Page 53 of One Filthy Kiss

Instead, I take my coffee and sit on the couch where I can stare at the fish in the aquarium. It’s therapeutic watching them driftlazily around the plants and colored rocks. There’s something so serene about sea creatures that it’s not surprising water therapy is so popular with humans.

Ric joins me. “Better?”

“A little.” I drag my eyes away from the fish and look at him. “Am I being paranoid?”

He inhales deeply. “In a situation like yours, there’s no such thing as paranoia. It’s fight-or-flight. I’m not saying it’s healthy to live in a permanent state of high alert, but the instinct is built into humans for a reason.”

I smile. “Maybe I should take up scuba-diving and escape the real world occasionally.”

“It’s not a bad idea. Or you could convince Gio to spend the summer in Sicily with you.”

“Why does he need convincing?” I’d be on that private jet in a heartbeat if it meant we could spend the summer on a beautiful island paradise.

“He … is a workaholic. He’s always searching for the next challenge. This is the most time he’s ever spent away from the office. Even when he isn’t working, he’s usually thinking about working.”

I sip my coffee and catch a glimpse of my reflection in the glass aquarium. I look normal. No one would ever know that I’m still churning inside after the scare in the playground because the woman staring back at me looks so strong, determined, and fierce, I hardly recognize myself.

“I’ll speak to him about it when he gets back.”

Perhaps if we spend the summer in Sicily, this will have all blown over by the time we get back. Amber’s father might’vemoved on, given up trying to find us for a while, and we can settle into this new world we’ve stumbled into.

I reach for my purse to check my phone.

That’s when the world slides out from under me, and I realize that summer in the Mediterranean isn’t going to solve anything.

I pull out the slip of white paper that wasn’t in my purse when we went out earlier. On it, written in bold, black permanent marker, are the words I’M WATCHING YOU.

I can’t speak.

Ric takes the note from me. He’s on his feet, his phone raised to his ear while I watch the piece of paper flutter onto the floor.

He was there. He was so close that he was able to leave a warning in my purse without anyone noticing, and it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t raised the alert, yelling myself hoarse and drawing the bodyguards’ attention my way, this would never have happened. But it feels as though he planned it this way.

“The boss is coming straight back.” Ric’s voice is calm.

Maybe he has experienced this kind of situation before. Maybe he has seen a whole lot worse things than I’M WATCHING YOU. But I haven’t. I have my little sister to look out for, and now I know that we can’t stay here, but I don’t know how far we must go to get away from her father.

“We’re leaving.”

I can hear Amber chatting to her dolls about the cakes she’s serving at their tea party. I have to drag her away from this new life that she didn’t ask for, and I realize that all our stuff is still in LA, and nothing here belongs to us. Wherever we end up,we’ll be starting over with nothing. It will be a lot harder for Amber than it will be for me because she doesn’t understand what’s going on.

She won’t even get to keep her puppy.

“Meg, let’s just wait for Gio.” While I’ve been distracted, Ric has placed himself between me and the elevator. “He’ll deal with this. My job is to keep you safe, and I can’t let you leave without speaking to him first.”

“We’re not safe though.” My voice sounds puny.

Where has the fierce woman staring back at me from the aquarium gone? It’s easy to be strong when you’re in a penthouse apartment surrounded by a security team. But safety takes on a whole new perspective when you know that the man who killed your mom was within touching distance of your little sister at a public playground.

“He was there, Ric. He was right there. He could’ve taken Amber, and there was nothing we could’ve done to stop him.”

“Look, I know you’re frightened.” Ric is still calm as he comes closer. “But this is what he wants. He wants you to be frightened and vulnerable because that makes him feel powerful. But you’re better than that, Meg.”

Am I?

Ric’s gaze doesn’t waver. “You’re stronger than that. You’ve kept Amber safe for five years.You. No bodyguards. No chauffeurs. No concierge to vet your visitors. You’ve managed on your own, so now it’s time to let someone else help you.”

I breathe deeply. In through my nose, hold it in my lungs, and out through my mouth, trying to regulate my erratic heartbeat.