“Who arethey?”
His cold eyes appear even colder as he looks right at me, and I feel a shiver race up my spine. I don’t want to be here, but I still don’t think he’d hurt me. And that’s the only thing I believe.
“It’s best you know as little as possible, Ana.”
Yeah. Of course he’s going to say that. “Would they have hurt Mama, if she hadn’t been able to pay?”
“I don’t know. They’d promised to leave you both alone, they didn’t say if there were conditions attached.”
“And you were okay with that?”
He doesn’t answer, and I turn my head away because I can’t believe what I’m hearing. I can’t believe what my mama had to go through, and she kept it to herself. All of that stress, she went through it all alone.
“On top of all of that she also had the bills to pay. She was a single mother, you’d left her with a mortgage and a car and…” I stop talking. I can’t do this. I don’twantto do this. “Why are you here?” I ask. “What do youwant?” Because he hasn’t answered that question yet.
“I want to start again, Ana. With you. With my daughter. I want to be a family.”
I shake my head, blinking back tears he is not going to see. I’m not looking weak in front of this man, that isn’t happening. “You’re a stranger to me,” I whisper, but I keep my eyes locked on his. I don’t break that gaze. “I don’t know you. I don’twantto know you.”
He doesn’t say anything, but he does break the stare. He turns away, and by the set of his jaw I can tell he’s frustrated. And I’m beginning to wonder just how easy he thought this was going to be.
“When Mama died,” I start, “she hadn’t paid everything off, to my knowledge. That’s why she’d started working for the Vikings, because she still had debts to pay. Does that mean they’re going to come forme?”
“No.” He doesn’t miss a beat. “No, Ana, they aren’t coming for you.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Trust me.”
“That’s the last thing I can do.”
“You are safe from those people, Ana. You have no need to worry about that. Everything your mama owed–”
“Shedidn’t really owe anything. You did.”
“It’s over.”
“Is it?”
He holds my gaze, but neither of us speak.
“So, that’s why you’ve come to Denmark? To reunite with me? Suddenly you want to play daddy?” I might be pushing him too hard now, but I don’t care. “And buying Mama’s house? That’s sick.”
“I thought it was something you’d appreciate. Somewhere you’d feel safe. I did it for you.”
I don’t believe that, either. “I don’t feel safe anywhere since Mama died.”
“What about the men who proclaim to be protecting you? Don’ttheymake you feel safe?”
I don’t want to talk to him anymore. I want to leave. And I’m not about to answer his question, I’m done.
“I want to go now.”
“Ana, please, I want you to understand–”
“I’m done listening.” I shrug, getting up from the couch Mama and I would sit on most nights to watch TV or read books or talk about our day. And just remembering that causes a wave of sadness to wash over me because what Mama told me, about her day, was any of it true? She lied to me, but she did it because she really, truly wanted to protect me. What this man has told me, I don’t understand or believe and I want to go. Now. “I’m done.”
“Ana!” His voice carries a harshness I’ve become familiar with, but learnt to push back against. I don’t take it from those men anymore, and I’m not taking it from this one. I spin around and face him.