Page 132 of Vicious Hearts

Gail’s face goes chalk, pain in her eyes as she reaches over and squeezes my hand. “My God, I’m so sorry to hear that, Una. He was…” she chokes back tears. “He was such a good boy.”

“The best,” I whisper quietly before exhaling the pain away. “But I’m doing okay.” I snort a laugh, rolling my eyes as I lift my hand to show her the simple gold band. “I’m, uh…I’m married, now. Recently, actually.”

Her eyes lose their momentary sadness as she grins, wiping the tears away. “You are! My goodness, how wonderful!” She beams at me. “Congratulations, Una! Who’s your husband? What’s he do?”

“Oh, he’s…” I smile. “He’s in management. Finance. That kind of thing.”

Gail winks at me. “Can I see a picture?”

“Sure.”

Feeling weirdly giddy and blushy, I pull the smartphone that Cillian recently bought me out of my bag and open up the photos app. I scroll to a shot of Cillian I took the other night—of him standing by one of the windows in the penthouse, looking out at the city. I took it from the side, showing his profile, a slight reflection in the window itself. It’s a good shot, if I do say so myself.

“This is him.”

Gail gasps, eyes going wide before she grins a little salaciously at me.

“My goodness, Una! He’sveryhandsome.” She giggles. “And quite a bit older, I see.”

I blush. “A little. But…it works.”

“I’m jealous!” she laughs. “I’ve been here in the city for two years, and I haven’t metanytall, hunky older men like this yet. Much lessmarriedone!”

I grin. “You live here in the city now?”

“I do, yes. In SoHo. I always wanted to live here, and I wasn’t practicing anymore. So I thought…why not?”

She glances back at my phone and goes to touch the image, as if to zoom in. But she accidentally swipes to the next picture. I stiffen for a moment, wondering what the eff is the next photo on my phone? But I sigh to myself in relief when I see the little furry face.

It’s Bones, lying on my guest room bed, sprawled against the headboard, basically upside down. As if he’s standing on his head.

“Oh my God, who isthis?!” she gushes.

I chuckle. “That’s Bones, my cat. He’s a weirdo.”

“He’s adorable! I love cats,” she sighs. “I just can’t have them in my apartment, unfortunately.”

Her brows arch suddenly, remembering. “Oh! Also, I always wanted to give you this, if I ever found you.”

She rummages in her bag and suddenly pulls out a manila envelope, sliding it across the table to me. When I open it, my breath catches.

It’s pictures of Finn and I—Playing in the grass at Coal Creek. Drawing pictures inside the classroom Gail set up for us. Building stuff with Legos. I’m grinning so hard my cheeks hurt until I flip over the next photo.

And the world goes a little dim.

This one is of my father—looking grim, cruel, and just plain evil as he looms over Finn and I drawing something on the table in front of us.

I don’t realize I’m frozen, staring at those leering, cold eyes until Gail’s hand drops onto mine.

“Una?”

I shiver, flinching. She winces.

“I’msosorry, I didn’t mean for that to hurt you.”

“It’s fine,” I blurt quickly.

“It’s just…” she shrugs. “My own father died young, and I just… Look, I know who and what your father was. But a parent—”

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