Page 44 of Keeping My Bride

He shakes his head. “No one knows. Otherwise, that person would already be dead.”

That’s true. If the Vitales knew who murdered Gianna, the man would already be six feet under.

“What else do you need from me, Verona?” Papa offers.

“Can we…can we spend the day together?” I ask him, and my question clearly surprises him. I need a break from Luca, and I haven’t spent real quality time with my father in years. All this talk about Luca’s dead mother makes me think about my mother.

I’ve already lost one parent. My father is the only family I have left, and I would be devastated if I lost him too. I know it’s inevitable, but I can make up for lost time, starting today.

“Of course. For you, anything.”

I smile at him. “Thank you, Papa.”

“You know, the same ice cream shop we used to take you to when you were a little girl is still down the street. Would you like to go?”

“I would love that.”

I know Luca won’t be pleased about me being gone all day since I didn’t exactly tell him I was leaving. But for all I know, he doesn’t even know I left. And I’m guessing even if he does, that he definitely doesn’t care.

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