“It’s not enough that my brothers work directly with Aidan O’Donnelly?”
“Perhaps.” He pursed his lips. “But I don’t think so. Who was this Beatriz that you knew in college?”
My mouth worked. “You can’t be serious!”
“I know that you’re here for a reason, Kitty.”
“Leverage? Aidan O’Donnelly would help my family if my brothers told him where we are.”I prayed he would, anyway.
“Have you checked in with them?”
“Earlier. When we landed. Not since…” I pulled a face. “I didn’t want to make things worse by extending the lie.”
“Your instincts were right. Have you told them you’re in Mexico?”
I shake my head.
“What about Beatriz?”
“She died in a car crash.”
“A few weeks before graduation,” he prodded.
“Yes. She was T-boned at a junction.”
“Did the driver who killed her serve any time?”
“No. It was a hit-and-run. We were really close. I … Tonight, I realized how I’d blocked her out.”
“Grief gets you like that.”
“Yeah, it does. And I feel as if I’ve lost so many people in my life. When…”
“When?”
“When they transferred you into the VIP ward, I was sneaking a visit with your great-uncle. But you had nobody with you.” I shook my head. “If I were in your position, and as big of a pain in my ass as they are, I’d still want my family there. It was very unethical of me, but I called Lucas, who told Aidan…”
“Who told my sister-in-law.” He grunted. “Thank you for that.”
It was said insincerely.
I cringed. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
Lie.
“I knew it was unprofessional, but… if the worst…” I blew out a breath. “I stayed until they came. Fell asleep. Your mom woke me up. She was crying like crazy. I envied her.”
“You envied her?” he repeated, tone blank.
“She wailed.” I smashed my hand against my chest. “It came straight from here. She hurt. And the world knew it. And she didn’t care who heard. She let out her fear and pain and… God, I wish I could do that. Sometimes, I feel like my heart’s caged, and I know I did that to myself. Years ago. Just to get through my grief.”
Silence fell between us, until he admitted, “She’s changed.”
“Accent aside, I thought she was Sicilian.”
“She comes from English nobles. My father and she shared a holiday romance. He was poor and her parents didn’t approve, butshe didn’t give a damn. She loved him. Fiercely. And she lost him. Now, she drinks too much and pretends she doesn’t, then she grieves, and where once she’d have kept that shit locked up tight, she lets it out. That’s probably the alcohol.”
