Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 105734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105734 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
I pass the device back to my dad, feeling a slow boil of emotions overcoming my brain. First, I’m shocked. I don’t know how she managed to drag me so far along, that I would invite her into my home without questioning her loyalty.
I think about all the dates we’ve been on, all the conversations over coffee, and that wonderful afternoon we spent at the park. I think about all the times we made out at her apartment, and how vulnerable she seemed. I thought she didn’t want to sleep with me because she was nervous about making a mistake. I thought she had been hurt in the past, or she was just the kind of girl who didn’t give it away that easily.
Come to find out that she actually doesn’t care about me at all. It was just a sham to get herself invited into my father’s house. On the heels of that realization, my next emotion is anger. She made a fool out of me, and that’s not something I’ve dealt with before. Last night I told her I loved her, but all I can summon now is hate. I hate her for lying to me, for making a fool out of me, for making love to me with deceit in her heart. It takes a cold, calculating soul to turn something as wonderful as sex into a weapon. I didn’t think she had it in her, but now I know differently.
“What did she find in your office?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” Dad answers.
“Dammit!” I shout, unable to contain myself any longer.
I smack the table with a closed fist, causing both coffee mugs to jump. The one closest to me topples over, causing a big brown stain to splash onto the floor. My father doesn’t budge. He was expecting this. If our roles were reversed, I know he would be firing his weapon at the wall or shattering all the wine glasses he could get his hands on. By contrast, I’m acting reserved. But this is all I can manage for the time being.
My father puts a hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he says.
I scowl at the mess I’ve made, trying to figure out what to do next. I can only hope that Dad was able to thwart whatever plan Sofia had. Making a fool of me in my home is bad enough. If she discovered something in my father’s study, things could get a lot worse.
CHAPTER 26
SOFIA
Ididn’t sleep at all last night. When I arrived home, I was still shaking. I haven’t even changed my clothes or taken a shower. I simply sat down on the couch and put my chin in my hands.
My thoughts are a jumble. I can sense disappointment with myself and fear for the future. But beyond that, my mind is a void. As I stare at the far wall, sunlight creeps into the room. It starts out soft and gray, then grows to embody more colors. By the time I move again, it’s shining brightly through the windows, illuminating every corner of my tiny apartment.
My throat is dry, and I think I should get something to drink. But the thought of getting up from my perch and walking all of five steps to the kitchen fills me with dread. I’m alive now, and I’m afraid that if I move, things will change.
I’m not sure why Corello allowed me to leave. Scratch that, I know why. It was his concern for Frankie’s feelings that got the better of him. If not for my relationship with Frankie Corello, I might be lying in a shallow grave.
I keep expecting to hear a knock on my door. Or rather, I keep expecting the door to burst open without a knock. I’m sure Corello will have me killed just like he did with my brother. It’s only a matter of time.
In the face of certain death, thirst doesn’t seem that important. I continue staring straight ahead until my thighs grow weary of their same position and I’m forced to move. Killing two birds with one stone, I stand up. Moving to the kitchen, I feel like a robot. I’m on autopilot, my brain engaged in something else entirely.
I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and twist it open. Taking a sip, I close it up again. Now I’m in the kitchen, but I’m no safer than I was in the living room. I think about texting Mr. Harlan, but I’m not sure what I would say. Also, I don’t want to drag anyone else into my personal hell. It’s better all around if I stay quiet. That way, even if Corello murders me, at least I won’t put anyone else in danger.
My thoughts drift back to Danny. I’m not sure why, but when I’m faced with my mortality, I find a kinship with the deceased that wasn’t there yesterday. I wonder what Danny thought of in his last moments, and if I’m experiencing the same thing.