“I’ll explain later,” I said, already guiding Laney toward the back hallway. “Come on.”
I held Emmy gently in my arms and turned back to Laney. “Now. You’re going to tell me what’s going on.”
“There isn’t time.” Her eyes kept darting to the windows. To the door. “I have to disappear again.”
“Like hell you do.”
“Saint—please—”
“Who is ‘he’?”
She swallowed. “My father’s family.”
I stared at her. “What?”
“My father was Italian. He had a wife. A son.” Her voice trembled. “They hated my mother. They hated me. When mymother got sick, my father brought us to Italy. His family hated us. After mom died, he died two weeks later. My parents never married, because he had a wife.”
“I’m sorry,” I said quietly.
“She told me to leave.” Laney’s hands clenched into fists. “His wife. She said if I didn’t disappear, I would. Then she said her son would finish it.”
“Her son,” I repeated. “Your stepbrother.”
“He’s not my brother,” she snapped. “His name is Marco. And he’s been looking for me.”
“How do you know?”
“I’ve seen his people. More than once.” She shook her head. “They started showing up right after… after the night we were together.”
My stomach tightened.
“You think he wants to kill you,” I said slowly. “And take the baby.”
“Yes.”
I looked down at Emmy.
“No one is taking her from you,” I said flatly. “Or from me.”
Laney’s breath hitched. “You don’t understand how much power they have.”
“Then I need to talk to him.”
Her eyes went wide. “No! You can’t—”
“Laney,” I said firmly. “Until I know what’s really happening, you’re staying here. Both of you.”
She shook her head. “You don’t know what you’re inviting into your town.”
“I do,” I said. “And they’re not walking out with my daughter.”
That word felt right.
Mine.
She sagged a little, like the fight went out of her all at once.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked quietly. “About her.”
