Page 101 of Now and Forever

“He never told her that he loved her in return.”

“Mr. Luciano,” Contessa interjected, “is a man of few words.”

I squeezed Jasmine’s hand. “I bet your sister knew how he felt.”

“The thing was,” Jasmine said, “Josie’s perception of Dario wasn’t a contradiction to who he was when he wasn’t home. My sister told me that sometimes he had difficult decisions—life-and-death decisions. Yet, somehow, Josie showed me that it was all right to see the two different men and love them both.”

“Both?” I questioned. “I understand loving the man we see here, but she said to love the man he is away, too?”

Jasmine nodded. “You kind of have to, right? I mean, you can’t love half a person.”

Tears prickled the backs of my eyes. “You’re right.” I thought of Papá and Em. I didn’t only love the men they were in our home. I loved the whole of them. That was exactly what Dario deserved.

I’d come to terms with loving the man I saw. That wasn’t enough. In this moment in the safe room, I said a prayer that I would get the chance to see Dario again and tell him exactly how I felt. He didn’t need to feel exactly the same way, but he deserved to know he was loved.

Time passed.

Jasmine and Contessa shared a bed while I slept in the other. When I awoke, my watch said it was after six, and my phone was dead. We’d slept through the night, uninterrupted.

What does that mean about Dario?

Standing, I stretched, seeing Contessa’s protective hold of Jasmine. Trying not to wake them, I went to the corner and used the toilet. In the quiet of the secret room, the flush was as loud as an alarm. Both ladies stirred.

“I’m sorry,” I said.

“No,” Contessa replied. “I should be awake.”

Jasmine rolled toward the wall with her eyes closed, reminding me of what Camila would do if she were in this situation. My sister. I’d do anything to keep her from this fear.

“Should we check the apartment?” I quietly asked Contessa.

“Mr. Luciano will open the door when it’s safe.”

Tears came back to my eyes. “What if he can’t?”

Contessa reached for my hands. “Have faith.”

Inhaling, I nodded.

Faith.

I could do that.

Sitting back on the bed where I slept, I wondered about more than my husband. I wondered about my father, uncle, brother, and cousin. Camila said they were on their way to get me. I was still here. Where were they?

More questions came.

What about Mia?

Was she in the garage, or had Rocco lied?

What happened to Rocco?

The twisting in my stomach told me the answer. Mia was now a widow.

Was I one too?

It was after eleven and all three of us were awake when we heard the moving of the secret door. Instinctively, I reached for my knife. Jasmine, Contessa, and I stood as a unit. Our breathing quickened. The door slid inward.

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