Page 40 of A Seed Of Peril

“Maybe I can convince him to show you his sketchbook.”

She lifted her head, taken aback. “He still has it?”

I nodded, realizing I was treading the opening of a Pandora’s Box that I was wary of opening.Would Dominic be upset that I told her? Would he not care? Was it even my place?Fuck.

“Bianca… do you know what happened to Lorenzo?”

Inhaling, Bianca released her nervous breath, tapping some of her fingertips against her drinking glass. She looked down at her glass of water.

“They never caught who killed him; at least, that’s what the paper said.”

“Do you knowhowhe died?” I pressed.

She gave a curt nod so quickly, I almost didn’t see it. Observing her for a minute, I felt in my heart that she knew the truth. Her refusal to look at me was a big tip-off, and so was her solemn expression and aura.

I downed the last bit of my glass of blood, setting the drinkware on the table. “You think it was Dominic who killed him, don’t you.” I said it as a statement rather than asking her.

“I’m not angry.” She lifted her head and tenderly looked at me, like she was at peace with such a truth. “I’m glad Dominic had his closure.”

Katrina stirred, capturing both of our attention. Bianca looked at my niece in a beautiful, motherly way.

“Someone’s awake.”

* * *

I pulled back,my hands on her upper arms.

“Just give him time. That's all he needs… Time.”

Bianca nodded, her expression one of understanding. “I know. I just miss him so.” She flitted her eyes downward then back up to mine. A sad smile crossed her lips. “All I want is another chance.”

“And he’s willing to give you one, but it has to be on his terms and whenhe’sready. One step at a time.” I smiled.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, tears in her eyes. “One step at a time,” she repeated in a near whisper, her voice breaking.

We hugged each other again. Tighter.

Our conversation replayed like a shuffled playlist in my mind. Some talking points sounded louder than others. Certain words we said burst through the noise, echoing as they faded away. All of it back and forth and switching me from a place of anger toward Bianca into a place where I wanted us to try to be friends.

Bianca didn’t pop into Dominic’s life on such a whim to hurt him. Hector was dead, and only with him gone did she feel safe in searching for her son. She knew Dominic was alive and in better hands under Hector’s care, although, in my opinion, that was debatable. She told me she tried pleading with Hector to take her in, too, but he refused. He told her she was afallimento—a failure—and it was better off for Dominic to believe Lorenzo beat her to death the night Dominic ran away from home.

Angelo and Anthony stayed with Katrina out in the hall on my request. There was something else I wanted to ask Bianca about.

I leaned back against the pointed corner of the walls. “How did you find out that Dominic was living with Hector?”

Bianca blew out an anxious breath, sitting on the side of the bed. “Hector contacted me out of the blue on a Thursday morning. I remember because one of my housemates at the shelter came to my room and handed me the phone and told me it was an emergency about my son.” She touched the front of her throat, briefly looking elsewhere, like her next words were caught in her throat. Heartbreaking pain reflected in her eyes.

“Hector told me he had my son, and I needed to see him right away. A man picked me up…” She swallowed, continuing on. “And when I got there, they refused to let me see my son. My baby boy.” She closed her eyes, squeezing out tears. Gasping her next breath, Bianca opened her eyes, tears still falling. “Hector berated me, told me I failed my baby. Afallimento!” She spat the insult with such venom and hatred. That same venom and hatred seeped into her eyes as she recounted the rest of their exchange.

“He denied me my son and threatened me that if I ever tried to fight to get him back, he would make my life hell. He told me that if he had to, he would kill me, thatno onewas taking awayhisson. His!” Bianca stood up and paced that side of the bed. “He said after I left his home, I would no longer exist to Dominic. He hid everything. I don’t know if he sealed it or what.” She stopped in her tracks, turning to face me. “He lied to my son and said I was dead. He told Dominic that his father killed me after he fled.” She shook her head. “They arrested my husband, and I ended up in a battered women’s shelter an hour away. I tried to find Dominic after Lorenzo went to jail. I went to the police and filed a missing person’s report, but… There were just too many children. The shelter couldn’t help me.” She sighed and took a seat again on the side of the bed.

Once I got home, Dominic and I were due for quite an uncomfortable and heavy conversation. He had to know. And I was ready to be his rock.

Anthony slowed to merge onto the interstate, the traffic heavier around what was now pushing dinner time. Leaning back in the front passenger seat with Katrina sleeping on me—she begged, and I couldn’t find the heart to say no—I gingerly rubbed my hand up and down her back, careful not to wake her. Thanks to the dark, tinted windows on all our vehicles, no one worried about a cop tagging us. By law, Katrina wasn’t supposed to be allowed to sit in the front until she turned twelve.

My son kicked and moved from side to side. I cradled my belly, soaking in the sweetness of this moment. I kissed Katrina’s hair, glad she had a great day. Seeing her eyes light up when Bianca answered the door was everything. It tore her up inside when we had to leave. She cried, wanting to spend the night with Bianca. I promised they would see each other again soon, and we would work out a schedule. I was prepared to stay with Katrina tonight if she needed me. I texted Dominic to warn him and to explain that he might get the bed to himself tonight. He sent me the thumbs up emoji.

“Thank you, guys, again for doing this. It really made Katrina’s day.”

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