“No kids, that's the age-old rule.”
“I see nothing wrong with giving my goddaughter a gift.” I grab a carrot off the veggie tray.
“I don’t understand, what’s the problem?” Blue-haired, ADHD queen, Jenny pulls herself off the floor. She offers her hand down to Joey to help lift him up too.
“Thiago knew Alana before she was Alana.” Dimitri answers so I don’t have to, another reason I like him. “And back then she dated Grae, who apparently broke her heart. And now Thiago doesn't want history to repeat itself.”
Jenny blinks a few times and then gasps, covering her mouth. “I didn’t know.” She fans her face, and her lower lips quivers. “There will be statues erected to you, Alana.” Huh, what is she talking about? “Your name will go down in history as the great pioneer you are.” She put her hands on my cheeks. I try not to flinch from her touch, but it’s so unexpected, I’m not sure what to do. “You brave fearless woman.” She rests her forehead against mine. “I didn’t know I had been in the presence of greatness this whole time.” She wraps her arm around my shoulder and with the other one swings it around in a grand gesture. “Behold! The first woman in history to be hurt by a man!”
I am so glad she's joined the Four Families friend group. Excellent addition.
Waverly and Katya laugh. Their male counterparts do not. Then Waverly jumps on the train. “Yes, as we know, men are born with the innate ability to do no harm and always make the right decisions.” She puts her hand on my shoulder mirroring Jenny. “And what age was this man when he broke your heart?”
I pull back my grin. “Nineteen.”
“Why yes!” Waverly clutches her invisible pearls. “The mature, fully developed frontal lobe of a nineteen-year-old man never makes mistakes.” She waves across the room. “Donny was nineteen when he wrapped a family car around a tree. Thiago was in his thirties when he broke his wrist trying to show his daughter how to do a kick flip on a skateboard—which he hadn’t done in fifteen years. Yes, as we all know, men are the epitome of excellent life choices.”
Thiago frowns and rubs his wrist like he was remembering the pain. “What’s your point?”
“If women never forgave men for stupid choices, then the human population would’ve been extinct eons ago.”
It’s nice to have the support, but the reality is darker. “What happened to me has happened to millions of women over the course of time. I’m not that special. Though it’s sweet that you think I am.” I give Thiago a wink. “No, I don’t think that has to do with my personal well-being as much as it has to do with any potential inconvenience that this might spark in your own life.”
“I don’t understand why you think Alana needs protecting,” Katya chimes in, “or even your pity. She’s a multi-millionaire crime lord baddie who chose not to have a boyfriend for a few years and now is choosing to have one again.”
Thiago slams his hand down on the counter, making the wine glasses rattle. “I’m not keeping the dog!” His phone chimes. He exhales through his nose and pinches the bridge of it. I look over at the screen to see a picture of Maria with her arms around the puppy crying happy tears as he licks her face. He glares at me, and we both know I’ve won.
CHAPTER 25
Grae
Day 7
I’m still no closer to figuring out what happened to my journal. It’s not in L.A. or any of the storage units. Mom texted and she says it’s not at her place. Oh, and the most powerful family in the world has been reading my journal and they think I’m boring. So not exactly the best use of time. At least I know why all of my efforts to find Alana came up empty, but what makes it different this time?
None of that makes me feel better, but at least I’ll spend the night with Alana. I swing home, pack an overnight bag and go to her place. On the subway ride over, Amanda sends me a text.
Amanda: Where have you been?
Me: I flew back to L.A.to try to find a journal I lost twelve years ago.
She hasn’t spoken to me since her epic sobbing fit about Alana a few days ago. I’m pretty sure this is the longest we’ve ever gone without talking—a whole seventy-two hours. It feels weird.
Amanda: Do you want to come over?
Me: Can’t. I’m going to see Alana and her cat Midge.
I also plan on fucking her blind, but that’s neither here nor there.
Amanda: She has a pet?
Me: A gray, stubby-legged cat.
Then Amanda goes radio silent. There’re a million things she’s probably doing right now, so it’s not surprising, but I hate it when she does that.
The subway comes to a screeching halt, and I push my way through the crowd. The city is just a series of obstacles between me and Alana. When I knock on the door, she greets me with a smile and throws her arms around my neck. I lift her up with one hand and kick the door closed.
She kisses me. “I had a fun victory today.”
