Fucking hell.This day keeps getting worse.It’s Kyle’s birthday—a day where I usually bury my head in work.But now that I’ve reconnected with Madison, I wonder how she’s handling it.Perhaps it’s a mistake, but I picked up flowers that I’m going to deliver to her later.She should know that I’m thinking of her today.
But now, I get the news that Charles Dumond changed his mindagainand went with Point Ops on the Alaska job.
I shouldn’t care, but I do.
“So what?”Damiano leans back in his desk chair.His office is pristine and full of sunshine.It’s good to see him off his couch, back in his element.“Let Point Ops have the mission.They’ll do a shitty job, and then Dumond and Kerrick will know what a mistake they made.”
“You know it isn’t just that,” I say.“Now Point Ops has a foothold.Even if they fuck it up?—”
“And they will.”
“You’re right, they will—they’ll make excuses, blame everyone else, and try for the next job.That’s their MO.It’s always ‘mitigating circumstances’ and pointing fingers at anyone else.They’re worse than politicians.”
Damiano’s phone buzzes.He glances down at it and frowns.
“Is that Alessia again?”I ask.
“No.”His expression darkens.“Although she’s putting up a fight about moving to another building.”
“Of course she is.”I shake my head.He was an idiot to try housing her in the Nove building to begin with.
“She keeps going on about how she’s seeing Francesco around the city.I believe she is manufacturing drama.”
“Ya think?”I shake my head again.
He rolls his eyes and taps at his phone, his frown deepening.“This is a message from Baldwin at SEPD.He says they went to question the truck driver who hit me, but he disappeared.”
“That’s odd.”I stare at the gleaming surface of his desk, thinking.“Isn’t it?Well, the guy was uninjured, so maybe he’s on another job.Truck drivers go all over the place, don’t they?”
“I suppose they do.”Damiano sets down his phone, leans back, and sighs.“But if that were the case, I doubt Baldwin would say the guy’s missing.He wants me to be on the alert.”
“Like—wait.”My mind races.“Does Baldwin think the guy hit you on purpose?”
“I guess.But if the driver is gone, no one can ask him.”
* * *
MADISON
I pull into the parking garage of Palazzo dei Nove.Last night, Damiano gave me a key and access card for the elevator.I think it’s a bit soon for such a show of trust—I haven’t even slept over here before.Our one sleepover was in Mirarosa and ended abruptly.Because of his ex-wife.
But I can’t lie, not even to myself.A large part of me is thrilled that he trusts me so implicitly.It feels like a sign that he could be falling for me in the same way I’m falling for him.We’re exclusive, I have a key to his place, and I just…well, for the first time in my life before Kyle died, I feel secure.
Once I tell him that I’m open to including Seth in our relationship—if Seth is ever willing, that is—we won’t have anything holding us back.
I get out of my car, which doesn’t look at all like it fits in with the luxury cars parked around it.There is an older, white SUV down the line, so I’m not completely out of place.
A few steps toward the elevator at the other side of the garage, and I stop cold.The woman facing me stops, as well.Alessia, Damiano’s ex, is only five feet away.Her body is encased in a deep green sweater dress that accentuates her curves, and she wears matching heels.She turns to the man standing a few feet behind her and says something quietly.He nods once, then returns to the elevator.
Now she faces me fully.“You.”
I shrug.I’m tempted to add some sarcastic jazz hands and a jingle, but I simply say, “Yeah.Me.”
Her golden-brown eyes narrow.“You need to stay away from my husband.”
“I would…if he were actually your husband.”I really didn’t want this kind of confrontation today.I just want to talk to Damiano, tell him everything on my mind.Tell him that I’m choosing a future with him, even if that future might include Seth.
Instead, I have Alessia here, standing in my way like some kind of beautiful bridge troll in a green dress.
