Page 92 of The Cost of Silence

She sniffles, trying to pretend she isn’t. “Protected by who?”

Deep breath. “By Nico Mancini.”

Another silence, longer this time, then deadly calm. “Isabella. Are you with the criminal you wrote the story about?”

It shouldn’t sting, but it does. “He’s not a criminal and it turns out someone manipulated me into writing that story.”

“Isabella.”

“He’s complicated,” I say finally.

“Complicated is code for dangerous.”

“That’s not fair.”

“What do you want me to do?” she demands, voice rising in panic. “How do I help you if I don’t even know what you’re involved in?”

“You help me by trusting me.” I swallow. “I know what I’m doing. And I’m okay. Actually, there’s something I want to ask you about.”

“God.” She sighs like she’s bracing for disaster and I envision her making the sign of the cross. “Okay. Go.”

“Thanksgiving.”

“What about it?”

“I want you to spend it with me.”

A beat of stunned silence. “You want me to come to Manhattan?”

“Yes.”

“With… him?”

“Yes.”

“Isabella, how can you expect me to break bread with that man? He’s dangerous and he’s a stranger.”

“He’s not a stranger,” I interrupt gently. “Not anymore, and he’s not dangerous to me, to us.”

“So, what is he?”

My heart stutters. I search for the right words. “He’s… someone who’s been taking care of me. Someone who protects me. Someone I…I trust.”

Another long silence. She’s processing. Weighing. Trying not to jump to fear.

Then, sharply: “Are you in love with him?”

The question hits like a punch. “I…I don’t know,” I breathe. “It’s fast. It’s messy. But it feels… right.”

My mother exhales like she’s just aged ten years. “Bella, if I meet this man and he’s dangerous, and if I think he’s lying to you, I’ll drag you out of that place myself.”

I smile a little. “I’d expect nothing less.”

She grumbles under her breath, the emotional equivalent of waving a white flag. “Fine but I’m not staying in his home. I’ll go home early.”

“Mama, I don’t want you to go home early.”

“I’ll stay in a hotel. I may be foolish, but I’m not suicidal.”