Page 107 of The Freedom in Captivity

No response.

Nico starts the car and drives to the front of the house, and then away, down the road. In the rear-view mirror, I watch. Wait. Silently plead with the universe to see him one more time. For him to step outside and watch me be driven away. Toshowsome sort of emotion to our second ending.

But maybe I’m hopeful.

Because why would he hold me all night if he didn’t care at all? There’s something in that black heart of his…isn’t there?

Unless…

My eyes cut to the mobster beside me. “What did you do to him?”

“Nothing,” he replies, not missing a beat, knowing exactly who I speak of. “He’s completing a task for me.”

Does he know I’m leaving?I want to ask, but it won’t make much of a difference at this point. Even if he doesn’t, he will soon. Asking Nico to turn around means nothing because he won’t, and I know this. It’s purposeful he’s driving me himself.

So I remain silent as Nico expertly maneuvers the expensive car through late morning traffic, and my wonder of where we’re headed finally gets answered when he parallel parks in front of the Greyhound Bus Station.

He switches off the car and his arms fall into his lap, but he doesn’t stop staring through the front windshield. “In the trunk, there’s a bag of clothes and other supplies. We found your IDs too. I suggest you take it. And here.” He holds up a hand, still without looking at me. Clamped between two fingers are two one-hundred-dollar bills. “Money for a bus ticket. Leave, Rozelyn.”

Before he removes his offer, I snatch the money, folding it into my palm as my confused and rattled heart thumps harder. “This isn’t a trick? You’re actually letting me go?”

“I am. Find your sister. Move on from all this. Be a normal woman and search for your happiness. It’s all anyone deserves.” Pause. “You did good, Rozelyn.”

If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was almost genuine.

“Apologize to Aurora, would you? Tell her I really did enjoy gardening with her. When I was there, it was easier to forget about all the shit Dad was doing.”

Green expressionless eyes blink in agreement.

“And Della and Ariella. Tell them I’m sorry I was such a bitch. I had my reasons back then. Not great ones, but I was protecting my own heart.”

“They know already.”

“Tell them anyway. Please.” I’m not above begging. With my hand on the door, I turn to leave, almost freed from the Corsettis entirely, but I can’t with the weight on my chest demanding I send Nico back with one more message. “And tell Flynn…”

Tell him I’m sorry for high school.

Tell him I’m sorry for the present.

Tell him I’m pleased he found people who deserve him.

Tell him I—no, even I can’t admit that to myself.

A complete ten tense seconds pass.

Nico finally glances at me. “Yes?”

“Nothing.”

I get out of the car and retrieve the bag Nico mentioned from the popped trunk. It’s a backpack with quite a bit of weight to it, which is positive. Means I’m not completely without things to my name.

Once it’s nestled between my shoulder blades, I tighten the straps to the ideal location and return to the passenger side, leaning down to peek inside again. “Bye, Corsetti. I’d say it was nice knowing you, but, well, it wasn’t.”

With a two-fingered salute, he says, “Right back at you.”

Once I back away from the curb, he leaves, clearly not bothering to ensure I go inside. Hell, I half-expected him to remain until I got onto a bus and out of his city, but they care so little about my life now, nothing matters.

One thing does: Yasmine.

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