“Stop it. You’re going to make me cry.” I kissed Pippa’s head and inhaled her intoxicating scent into my lungs. This child was my lifeline. She kept me going and surviving each abysmal day. My little lovebug was my whole world.
“Ask me, Isla.”
“Will you keep her tonight? I just need a full night’s sleep.”
“Yes, babe. Of course I will. I have two extra pouches of breast milk in the freezer. We’ll be just fine.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you. Sort of wish we could go back to high school. I’d do so many things differently.” The day after I ended it with Ciro, I’d called Alba, my bestie since middle school. She’d moved to the Bay Area right after we graduated high school to be closer to her cousin, Falina.
If I’d gone home to Pasadena, my mother and sister would’ve inserted themselves into my life and tried to control me.
Everything worked out for the best because Alba was the only person I trusted to watch Pippa. But things were far from perfect now that my sister had moved into my apartment building and the unit next to mine. She and her sketchy, abusive boyfriend were making my life a living hell. I was close to moving into Alba’s small duplex and sleeping on an air mattress just to get away from them.
“Don’t go there,” Alba told me softly. “You wouldn’t have Pippa if you hadn’t met Ciro.”
“You’re right.” I nodded and bit my bottom lip, fighting the emotions building inside me. I should tell her I saw him and not avoid it. “He showed up at the bistro yesterday.”
“What?” She gaped and sat forward. “Is he the rich guy Falina told me about?”
“I assume so. I didn’t see him today, but I did yesterday.”
“And you’re just now telling me?” The disbelief on her face made me feel like a horrible friend.
“I was hoping it was all a bad dream and didn’t want to think about him, much less discuss him.”
“Oh my gosh.” She cradled her face in her hands. “Do you think he knows about Pippa? This could get ugly really fast, Isla.”
“I know, but I don’t think he does.” I took my baby off my breast and burped her. “I doubt he’d let me go anywhere without seeing her.” Or snatching her away from me, but I didn’t dare breathe those words into the universe.
My stomach churned at the thought of losing custody of Pippa. Ciro and his family were powerful and though they’d been kind to me, I had a feeling they could be ruthless when disrespected or betrayed.
“What are you going to do?” she asked.
“Just what I’ve been doing. Living my life and caring for my baby. For all I know, he’s returned to Canada after I told him to leave, and I’ll never hear from him again.”
“You can only hope, babe.”
Hope and pray I’d seen the last of him…
13
CIRO
My-la.I heaved, struggling to breathe as she stepped out of the building. I’d decided earlier in the day to let her work and finish her shift before I dropped in on her. Trying to talk to her at the bistro was stupid. I should’ve known better.
We needed to have a private conversation and the best way to do that was at her home, not with dozens of people around.
If I could get her into bed, the one place we were explosive and vulnerable together, I might have a chance.
“She seems to be in a hurry.” Paolo pointed at the side parking lot.
She practically ran out of the restaurant with a smile on her face. Yesterday, I’d noticed right off the bat she’d changed. Shorter hair was a good look for her. Sexy. Mature.Sexy. No doubt, she was more beautiful than ever. And it wasn’t only because I’d missed the hell out of her. She was more confident and had a no-nonsense air about her.
Isla hopped into what I assumed was her car, a rundownbeater I’d never seen before. Like what the fuck? Where was the Bimmer I’d bought her?
When she got that piece of shit started, after several tries, she bolted out of the parking lot.
“Hell on wheels as always.” I chuckled as Paolo pulled out behind her.
