Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
The moment Jazz gets me alone in the lounge, she pulls me aside, well out of earshot of Dante’s men.
Her expression is pained. “I’m so sorry, Tiana.”
I steal a glance at the men scurrying up and down the hallway with boxes they carry from the basement to the dining room where I’m sorting the old invoices on the table. They insisted on helping me, no matter how much I objected.
I squeeze her shoulder. “It’s not your fault.”
She frowns. “I shouldn’t have spoken to Reino.” Staring at a spot on the wall behind me with glazed-over eyes, she mumbles, “That bastard.”
Noah is building a tent between the coffee table and the sofa with a tablecloth. Even though he’s lost in his survivor game, I lower my voice because my words aren’t meant for his ears. “Dante found me through the hospital records. He used face recognition software to flag my fake ID. Once he knew my false name, he tracked me through my electricity bill. I’m the one who’s sorry for getting you into this mess.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for.”
“A lot of businesses use AI-driven facial recognition systems these days. There’s no reason why criminals won’t. I should’ve thought about that before using my ID.”
“And do what? Not go to the hospital just like you didn’t when Noah was born?”
“The midwife was more than competent.” I can’t help being a tad defensive, already regretting that I told Jazz about that. I couldn’t refuse when she asked me about the birth, not after she’d flown all the way here to help me. “I made sure of that.”
“Fine. You were lucky there were no complications.” She shakes her head. “This time was different. Tiana, you fainted with a four year-old alone in your house. What if you’d knocked your head on the corner of the table or a counter? What if you’d cracked your skull open on the tiles? You could’ve died. What would’ve happened to Noah if you hadn’t regained consciousness?”
“Stop.” I raise a palm, unable to stand the grisly scenarios she’s painting of what could’ve been Noah’s fate even though the same whatifs still give me nightmares. “I know what could’ve happened.”
“When you left New York and we agreed to cut all contact, I was convinced you’d start a new life with a new identity somewhere—a life with a job, an apartment, neighbors to share potluck evenings, a kindergarten for Noah, and a boyfriend.” She adds gently, “But you weren’t living. You were barely surviving.”
“I didn’t have a choice. People were looking for me everywhere. I did what was necessary to keep Noah safe.”
“I know.” She sighs. “All I’m saying is that you couldn’t carry on living the way you did. Disappearing is one thing, but surviving on your own with no support network to fall back onto is another.”
“Are you saying it’s a good thing Dante found me?”
“No,” she exclaims. “I’m saying you need to make a life for yourself with friends you can trust—people you can rely on when you need help. You’ve done a damn good job on your own. To be honest, I have no idea how you managed alone for so long. No woman, no matter how strong she is, is Superwoman, and you know what they say about no man being an island.”
I open my mouth to protest, but she doesn’t give me a chance.
“So, Tatiana Teszner, you can cut yourself some slack for using your ID because you had to go to the hospital. You did the only thing you could do, and you were right to have called me. None of what happened was your fault, so stop beating yourself up about it.”
I’m not so sure about that, about the part that none of what happened was my fault, but there’s no point in arguing about just how guilty I am. Debating those old skeletons isn’t going to bring any of the dead people back.
Jazz hesitates before continuing with caution. “Dante said he’s taking you and Noah back to New York.”
The prospect ties my stomach into a knot. “He told me this morning.”
“He sounded very proprietary for a man who’s supposed to want you dead.”
“He claims the price on my head was just a reward for information that would lead to finding me.”
“Do you believe him?” She glances at Noah, who’s made a bed with cushions in his tent. “Or has finding out about Noah changed his mind?”
“As it turns out, he’s after something other than my inheritance.”
“What more does he want?”
“He wants to bring Leander down, and I’m supposed to help him.”
“Leander?” She reels. “Dante has already taken everything from your family. What can he possibly gain from going after Leander?”
I hate to admit what kind of man my father—my own flesh and blood—was, but Jazz already knows the worst of it. “Dante said my father had ordered a hit on his brother, and Leander had executed it.”