Page 21 of Edge of Ruin
“Nell, what exactly do you know about the guy?”
Nell hemmed and hawed. “More or less what Duncan told you. There’s a photograph on Duncan’s wall of Jack climbing a sheer rock face, so I knew he was big, with dark hair, nerves of steel, and lots of thick, sinewy muscle. But that’s about it.”
“He despises me,” I announced. “He thinks I’m insignificant fluff. A rootless, brainless tattooed bimbo incapable of making commitments or seeing anything through to the end. And he hates my van.”
“Wow.” Nell sounded impressed. “That’s deep, Viv. You got all the way to fear of commitment issues? After one single evening’s acquaintance?”
“It wasn’t my fault!” I wailed.
“I never said it was, honey,” Nell soothed. “What’s the place like?”
“Out of my wildest dreams,” I admitted, staring out the window. “The place is covered with flowers. Edna’s having the time of her life chasing something across the field. I hope it’s not a skunk.”
“So? What’s the problem?”
“What do you mean, what’s the problem? I told you! The man doesn’t want me here! He thinks I’m trash! This is a big, big problem, Nell! Don’t play dumb with me!”
“But the van is stuck, right?” Nell prodded.
“Yes, at least until?—”
“Well, good, then.” Nell sounded satisfied.
“Good?” My voice rose to a squawk. “What do you mean, good? What’s good about me being stranded? Grounded?”
“I mean that, at least until your fucking van gets unstuck, I, your sister, and Nancy, too, will be able to breathe easy and sleep at night because for once in your goddamn life, somebody is looking after you!”
The violence in my sister’s voice startled me. “Um, okay,” I said, cowed.
“I know what these guys are capable of.” Nell’s voice quivered. “You don’t. You have no clue, Viv. And you don’t want to. Trust me.”
“I do trust you,” I assured her swiftly. “And I promise. I’ll be careful.”
“Hey. Guess what we did this morning?”
I hesitated. The tone in Nell’s voice made me wary. “Ah, what might that be?”
“We talked to the domestic staff at the Palazzo de Luca. There was a lady there in her seventies, the daughter of the previous housekeeper. She remembers when Lucia left. And why.”
I braced myself. “Yeah? And? Stop teasing.”
“It was after finding her father’s dead body,” Nell said. “In his study, under his writing table. The table we still have. He’d been tortured to death. Cut to pieces. Slowly. Like they threatened to do to me. Like they would have done to Nancy. Or to you, if they get you. Keep it in mind.”
It wasn’t like it was a big surprise, but still. This evil had deep roots. It was a fresh dose of flesh-creeping, goose-pimpling shivers.
“Be careful, okay?” Nell begged. “Just be very, very careful. Dress down. Don’t show the van around town.”
“I will,” I soothed. “I promise.”
Nell sniffled. “Right. At least you’re finally attracted to somebody again. Thank goodness for that. It’s about freaking time you moved on.”
I felt cornered. “You don’t get it, Nell. Whether I’m attracted or not, it’s a bad scene. He despises me. He sees me as a type, not a person. It’s just like when Brian?—”
“Viv, stop it,” Nell cut in sharply. “It’s been years since that scumbag messed with you! Get over it! Stop living like a wandering nun!”
“I’m feeling manipulated,” I said tightly.
“Manipulated?” Nell snorted. “Alas, poor Vivi. Trapped in a flowering wilderness paradise with a gorgeous, eligible hunk sworn to protect you from the evil villains. How viciously cruel of us, for doing this to you.”
