fingers in his.
“You have very nice hands,” she said, voice flat. “You can tell a lot about a man from his hands.”
She shifted and pulled away, and her hand fell heavily into her lap.
Then she glanced up. The look of grief was both far younger and far older than belonged on that face. It sent a shiver of sadness through Valerio.
“You aren’t going to be my sugar daddy, are you?” she said.
Valerio shook his head. “No.”
“I’m not what you want?”
“It isn’t that,” said Valerio. “You’re amazing. Incredible. But I could never afford you. And…I’m a cop.”
He continued carefully: “I catch and punish men who abuse thirteen-year-old girls, and try to call it a ‘relationship.’ Do you understand what I’m saying?”
He watched as realization settled.
“I understand that you lied to me,” she said.
“Yes. And I’m sorry.”
Maria nodded and sat back, staring at him.
The waiter appeared. Valerio shooed him away.
