“No,” Gabe replies. “But you’ll talk to her when you get home.”
“What the hell? She’s my wife.”
“Yeah, no shit, genius,” Gabe says. “But there’s no point in scaring her until you’re actually on your way back.”
…And I hate that he’s right.
Three more days in the hospital and I’m cleared to leave. The flight home is uneventful, almost surreal compared to the last year of my life. When we land, Alonso drives us straight to Gino’s house. As soon as I’m out of the car, he and Gabe basically take off, giving us space.
I walk toward the house slowly, my body still sore and stiff. It’s quiet. Too quiet. It’s the middle of the morning; normally, the guys are everywhere.
“Gino,” I call as I step into the kitchen.
Nothing.
“Gino,” I call again, louder.
“Hey, man.”
I turn just as he steps behind me and pulls me into a hug. I wince, my body definitely not ready for that yet.
“Hey,” I mutter. “Where is everyone?”
I expected the house to be full, or at least for Vanessa to be here. Instead, it was empty. Did anyone even know I was back?
“Home, probably. Juliet is upstairs. Listen, we need to talk.”
“Can I see my wife first?”
“Not before we talk.”
“What the fuck, man?” I snap. “I spent the last year being tortured and held against my will, and I can’t even see my wife when I get home?”
“I need to talk to you about Vanessa.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing bad,” he says, “I’ll say that much.”
He reaches into one of the kitchen drawers. He still won’t look at me. I can tell he’s hiding something just by the way he’s moving, the way his shoulders are tight. Whatever it is, it doesn’t feel good.
He sets something on the counter.
“Here. That’s your phone. We recovered it from your hotel room after they took you.” Then, more quietly, “Just promise me one thing. Don’t be angry with Vanessa. She didn’t know until after you left.”
He starts to walk away.
“Know what, Gino?”
He pauses.
“Just turn on the phone, and wait a few minutes before you run home,” he says as he walks out.
I turn on my phone.
Immediately, text messages start rolling in.
Hundreds of them.
