“Now, everybody knows,” Roger announces.


    <b>Yes</b><b>, </b>I have no doubt Roger’s right. The men I employ are tough as nails, although that doesn’t mean they won’t gossip like a bunch of women when given the opportunity. They only need a pitcher of mimosas, and you’d think they were at brunch. “Who cares if they know?” I hold his gaze as.I stand outside his cottage. Nightfall makes it difficult to read his expression. “I guess I’m just wondering if we’re ready for the repercussions it will bring. Her father showed up here with a gun yesterday, and you let him go. He essentially got away with threatening you without a hair on his head being disturbed.”


    “What was I supposed to do? Yes, he came here looking for a fight but the guy was at risk of hurting himself more than me. Folding my arms, I stare carefully at him, trying to get a read. There’s a reason we’re having this conversation here versus inside the house, so close to the others with big ears and even bigger tongues, ready to speak to the wrong people.


    “I just don’t want any of the men spreading rumors that you’re going soft. Not for a girl<b>, </b>not for anyone. <b>It’s </b>bad enough…” He blows out along breath, staring out over the grounds. “It’s bad enough that one man is working with Amalia.”


    Shit. I must’ve spaced that. I remember Roger bringing it up, but we’ve had so many things going on.


    “What’s the n with that? Why haven’t we found out who it is yet?”


    “It’s not as easy as you think. If any of them think they’re being questioned or watched, we’ll lose the opportunity to catch them. At this point, they’re all guilty until I can prove otherwise.”


    It’s hard to believe things havee to this. Amalia’s found a way to fuck with every aspect of my life. I hate to imagine one of my men, whom I’ve trusted up until now, going behind my back and working with that viper. Now, I have to prepare myself for the possibility that one of my men might have reported what went down yesterday.


    <b>“</b>I’ll leave you toe up with a n of attack. One way or another, we’ll find the snake in the grass. Even if we have to force him to tell us.”


    In the meantime, there was no hysterical phone call from Caterina either<b>, </b>so I trust Roger left Charles in decent shape back at the house. I’m sure he couldn’t have been much fun to be around when he finished sleeping it off<b>, </b>so not getting a phone call seems strange. The idea of her living with the fallout irritates the living shit out of me. She deserves better. I need to find a way to put this to rest for her sake, if for nothing else.


    “Are you going to tell her?”


    <b>“</b><b>I </b>can’t.”


    “She deserves to know. It’s her fucking father, after all.”


    <b>“</b>I realize that, but… no, he wouldn’t hurt her. He loves her too much. Besides, he’s not crazy, even if his actions make him appear that way.”


    He releases a derisive snort. “You’ve got much more faith in the guy than


    ”


    <b>“</b>He’s obsessed and out for revenge. Imagine loving someone with your entire heart, and something happens to them. They’re d, to begin with. shot and killed. Taken from you and your child. It’s traumatizing, especially if you don’t believe what ha What the police tell you is enough to drive you to insanity. The only problem is Charles’s trying to get even with the wrong man. I didn’t have a damn thing to do with that woman’s death. I can see how he would want to me me for it, but it wasn’t me.”


    The thought of something like that happening to Caterina makes my stomach churn. Suppose someone hurt her or tried to take her from me. There would be nothing to stop me from losing my mind. I’d kill, destroy, and burn the world to the ground. In more than one way, Charles and I are the same.


    “This is a new leaf of understanding that you’ve turned over,” he points out with wry humor.


    Yes, because of her. This is what she’s done to me. I don’t know what to do with my conflicting feelings. There’s no ck and white <b>anymore</b>. I don’t know whether I should be grateful to her for that or if I should hate her to my dying breath. Nothing is simple now. She’s changed me more profoundly than even Tatiana’s birth could manage.


    “Either way, it’ll hurt her to know he pulled a weapon on me, and don’t want her worrying about how I might retaliate. It’s better to let it go for now and hope he’s not stupid enough to show up here again.”


    “Do you think he would? I hope not, although there’s no telling when you’re that bloodthirsty for revenge.”


    “I don’t know, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”


    Nothing’s been settled by the time I wave him into his house before turning back to mine. The singing of crickets and the asional flicker of light from fireflies catch my attention yet have no calming effect as I march across the courtyard. There’s so much hanging in limbo now: Caterina, my daughter, whether my ex will throw Charles’s appearance in my face. She would be stupid enough to do it, too.


    What do I do about it all? That’s the question. I could rummage through phone records and see who’s been contacting her. I suppose that’s the rational idea. As for Tatiana, she’s been quiet thest few days, ever since Christopher returned. Other than that first night, she’s kept to herself. Except when I see her around the house, she does seem to be in better shape. At least showered and in clean clothes. I have to take that as a good sign. I can’t push her, though, or else I might risk her regressing. I’ve been having Roger keep watch of her just for safe measure. I can’t lose her.


    My life has be one big minefield. I never know where to step.


    Of course, my other concern is Caterina. I see her face in my mind’s eye as I walk through the house. I used to imagine this home, full of life. Nights like this, with so much weighing on my mind and so much pain in my heart, it seems more like my men are guarding my tomb. I can’t remember thest time my thoughts went so dark, but I can’t shake them off.


    There’s a man out there who believes I killed his wife, who came here yesterday intending to kill me in retaliation. The woman I love lives under his roof. A woman who goes out of her way to avoid me, who refuses to see what we have, the love that we share. I can’t even keep her here with me. How will I ensure she is safe?