Madison squeezes my hand.“I’m so sorry that happened to you.”
“It isn’t you who caused any of it.”
“Just the same.”She gives me a sad smile.“I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you more of this, earlier.It would have eliminated misunderstandings.”
“Hard to eliminate straight-up falsehoods from your ex-wife’s mouth.”Madison’s green eyes flash with outrage.“She said she was your wife.”
“I have bad luck at times.Alessia walking in at that moment and telling the lies she told.The incident in Italy and the wrongful conviction.The truck driver running a red light, just when I was going through an intersection.”I give her a smile.“But then I have such good luck, it makes up for all the bad.Such as now.You are giving me another chance, aren’t you, bella?”
“I believe I am.”Leaning forward, she presses the sweetest of kisses to my lips.
* * *
MADISON
As I walk out of the hospital, I reflect on everything Damiano said to me.I’m mildly irritated that he didn’t just tell me all of these things to begin with.
It’s probably an occupational hazard.He’s used to having the answers and holding the advantage.Also, maybe part of it is left over from his time in prison.I bet it was extremely hard to find people he could trust—especially after being betrayed by the police and justice system.
I just wish I’d known.
Maybe he also didn’t tell me because of my reaction.Even knowing he and Alessia are divorced, I don’t feel great about him giving her an apartment in his building.Would my feelings have been different if he was up front about their situation from the start?I’m not sure.
It’s impossible to know.
A man in a black jacket approaches as I move through the parking lot toward my car.I keep an eye on him, because the way he’s moving seems intent.Either he’s going to try to sell me something, or ask me for help of some kind.
“Madison!”
I turn to see Seth waving at me from the other side of a row of cars.When I look back, the other man is gone.
“Hey!”I start toward Seth.“What’s up?”
We meet in the middle of the lot.He tugs me toward him as a car drives past.
His hazel eyes lock on me.“Look, I know you probably don’t want to do this, but Damiano made me promise to ask.And he can pretty much get me to do anything right now because I feel so fucking bad he’s in that hospital bed.”
I grin.“Yeah, he took advantage of that to get me to forgive him.”
“So you do—forgive him, that is?”
“I do.”
His hazel eyes soften.“You get that same look in your eyes thinking about Damiano, that you used to have when you were around Kyle.”
I blink in surprise.We’ve barely talked about Kyle, and now he’s bringing him up out of nowhere.“I don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t worry about it.”He jams his hands in his pockets.“I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Okay,” I say slowly.
“Look, so Damiano has tickets to a Surf Rats game this Saturday.A private box.He wants me to take you if the docs don’t clear him to go.I’m telling you now, before he puts you on the spot.You can say no, totally fine.”
“Wouldn’t you rather take someone else?”
“No.”
