“I feel like I don’t have a right to be upset,” January says. “Because she wasn’t really my family.”
“That’s not true,” I tell her. “Your Zia loved you and you loved her. It’s fucking awful that she’s gone, baby.”
January nods, tears sliding down her cheeks. “I met Mr. Parker’s girlfriend.”
Doc and I exchange glances. We know all about Emilia Galloway, the twenty-three-year-old art student that’s somehow survived being Parker’s girlfriend. But we didn’t know January met her, or that she now understands she was never Parker’s exclusive partner.
“What do you think of her?” I ask. “She wasn’t mean to you, was she?”
“No.” January’s face falls. “I feel so sorry for her. Her life isawful. That’s how my life would be if I married him.”
“You don’t have to marry him. You never have to see him again,” I say.
January doesn’t seem to hear. “Maybe I should have married him. If I had, Zia would still be alive.”
“JJ, you can’t think that way—”
She furiously shakes her head. “But that’s not right. Parker told me he would have done it anyway, because he didn’t like Zia, and he didn’t want her in his house. So,screw him.”
The fierceness in her voice shocks me.
“I would have done it,” January says, her voice still vibrating with strength. “I would have married him and done whatever he wanted to keep my Zia alive.”
“We know you would have, JJ,” I say. “We know how strong you are.”
“I didn’t.” Doc says, balling up his burger wrapper.
January looks at him and I see surprise mingle with relief on her face.
“You think I’m strong?”
“I think you’re less useless than I thought,” Doc says. “And now you’re in the club.”
“What club?”
I don’t think he’s going to say it, but then he grimaces, and the words come out.
“The ‘Parker killed something I loved’ club. Basher’s a member. Adriano’s a member. Eli’s a member. We all are. And since you just joined, I figured you should know about it.”
January’s face goes ash pale. “Parker killed…”
“My sister,” Doc snarls. “Had her strangled in her hospital bed. After his boys ripped her clothes off and filmed themselves…”
He breaks off, looking like he’s going to be sick.
January gasps. The motel sheet falls to expose her breasts. It’s a testament to how fucked up the situation is that neither she nor Doc seems to notice.
“Why?” she breathes. “Doc… how? I…Doc, I’m so sorry.”
I’m as shocked as she is. Doc doesn’t talk about Alessia unless he’s blackout drunk. And even then, he doesn’t talk specifics.
“Why did Mr. Parker do that?” January presses. “When did this happen?”
“None of your fucking business,” Doc says flatly. “Go to sleep.”
“Oh,Domenico.” January moves as though to go to Doc and comfort him. My chest aches. Even after everything that’s happened today, all the hurt she’s endured, she’s still so pure. So sweet. It’s a goddamn miracle.
Doc not nearly as impressed. “Get out of that bed and I will break every finger you have, Tits.”
